Okay, so I’ve been seeing this “coffee rub” thing all over the internet and I finally decided to give it a shot. I grabbed a tri-tip from the store – you know, those triangular cuts of beef? – and figured, why not?
Getting Started
First things first, I needed to make the rub. I’m no expert, so I just kinda threw some stuff together that I thought would taste good:
- Ground coffee: Obviously, this is the star. I used some leftover dark roast I had.
- Brown sugar: Gotta have some sweetness to balance the coffee.
- Paprika: For a little smoky flavor.
- Garlic powder: Because garlic makes everything better.
- Onion powder: Same reason as the garlic.
- Salt and pepper: Duh.
- Chili powder: I like a little kick.
- CuminA smoky flavor.
I didn’t really measure anything, just eyeballed it. I mixed it all up in a bowl until it looked like, well, a rub.
Rubbing the Tri-Tip
Next, I took the tri-tip out of the package and patted it dry with some paper towels. You want it dry so the rub sticks better. Then, I just went to town! I sprinkled the coffee rub all over the tri-tip, making sure to get every nook and cranny. I really massaged it in there. I wanted that flavor to penetrate!
Cooking Time
For the cooking part, you could grill it, smoke it, whatever you wanted. Me, I just threw it into my cast iron skillet, medium high heat. I seared each side for around 5 minutes each, before turning it down low, and put the lid on, cooked slow for 45 minutes. The kitchen smelled amazing – like coffee and barbecue had a baby.
The Result
After letting it rest for about 10 minutes (important!), I sliced it up. And let me tell you, it was pretty darn good! The coffee flavor was definitely there, but it wasn’t overpowering. It gave the meat this rich, almost earthy taste. It was a surprisingly tasty experiment, and I’d definitely make it again.
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