Coffee Rubbed Smokey Flank Steak
A smokey and flavorful lean steak entree you must try!
I have been wanting to try using coffee in a recipe (outside of a dessert) for a some time. I thought the perfect way to incorporate coffee into a recipe was to use it in a seasoning rub for a lean piece of flank steak (only 6.5 grams of fat for a 3 1⁄2-oz serving). More accurately, this recipe has more of a seasoning ‘paste’ rather than a rub.
Seasoning rubs or seasoning ‘pastes’ can be a pain to make since you need a number of ingredients and it can get pricey. If you don’t have a large variety of seasonings already at home, a good way to purchase them is by weight. You save money, it’s fresh and you get just what you need. No waste! Let’s face it, how many times have you bought an entire bottle of seasoning for one recipe and then it sits in your kitchen cabinet for months untouched… [Ok maybe months is even an understatement. I’ve been known to find seasoning bottles that are a few years old stuck way in the back of a cabinet].
After successfully purchasing my fresh seasoning in the right amounts on my shopping trip, I realized I totally forgot to buy a key ingredient – finely ground espresso coffee for the rub! Yeah, duh -I know ….it’s called ‘coffee rubbed flank steak’. How did I forget that?
Well, I decided to improvise to avoid another trip out. I used the regular ground coffee I had in the house. It was a chocolate glazed donut flavored coffee. I know what you’re probably thinking… ‘Really, you used that?’
Oh yes, I did 🙂 and it didn’t make a difference.
It was so easy to make! Here are the step-by-step instructions.
First combine the following ingredients: ground coffee, chili powder, smoked paprika, brown sugar, salt, garlic powder lime zest, lime juice and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a bowl. Stir until blended into a paste.
Transfer this mixture into a 1-gallon zip lock bag.
Let me warn you the seasoning paste does not look very appetizing at this point.
Place a lean cut of flank steak into the zip lock bag also. While in the bag, massage the coffee rub over the entire surface of the steak ensuring you get good coverage.
Close the bag and refrigerate the flank steak for 1 to 2 hours. Remove from the refrigerator 10 minutes before cooking.
Heat your oven to 375 degrees.
Prior to placing the flank steak in the oven, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a cast iron skillet and heat on high
Once skillet is hot, sear the steak on both sides.
Place the cast iron skillet with the steak into the oven to continue cooking until the internal temperature of the meat is approx. 140 -145 degrees or medium/medium-rare. Transfer to a cutting board, cover with foil and let rest for 5 minutes before thinly slicing. Serve immediately.
This recipe was a huge hit! The flank steak was flavorsome with a smoky juicy flavor. There was just the hint of coffee. This is definitely a recipe I will be making over and over.
I served it with stuffed Portabello mushrooms. (recipe here)
- 1 lb lean flank steak or London broil (top round)
- 2 Tbsp. finely ground coffee
- 2 Tbsp. chili powder
- 1 Tbsp. smoked paprika
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 Tbsp. lime zest
- 1 Tbsp lime juice
- 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
- Combine the ground coffee, chili powder, smoked paprika, brown sugar, salt, garlic powder, black pepper, lime juice, lime zest and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a bowl.
- Transfer mixture in a 1-gallon zip lock bag.
- Place flank steak into the zip lock back also. While in the bag, massage the coffee rub over the entire surface of the steak.
- Close the bag and refrigerate the flank steak for 1 to 2 hours. Remove from the refrigerator 10 minutes before cooking.
- Heat over to 375 degrees.
- Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a cast iron skillet and heat on high
- Once the skillet is hot, sear the steak on each side. Transfer the cast iron skillet to the oven to continue cooking the flank steak. Cook the steak until the internal temperature is approx. 140 -145 degrees or medium/medium-rare. Transfer to a cutting board, cover with foil and let rest 5 minutes before thinly slicing at an angle. Serve immediately.