posted April 23, 2019

Homemade Coffee Rub

Name: Homemade Coffee Rub Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons coarse salt; 2 tablespoons instant coffee; 2 tablespoons garlic powder; 2 tablespoons smoked paprika; 1 tablespoon pepper; 1 tablespoon crushed coriander; 1 tablespoon onion powder; 1 teaspoon chili powder; 1/2 teaspoon cayenne

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This homemade coffee rub is the ultimate rub when you want to bring a savory and slightly spicy flavor to your meat. The ingredient that ties this rub all together is the earthy flavor of the coffee, making it a perfect rub for beef.

Spoonful of homemade coffee rub resting on a wooden bowl full of the same seasoning on a dark wood cutting board.

Coffee Dry Rub

Coffee rub is a wonderfully versatile rub. It’s the perfect rub for beef, but it can be used on other meat as well. The coffee really compliments the richness of the beef, and it stands up to both low and slow, as well as hot and fast cooking.

So does coffee rub taste like coffee? Not really. Think of it as a great rub with deep earthiness that is slightly bitter, but not overwhelming. This will be one of those rubs that quickly becomes a go-to when you need that perfect beef seasoning.

This rub mixes 9 amazing spices and seasonings to give you a fantastic coffee dry rub. Once mixed, you can store your coffee rub in an air tight glass container (I like these Glass Spice Bottles), and they will last at least a month.

Close up of sliced brisket topped with red onions and sliced pickles in the background on pink butcher paper.

Coffee Brisket Rub

Brisket requires a low and slow cook, and this rub is the ideal seasoning blend to compliment the rich smokiness of the brisket.

My favorite method for cooking brisket is an old school Texas style method with lots of wood smoke, a butcher paper wrap, and a long rest before slicing and serving. This process results in melt in your mouth smoked brisket. Honestly, my Texas Style Smoked Beef Brisket is a classic.

I normally cook this style with a simple coarse salt and coarse black pepper rub, but when you’re looking to mix things up, this rub makes the perfect coffee brisket rub.

So go ahead. Take a chance on a new brisket adventure.

Sliced coffee rubbed tri-tip steak on a wood cutting board with grilled asparagus in the background.

Coffee Rubbed Steak

Coffee rub isn’t just delicious on brisket. It also works well on a hot and fast application when cooking steak. There is no sugar in the rub, so you don’t run the risk of burning or over-caramelization.

Another reason this rub works well for high heat cooking is because is uses instant coffee granules opposed to coffee grinds from the whole bean. Coffee grinds burn quickly and become quite bitter, so by using instant coffee, it seasons the meat without having to worry about the granules overcooking on the grill. Try your own coffee rubbed steak on this Reverse Seared Tomahawk Steak or my Smoky Joe Coffee Rubbed Tri Tip.

Coffee dry rubbed brisket sliced and resting on peach butcher paper next to a wooden bowl full of coffee dry rub.

Looking For More Rubs?

Check out these other amazing rubs for steak, chicken, and more!

The Best Dry Rub for Ribs
Cocoa Chipotle Spice Rub
Homemade Steak Rub Recipe

Coffee Rub Recipe

Follow the recipe and I’ll teach you the simple steps to making your own homemade rub. You can find more of my smoking and grilling recipes and videos on YouTube, Instagram, or our Facebook Page. Follow along and let’s make awesome food together!