Coffee in the Savoury Kitchen: Coffee-Rubbed Steak

Coffee isn't just for dessert. In savoury cooking it adds depth, a gentle bitterness, and helps build a beautiful dark crust on grilled meat. It's especially good with beef.

Coffee marinade (for 2 steaks):

• 60 ml TCB coffee extract
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• Salt and black pepper

Method:

1. Whisk everything together.
2. Coat the steaks and leave them in the fridge for at least an hour, or overnight.
3. Bring the steaks back to room temperature, pat them dry, and cook on a very hot grill or pan.
4. Rest for five minutes before slicing.

The coffee doesn't make the steak taste like a latte. It works the way a good stock or a splash of red wine does, rounding out the flavour and making the meat taste more like itself.

It also works well with lamb, pork ribs and mushrooms for a vegetarian option.