This homemade coffee rub is an easy steak seasoning recipe that offers a savory, earthy and slightly charred taste to your steak. It's a versatile rub that you can use to flavor other meats as well.
Homemade Coffee Rub
If you are looking to elevate the flavor of your steak, try this homemade coffee rub recipe. This coffee rub is made of the best herbs and spices that will add richness and deliciousness to your meat.
You can use this coffee rub to season any meat from brisket, tri-tip, steak, chicken, lamb, pork, and more.
The Ingredients for Coffee Rub
This homemade coffee rub is salt-free. It gives you a lot more freedom and control to adjust the sodium content.
To make your own coffee dry rub, you will need to combine and mix the following ingredients well.
Ground dark-roast coffee. You can use any finely ground dark-roast coffee or instant coffee that you like.
Ancho Chile Powder. It's basically the ground version of ancho chili pepper (ripened and dried poblano). It adds a nice smokey note to recipes with a mild heat.
Dark Brown Sugar
Paprika. In this recipe, I used smoked paprika to add a subtle smokiness to the meat. Regular paprika or sweet paprika will work as well.
What Does Coffee Do to a Steak?
Coffee is a wonderful ingredient that acts as a tenderizer. As a result, you'll have the perfect steak finish that is so moist and juicy on the inside, with a beautiful crust on the outside.
How to Apply Coffee Rub to Tender Cuts of Steak
Here's how to apply coffee rub to tender cuts of steaks, such as ribeye, top sirloin steak, filet mignon, and strip steak). These tender cuts don't need to be marinated or tenderized.
- Remove the steak from the refrigerator.
- Pat the steak dry with paper towels.
- Season the steak generously with kosher salt and black pepper.
- Rub and coat the steak well on both sides. Pat the dry rub gently with your fingers so it adheres.
- Let the steaks stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking.
How to Apply Coffee Rub to Tougher Cuts of Meat
Some cuts of meat such as tri-tip benefit from being long-marinated. As an example, I used this rub to season my tri-tip roast and marinated it for 12 hours before I roasted it in the oven.
Here's how to apply coffee rub to tougher cuts of meat, such as tri-tip, skirt steak, hanger steak, flank steak, and chuck.
- Pat the meat dry with paper towels.
- Season the meat generously with kosher salt and black pepper.
- Rub and coat the meat well on both sides. Pat the dry rub gently with your fingers so it adheres.
- Put the seasoned meat on top of the wire rack over a baking sheet, cover, refrigerate, and marinate from 2 - 18 hours depending on the type of beef cuts.
- Remove from refrigerator at least 40 minutes before cooking.
| Cuts | Marinating Time |
|---|---|
| Tri-Tip Roast | 4 - 24 hours |
| Tri-Tip Steak, Sirloin Steak | 2 - 4 hours |
| Round Steak | 4 - 6 hours |
| Brisket, trimmed | 10 - 12 hours |
| Brisket, untrimmed | 16 - 18 hours |
| Chuck Steak, Top Blade Steak | 4 - 6 hours |
How to Store Your Homemade Dry Rub
To extend the lifespan of your homemade coffee rub, store the rub in a vacuum-saleable bag and put it in the freezer for up to 2 years. Alternatively, you can store the rub for up to 6 months by putting the leftover rub in an airtight container and placing it in a cool dark place.
Check Out More Seasoning Recipes
Homemade Coffee Rub
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon ground dark-roast coffee
- 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon ancho chili powder
- ½ tablespoon smoked paprika
Instructions
- In a small mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients.
- Transfer the coffee rub to an airtight container or a vacuum-saleable bag. Properly stored, it can last up to two years in the freezer or up to 6 months in in a cool dark place.
Notes
- Remove the steak from the refrigerator.
- Pat the steak dry with paper towels.
- Season the steak generously with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. The recommendation is about ¾ - 1 teaspoon of salt per pound of meat.
- Rub and coat the steak well on both sides (about 2 tablespoons of rub per 2 - 2½ pounds of meat). Pat the dry rub gently with your fingers so it adheres then shake off any excess rub.
- Let the steaks stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking.
- Pat the meat dry with paper towels.
- Season the meat generously with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. The recommendation is about ¾ - 1 teaspoon of salt per pound of meat.
- Rub and coat the meat well on both sides (about 2 tablespoons of rub per 2 - 2½ pounds of meat). Pat the dry rub gently with your fingers so it adheres then shake off any excess rub.
- Put the seasoned meat on top of the wire rack over a baking sheet, cover, refrigerate, and marinate from 2 to 18 hours depending on the type of beef cuts.
- Remove from refrigerator at least 40 minutes before cooking.
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