Perfect for grilling season, these coffee rubbed ribeye are easy enough for a weeknight dinner, but fancy enough for company.

Recently I created a simple spice rub made with pantry staples including coffee grinds, cumin, smoked paprika and a little brown sugar. It creates this mouth-watering, sweet, and smoky crust that seals in the juices and keeps the beef tender. I like to make a bulk batch and keep it on hand for pork tenderloin, chicken breasts, and beef steaks. So may I present the perfect dry rub with my Coffee Rubbed Ribeye! I’ll be using it often as I’ll be cooking on my grill as often as possible before we get hit with another Michigan winter.
Ingredients
- Ribeye steaks: With great marbling and a bit more fat than other cuts of beef, these steaks are tender, juicy, and flavorful.
- Ground coffee: Ground coffee or instant coffee not only tenderizes the beef, but also amplifies the flavors of the other spices.
- Brown sugar: Adds some sweetness to the rub and balances the more savory spices.
- Kosher salt: The larger crystals of kosher salt help to stick to the meat better, and enhances the natural flavor.
- Cumin: Warm, savory, and nutty flavor.
- Paprika: I like to use smoked paprika, for the obvious smoky flavor, but you can use regular paprika if that’s all you have.
- Garlic powder: Intense, pungent garlic flavor in an easy to apply way.
- Black pepper: Sharp, woodsy, peppery flavor that works well with the other spices for this dry rub.
How to Make Coffee Rubbed Ribeye

Start your coffee rubbed ribeye by making the dry rub. Take your instant coffee, brown sugar, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and salt and pepper and put them in a large bowl or plate.

Mix the spices all together until completely combined.

Then pour the dry rub over your steak.

Then, as the name suggests, rub the spice mix into the meat, making sure that it adheres and covers all sides. Then let rest covered in the spice rub for about 30 minutes at room temperature.

Once you’ve let the rub sit on the steak, grill on high heat for about 4-6 minutes per side, or until it reaches an internal temperature of about 130 for medium-rare. Then remove from the grill and let sit covered in foil for about 10 minutes. Letting the meat sit allows the juices to redistribute and makes for a much more satisfying steak!

Serve alongside your favorite salad or grilled veggies, and enjoy your Coffee Rubbed Ribeye!
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do you put coffee on meat?
What is the best cooking method for ribeye steak?
What temperature do you cook steak to for medium-rare?

More Grilled Dishes
- Grilled Salmon with Lemon Garlic Sauce
- Grilled Garlic Bread Bruschetta
- Grilled Veggies with Lemon Herb Vinaigrette
- Grilled Chicken and Vegetable Pasta Salad
- Blue Cheese Stuffed Burgers
- 20 Recipes for Leftover Coffee
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Don’t forget to let that steak rest, and you’ll be sure to enjoy my Coffee Rubbed Ribeye.
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Coffee Rubbed Ribeye
Recipe Video
Ingredients
- 4 pounds beef ribeye steaks
Coffee Rub
- ¼ cup ground coffee or instant espresso
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons Kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
Instructions
- Place ribeyes on a platter and set aside.
- In a small bowl, mix together coffee rub with a small fork until spices are evenly incorporated with the coffee and sugar. Rub mixture evenly on all sides of the ribeyes and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Pre-heat grill on high heat. Grill 4-6 minutes per side for medium-rare or longer if you desire. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.
Last Step:
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