Coffee offers flavor and tenderness to your favorite meats
Photography by Stacey Greenberg
Fire up the grill and surprise your guests by using this BBQ coffee rub at your next get-together.
Adding ground coffee to rubs provides a new dimension of flavor and leaves an earthy, sweet taste on your palate. Coffee also tenderizes meat, leaving a crispy, dark crust and a juicy center. Use a light roast for chicken, medium roast for pork, and dark roast for beef products. (J. Brooks is my favorite local coffee that I use for all my coffee needs.)
BBQ Coffee Dry Rub
Yields 3 ½ cups of rub
1 ½ cups dark brown sugar, not packed
1 cup ground coffee
½ cup smoked paprika
3 tablespoons kosher salt
1 ½ tablespoons garlic powder
1 ½ tablespoons onion powder
1 tablespoon coarse black pepper
1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
- Using a whisk, combine all ingredients, ensuring no lumps are present.
- At least 1 hour prior to cooking, apply heavy covering of rub to meat.
- Store leftover rub in an airtight container for up to 6 months.
Megan Partacz is a registered dietitian who loves getting creative in the kitchen. She spends most of her time with her golden retriever, Winston. He is her number one fan when it comes to cooking because he loves cleaning up her masterpieces. @mpartacz_rd
Stacey Greenberg is the editor in chief of Edible Memphis. You can follow her at @nancy_jew.