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?
Coffee rubs help to tenderize the meat, while the acidity amplifies flavor.
What is the best cooking method for ribeye steak?
On the grill is my favorite method, but if that isn’t an option for you, you can sear it on the stove and then finish cooking it in the oven.
What temperature do you cook steak to for medium-rare?
To keep your cooked steak medium-rare, you’ll want to remove it from heat once it reaches an internal temperature of 130. For medium you cook it to 140, and for medium-well you’ll stop at 150.
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
Eat It, Like IT, Share It!
Did you try this recipe and love it? The next time you make it, snap a picture and share it to your socials! Tag @thelemonbowl and #thelemonbowl so we can admire and share your dish.
Don’t forget to let that steak rest, and you’ll be sure to enjoy my Coffee Rubbed Ribeye.
Your fork is waiting.
Coffee Rubbed Ribeye
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.
I used this spice rub on our NY Strip steaks tonight and it was fantastic! I featured your recipe on my blog, I hope that’s ok. I just had to share with everyone!
So glad you enjoy it!!
I have made this twice this week. I had the butcher cut 2 1 1/2″ bone in ribeyes and used this rub exactly as it says. Everybody that had it said it was the best steak they’ve ever had. Hot hot hot grill, cross hatched, and flipped numerous times to prevent the sugar from burning too much. I wanna go buy more steak right now! Thank you for the great recipe.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! It’s one of my favorites too!!
What a great recipe for grilling! Coffee rubs are the best! I’m loving the crust and I can see that the meat is so juicy and tender. It’s so delightful!
Thank you so much Maureen!
This is a terrific rub! So simple and yet giving such a great result.
Simple is my favorite! :)
O my goodness, that looks so good!! It hasn’t been warm enough here at all to do any outside grilling but I’m pinning this recipe for future use for sure! Looks delicious!
Where do you live? It hasn’t here yet either until recently!!
My husband just walked by and this picture was on the screen and he is BEGGING me to make it for him!
YES!!! haha I hope you do!!
Coffee rubs are the BEST! And so are ribeyes!! Score for putting the two together! Amen to letting the meat REST. My stepdad – without a doubt, every.single.time cuts right into that beautiful meat as soon as it’s off the grill. I’ve ranted, raved and preached all day long but he just won’t let it rest. Oh how it hurts to watch those precious juices flow right out!
That’s so funny! Heck yes to letting meat rest!
This is my soul food! Bring on the ribeyes!!
Dude you would love these!!
This rub looks fantastic! I am so excited to try it!!!
Love the coffee rub that you made for these!
Thanks Angie!!
Grilling steaks are a treat around here :) Larry would LOVE this!! I had a coffee rubbed steak at Bobby Flay’s Mesa restaurant in Vegas and it was amazing. I have to try this! Yay for grilling season :)
Same here!! Rich was pretty excited when we got these bad boys. :)
This sounds and looks oh so good!!
Thank you!!
Does this recipe have cumin in it? You mention it in the description but it’s not a listed ingredient!
So sorry about that – I’ve added it to the recipe now! Good catch!
Love the crust on this steak! So much flavor.
It was so good girl!
What a great recipe for a backyard summer BBQ! Bookmarking this one :) Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much Brianna – enjoy!