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    Home » Recipes » Beef Seasoning Recipes

    Coffee Rub for Steak

    Published: Mar 11, 2022 Modified: Apr 23, 2023 by Isabel Laessig

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    My Coffee Rub makes a perfect complement for beef, especially steaks and prime rib. Savory and earthy, this delicious rub for beef is ready to use in minutes with a simple blend of pantry spices and ground coffee. It's even delicious on other meats, like chicken thighs!

    Coffee-rubbed prime rib on a cutting board
    Jump to:
    • Coffee Rub
    • Coffee Rub Recipe FAQs
    • Coffee Rub Ingredients
    • How to Make Coffee Rub
    • Coffee Rubbed Steak
    • Coffee Rubbed Brisket
    • Best Beef Rub Recipes
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    • 📋 Recipe
    • 💬 Reviews

    Coffee Rub

    One of my favorite ways to change up a recipe is to try a different seasoning blend. If you know me, you know I make prime rib every year for the holidays - this is how I discovered how amazing coffee rub is for beef! After making grilled prime rib with coffee rub, I knew I had to try this amazing beef rub recipe on other cuts of meat.

    The coffee rub is deeply flavorful, with an earthy taste that works well with slow cooking methods like braising, roasting, or smoking, and quick cooking methods like grilling, pan-searing, and even air-frying. You really can't go wrong with a good coffee rub.

    And trust me, you do not have to like coffee itself to love this rub. The ground coffee highlights the richness of the meat without overpowering its natural flavor. Give it a try on brisket, prime rib, steaks, kebabs- the list goes on!

    Coffee rub in a bowl with a whisk

    Coffee Rub Recipe FAQs

    What is coffee rub?

    Coffee rub is a mix of ground coffee plus seven different seasonings, including salt and pepper. It can be prepared either as a wet or dry rub, with or without the inclusion of brown spicy mustard.

    What does coffee do in a rub?

    Coffee in a rub creates an incredible crust on whichever meat you're using it for, so it will sear beautifully and have the rich flavors of the seasoning rub imparted into the meat without overpowering its natural flavor. Coffee, thanks to its acidity level, also acts as a meat tenderizer.

    What can I use coffee rub on?

    Coffee rub is best used on beef dishes like steak, roast beef (especially prime rib), brisket, and kebabs, though it can also be used for other meats, such as chicken thighs, pork chops, bacon, or even fish.

    Coffee Rub Ingredients

    • Brown spicy mustard
    • Ground coffee
    • Paprika
    • Granulated garlic
    • Minced onion
    • Brown sugar
    • Salt and black pepper

    The two key ingredients to making coffee rub are the ground coffee and the brown spicy mustard. The brown spicy mustard is applied first, before the coffee rub, by rubbing it on the meat. If you prefer, it can be left out entirely and only the coffee dry rub may be used.

    Coffee rub ingredients in bowls

    How to Make Coffee Rub

    1. Add ground coffee, paprika, granulated garlic, minced onion, brown sugar, black pepper, and salt to a bowl. Mix well until fully combined.
      Coffee rub ingredients in a glass bowl with a whisk
    2. Rub brown spicy mustard on the meat, then apply the coffee rub and pat it down for best results. If you prefer, the spicy mustard can be left out so only the coffee rub itself is used.
    Adding coffee rub to a prime rib roast

    Coffee Rubbed Steak

    You can use coffee seasoning on any of these cuts of beef and it will elevate the flavor

    • Grilled New York Strip Steak
    • Grilled Porterhouse Steak
    • Smoked Tomahawk Steak
    • Grilled London Broil
    • Ribeye Steak

    For best results, I recommend following our steak temperature chart.

    Coffee Rubbed Brisket

    • Smoked Beef Brisket
    • Slow Cooker Brisket

    These are just a few examples of what you can pair with a coffee rub. Try more of my best steak recipes or roast beef recipes to pair it with, or apply it to another meat of your choosing like Grilled Prime Rib Roast.

    Best Beef Rub Recipes

    • Dry Rub for Ribs - super simple and delicious with short ribs
    • Brisket Rub Recipe - easy 4-ingredient rub
    • Steak Rub Recipe - sweet and spicy rub
    • Prime Rib Rub Recipe - super simple 3-ingredient rub
    • Meatloaf Seasoning Recipe - perfect for keto meatloaf
    • Try all of our BBQ Rub Recipes!
    Cooked prime rib roast before slicing

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    📋 Recipe

    Coffee-rubbed prime rib on a cutting board
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    4.75 from 16 votes

    Best Coffee Rub for Steak

    Learn how to make the best coffee rub recipe for beef! Pair it with steak, prime rib, brisket, ribs, and more.
    Prep Time5 minutes mins
    Total Time5 minutes mins
    Course: Seasoning
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: coffee rub for brisket, coffee rub for steak, coffee rub recipe
    Servings: 1 cup (a little under)
    Calories: 201kcal
    Author: Isabel Laessig

    Equipment

    • 1 small bowl for mixing dry spices
    • 1 small bowl for mustard, if using

    Ingredients

    • 3 Tablespoon Brown Spicy Mustard
    • 2 Tablespoons Ground Coffee
    • 2 Tablespoons Paprika
    • 2 Tablespoons Granulated Garlic
    • 2 Tablespoons Minced Onion
    • 1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
    • 1 Tablespoon Black Pepper
    • 1 Tablespoon Salt

    See our Beef Temperature Chart for helpful tips on cooking any cut of beef!

    Instructions

    • Add ground coffee, paprika, granulated garlic, minced onion, brown sugar, black pepper, and salt to a bowl. Mix well until fully combined.
      2 Tablespoons Ground Coffee, 2 Tablespoons Paprika, 2 Tablespoons Granulated Garlic, 2 Tablespoons Minced Onion, 1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar, 1 Tablespoon Black Pepper, 1 Tablespoon Salt
      Ingredients for coffee rub in a glass bowl with a whisk
    • Rub brown spicy mustard on the meat, then apply the coffee rub and pat it down for best results. If you prefer, the spicy mustard can be left out so only the coffee rub itself is used.
      3 Tablespoon Brown Spicy Mustard
      Pouring coffee rub onto prime rib with spicy brown mustard

    Notes

    • The two key ingredients to making coffee rub are the ground coffee and the brown spicy mustard. The brown spicy mustard is applied first, before the coffee rub, by rubbing it on the meat. If you prefer, it can be left out entirely and only the coffee dry rub may be used.
    • Store leftover coffee rub, without the mustard, in a tightly sealed jar for up to a month.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 201kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 7010mg | Potassium: 745mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 6928IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 139mg | Iron: 5mg
    • Author
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    Isabel Laessig
    Isabel Laessig
    Hi! I’m Isabel Laessig, also known as Family Foodie, creator of Sunday Supper Movement and author of the Boujee Steak Cookbook. Sunday Supper is my mission to bring family back around the dinner table. Join me in making family meal-time a tradition to celebrate!
    » About Me
    Isabel Laessig
    Latest posts by Isabel Laessig (see all)
    • Sauces for Prime Rib - December 11, 2023
    • Leftover Prime Rib Recipes - December 10, 2023
    • Horseradish Sauce for Prime Rib - December 10, 2023

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    About Isabel Laessig

    Hi! I’m Isabel Laessig, also known as Family Foodie, creator of Sunday Supper Movement and author of the Boujee Steak Cookbook. Sunday Supper is my mission to bring family back around the dinner table. Join me in making family meal-time a tradition to celebrate!
    » About Me

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    Hi! I’m Isabel Laessig, also known as Family Foodie. Welcome to my beef-obsessed recipe website!

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