When it comes to making steaks I hate to admit it, but I'm often guilty of being boring and seasoning them simply with just salt and pepper. That's fine sometimes, but every now and then I want a steak with a little "pop!". Insert this coffee spice rubbed steak recipe. The earthiness of the ground coffee combined with the smoky cumin is pure magic, and such an easy way to make a simple dish divine. One of my friends always serves his sliced, well-seasoned steak as an appetizer when he and his wife host, so this is my version of that. While I used this coffee rub on New York strip steaks, it works on any cut, you really can't go wrong. But do try this method of serving a great, spiced steak sliced on a platter as a shareable snack of sorts - it's always a crowd-pleaser. And go ahead and double (or quadruple) the spice blend recipe because it's one of those pantry staples you'll be reaching for often.
Makes 4 steaks
Ingredients
| 1 Tbsp | finely ground coffee beans |
| 1 tsp | cumin |
| 1/4 tsp | freshly cracked black pepper |
| 1 cup | sugar |
| 1 tsp | Kosher salt |
| 3/4 tsp | sugar |
| 1/8 tsp | cayenne |
| ¼ tsp | sea salt, plus more to taste |
| ½ tsp | baking powder |
| ¼ tsp | sea salt |
| 4 | New York strip steaks, approx. 1-inch thick and 14 oz per steak |
| grapeseed/canola oil, for cooking steaks |
Directions
- In a small bowl combine coffee, cumin, black pepper, salt, sugar, and cayenne. Place a wire rack onto a baking sheet (one that can fit in your fridge). Season steaks well on both sides with the spice mixture, transfer to rack, and refrigerate to marinate 2 hours.
- When it's time to cook, remove steaks from fridge and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour - this warms them slightly, which helps with even cooking.
- Preheat a cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Once heated, add a thin layer of oil and 1 or 2 steaks (depending on the size of your pan - steaks should have about an inch of space in between them). cook steaks approximately 2 minutes per side for medium doneness, flipping only once so that a nice crust can develop. Let rest a few minutes on a cutting board before slicing and serving on a platter.
