Cowboy Ribeye with Coffee Chop Dry Rub
Food and Drink

Excerpted from FIRE & SMOKE, A Pitmaster’s Secrets, by Chris Lilly. Clarkson Potter / Publishers. Copyright ©2014 by Chris Lilly. Used with permission.

Cowboy Ribeye with Coffee Chop Dry Rub

"The sights, sounds, and smells of your grill make an instant first impression, and there’s no better sensory explosion than an ultra-thick cowboy-style ribeye with a coffee-laced dry rub."

CHRIS LILLY
Cooking method: Direct and indirect heat Suggested wood: Hickory, oak, mesquite Cooking time: 7 to 10 minutes Serves: 4 to 8

 

4 16-ounce bone-in ribeye steaks

 

Coffee Chop Dry Rub:

7 teaspoons salt

4 1/2 teaspoons ground coffee

4 teaspoons dark brown sugar

4 teaspoons chili powder

1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Pinch of ground coriander

Pinch of ground turmeric

Build a two-zone fire in a charcoal grill by situating the coals on only one side of the grill, leaving the other side empty. Preheat the grill to 500°F.

Season the steaks liberally with the rub. Put the steaks over direct heat and grill for 4½ minutes on each side for rare doneness. For medium-rare, move the beef over indirect heat, away from the coals, close the grill lid, and cook for 2 more minutes. For medium, flip the steak, close the grill lid, and cook for 2 more minutes.

Pitmaster Tip: When it comes to extra-thick steaks, oftentimes the outside of the meat gets perfectly charred while the inside remains underdone. Cooking any longer over an open flame will burn the exterior. This is why it’s important to build a two-zone fire when cooking steaks. When they are perfect on the outside, shift them away from the coals and shut the grill lid. This little maneuver will protect the exterior while allowing the inside of the meat to cook to perfection.

For the Coffee Chop Dry Rub (Makes 1/2 cup): This is simply the best coffee rub I’ve ever tasted. I call it a chop rub because it’s as good on a thick-cut pork chop as on a juicy steak. I never use a crossover seasoning blend for two different meats without tweaking the ratios, but there is no need to with this rub. If you like coffee and meat, this is a happy day! —chris lilly