Memorial Day is just around the corner, Monday, May 26th. It’s an American holiday meant to honor those who have died in service of the country. And because it is traditionally accompanied by a day off work and it falls right on the cusp of summer, Memorial Day is also an occasion to bust out the grill, maybe for the first time of the season, and have a good old fashioned cookout with friends.
But just because it’s about a million degrees outside doesn’t mean that coffee can’t be a part of your shindig. In fact, barbecues love coffee, just maybe not in the traditional framework we use it. A steaming cuppa may not sound the most enticing when working an open flame, but coffee can bring new depths of flavor to your favorite meat. That’s right, I’m talking rubs.
There are a ton of coffee spice rubs on the market, but why go store-bought when they’re all going to contain coffee that was ground up months ago and lack any punch? Why not make your own spice rub, suited to your own tastes and with coffee that still has some life in it? That’s why today, we’re opening up the vault, by which I mean But First, Coffee, the second book from Sprudge co-founders Jordan Michelman and Zachary Carlsen to take a look at their recipe for your own personal coffee spice rub blend. It’s quick, easy, and most importantly, supremely delicious.
The beauty of this recipe is that it builds on other spice blends. Whether it’s store-bought or a family recipe or something you’ve thrown together on the fly—and the authors suggest you can’t really go wrong by mixing equal parts white pepper, garlic salt, onion powder, cumin, coarse sea salt, dried oregano, and unrefined brown sugar—the addition of a little coffee will take it to the next level.
For this, Michelman and Carlsen suggest adding medium-coarse ground coffee, similar to what you’d use for a French press, in a 1:2 ratio to your favorite spice blend. Mix thoroughly and you’re ready to roll. Coffee BBQ spice rub is incredibly versatile, so feel free to slather it on chicken, pork, steak, even a heartier fish like salmon or swordfish.
So there you have it, an easy way to make coffee the star of your next Memorial Day cookout. For more recipes on how to incorporate coffee into the kitchen, including some pretty delicious cocktails, pick up a copy of But First Coffee, A Guide to Brewing From the Kitchen to the Bar.
Zac Cadwalader is the managing editor at Sprudge Media Network and a staff writer based in Dallas. Read more Zac Cadwalader on Sprudge.
