Cafecito … A Bold Flavor Boost for Meats & Seafood?
You might be surprised to hear that coffee isn’t just for your morning cup—it can be a game-changer in your cooking. When used in a spice rub, ground espresso enhances the natural umami flavors of meat and seafood. The slightly bitter, toasty notes of coffee complement the caramelization process when grilling or searing, creating a deep, smoky richness. I started using it for most of my meats, seafood and shellfish. This season is amazing on lamb, like the picture below, steak, pork, chicken, salmon, tuna, cod, shrimp and scallops.
In fact, I learned about this “hack” many years ago after reading other chefs and food scientists praise coffee’s ability to intensify flavors, much like chocolate does in savory dishes. The acidity in coffee also helps to balance out the richness of meats, making each bite more complex and satisfying.
Would love your comment if you give it a try!
Betty’s Cuban Coffee Meat & Seafood Rub
Equipment
- 1 Spice or coffee grinder
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp Kosher Salt
- 2 tbsp Whole peppercorns
- 1 tbsp Espresso grounds such as Cafe Bustelo or Pilon
Instructions
- Place peppercorns in your grinder and grind a few seconds.
- Add salt and espresso grounds and grind about another 30 seconds.
- Use as desired to sprinkle on meat, chicken, pork or fish
