Coffee-Rubbed Strip Steak

A juicy grilled steak crusted with a dry rub made of ground coffee beans, brown sugar, and spices

I just got back from a work trip to Portland and am happy to be back home after living out of a hotel for a week. I rarely take this much time off from cooking, so I couldn't wait to get back into the kitchen and cook up a big dinner with my husband. We made a weekend trip to the farmers' market for summer produce and then grilled a steak to serve alongside all of our vegetable sides. This recipe is super simple, but the coffee rub adds so much flavor to the meat that it doesn't taste like your average grilled strip steak. The coffee has a slightly-bitter and smokey flavor that pairs really well with the sweet brown sugar and spices. When the hot flames from the grill come in contact with the sugary rub, it forms a caramelized crust on the beef. It's a restaurant-worthy meal but it's still easy and cheap enough to make on a weeknight.

Note: I used a New York strip for this recipe, but the rub would work with any cut of beef that you like. Rib eye would be particularly tasty, but even a leaner cut like flank steak would do.


More Steak Recipes:
- Truffle Buttered NY Strip Steaks
- Grilled Steak Salad with Mixed Greens, Tomatoes, & Goat Cheese
- Grilled Skirt Steak with Salsa Verde



Coffee-Rubbed New York Strip Steak:

• Heat a grill to high heat.
• In a small bowl, stir together 1 tbsp. finely ground coffee, 1 tbsp. ancho chile powder, 1 tbsp. brown sugar, 1/2 tbsp. salt, 1 tsp. ground coriander, and 1/2 tsp. ground ginger.*
• Brush a 12 oz. New York strip steak with canola oil, then sprinkle the steak all over with the coffee rub, making sure to press in the spices so that they totally adhere to the meat.
• Let the steak sit at room temperature for about thirty minutes before cooking.
• Grill the steak for 4-5 minutes, then flip and cook for another 4-5 minutes.
• Let the steak rest, uncovered, for about 5 minutes, then slice and serve.

Serves two normally, or one very hungry person

*The rub can be created well in advance and stored in an airtight container at room temperature for months. You probably won't need all the rub for just one steak.