Ember Brews Recipes

Coffee Rub for Steaks and Burgers

June 05, 2024

Various Spices and Seasonings piling up inside a bowl.

To kick off grilling season, we have rustled up a coffee rub that will elevate the flavor and texture of your steak, burgers, and even plant-based meats to new heights. You might be thinking, what is coffee doing in a seasoning and why would I put it on my steak?

Coffee offers earthy notes that bring out the natural flavors of steak while also acting as a tenderizer, rendering your steaks extra moist and juicy.

Our favorite part about this recipe is that you can use your favorite coffee to make this rub yours. What you love drinking in your Ember Mug 2 every day, might just taste amazing on your steak!

Ingredients

¼ cup ground coffee
¼ cup ancho chili powder
¼ cup cocoa powder
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp garlic powder
2 tbsp smoked paprika
2 tbsp kosher salt
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp ground cumin

Directions

Grind your coffee fine for espresso. We recommend using medium to dark roasts to bring out the rich, smoky flavors. Not sure which coffee to use? Elevate your rub with Everyday People’s Bali Blue, Brandywine’s Colombia Santa Barbara Estate, or Equator Blend. With various notes of chocolate, brown sugar, and wood, each of these superb coffees are guaranteed to complement your rub while also adding their own special flavors to the mix.
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, add all ingredients and mix until well combined. Note: This recipe yields enough seasoning for about 4 to 6 large steaks.
Once fully combined, you’re ready to start seasoning steaks, burgers, and briskets. Make sure to fully coat your meat of choice and let the rub sit for 30 minutes or up to 1½ hours to allow the salt and spices to penetrate the meat before cooking.
When you’re done, pour the remaining rub into an air-tight spice container and store for up to 1 month.

We fully endorse getting creative with this seasoning. Feel free to try different coffee and spice variations and make it your own. With Father’s Day approaching, this is the perfect shared activity for anyone with a grill master for a dad. And who knows? He might even let you co-pilot the grill this year. Happy Father’s Day and happy grilling!