Why Ina Garten Sneaks Coffee Grounds Into Her New York Strip Steaks

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Ground coffee probably isn't the first thing you think of seasoning your steak with, but it's a bold fave beloved by Ina Garten. In a recipe for Grilled New York Strip Steaks from her 2014 cookbook "Make It Ahead: A Barefoot Contessa Cookbook," Garten uses coffee grounds in a spice rub to catapult the flavor of the beef to a whole new level. 

Giving credit where credit is due, the Food Network alum explains that she actually learned the rub recipe from Mark Lobel, co-owner of the sixth-generation, family-owned, Lobel's of New York. Garten met with the famed butcher at the renowned Madison Avenue location for a 2013 episode of "The Barefoot Contessa: Back to Basics," aptly called "Old New York." After showing off a few cuts of beef, Lobel proudly slices off a "double steak" (about 3 inches thick) of dry-aged, New York strip for Garten and her husband to grill later. 

In addition to coffee grounds, Lobel's rub consists of salt, black pepper, brown sugar, garlic, red pepper flakes, and plenty of paprika. Interestingly, though Garten credits Lobel's influence, her recipe differs slightly, replacing the paprika with the smokiness of chipotle powder, which is similar to our coffee-rubbed steak recipe. Lobel also uses apricot salt from Australia (a peachy-coloured variety of flaked sea salt from the Murray River), but any kosher or sea salt will do.

Though a great cut of steak requires little beyond good quality sea salt and a bit of fresh ground pepper, sometimes you want to switch things up, adding more complexity and depth. A well-balanced ground coffee rub will do just that, deepening a dry-aged steak's brawny, umami flavor and encouraging its browning. In fact, the natural enzymes and acidity of coffee act as a tenderizer and augment the protein's distinct natural flavor. Meanwhile, the ground coffee enhances the Maillard reaction, resulting in the formation of a richly browned outer crust that gives way to the tender and juicy beef beneath. The overall result? A robust, smoky steak with earthy notes.

Mixing your spice blend together by hand and rubbing it into the meat (as both Garten and Lobel do) helps heat and, evidently, activate the herbs and spices to infuse more flavor into the meat. If you're short on time, you can always purchase a pre-made coffee rub like The Spice Lab's Ancho Chili & Coffee Rub. Once the spice blend has been applied, the steak should rest before cooking – at least 30 minutes, but even upwards of 2 hours, in the fridge for optimum flavor. 

Intimidated by the idea of grilling an expensive cut? Garten was 'terrified' to grill steak for fear of overcooking it, until Lobel eased her nervousness with clear instructions for a two-zone grilling process that she still uses to this day.