Culinary Media Network (TM), home of the Gilded Fork

Aromatic Spiced Coffee Rub for Meat

Like a marriage of two fiery and hot-headed people, the pairing of spiced coffee with a strongly-flavored meat (such as venison) might seem odd; yet this versatile rub both tames and accentuates the meat sumptuously — the sharpness of the coffee and the aromatic notes from the star anise and clove will balance the gaminess of the venison. No further preparation is needed other than a slow roast to marry these powerful and strangely complementary lovers.

Makes about 1 cup of rub

Ingredients

8 whole star anise
6 cloves
4 tablespoons whole coffee beans
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 tablespoon pink peppercorns
1 tablespoon white peppercorns
1 teaspoon dried sage
2 tablespoons gray salt
1 tablespoon muscovado sugar
1 teaspoon garlic powder

Preparation

Grind the spices together in a spice grinder, careful to let the contents settle before removing the lid. Mix well in a bowl with salt, sugar, and garlic powder. Rub on beef roast or venison and let sit for at least 2 hours. Roast the meat as directed by your recipe.

[Chef’s Note: This rub can also be used for grilling meats such as beef, chicken, duck and pork, although the coffee flavor will be quite strong if the meat is not slow-roasted. For grilling, we suggest using only 2 tablespoons of coffee beans, and using the rub as a seasoning, rather than completely covering the meat.]

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Recipe by Mark Tafoya
Photo by Kelly Cline

January 2006