Coffee-Crusted Steak

Do you know what might enhance the smokiness and savory flavor of a great steak? A cup of joe seared into the crust! Coffee-Crusted Steak uses a unique blend of brown sugar, spices, and of course coffee to make a malty, sweet, and aromatic coating that compliments the juicy, savoriness of the steak. Topping it with herbaceous, refreshing, and tangy corn salsa feels almost unfair to other steak dinners. But you can taste the difference from the first bite of Coffee-Crusted Steak.

Ingredients

For the steak:

• 2 Black Angus strip steaks
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons ground coffee
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard

For the herbed corn salsa:

• 4 ears corn
• 1/3 cup cilantro and basil, mixed, chopped
• 3 tablespoons sweet onion, diced
• 1 jalapeño pepper, diced
• 2 limes, freshly juiced
• salt, to taste
• pepper, to taste

Directions

Step 1 -Preheat the grill to the highest setting.

Step 2 -Let the steaks rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. This will help them cook evenly.

Step 3 -In a bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, the coffee grounds, the paprika, the garlic powder, 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon of the black pepper, and the ground mustard.

Step 4 -Rub the spice mixture on both sides of the steaks.

Step 5 -Place the steaks on the grill and cook for 5 minutes on one side.

Step 6 -Flip the steaks and cook to your desired level of doneness, about 3-5 minutes for medium-rare reading 135 degrees F.

Step 7 -Transfer the steaks to a plate and let them rest for 10-15 minutes.

Step 8 -Place the corn directly on the grill grates and cook, rotating the corn every 2 minutes, for 10 minutes.

Step 9 -Transfer the corn from the grill and allow it to cool slightly.

Step 10 -Slice the kernels from the cob.

Step 11 -In a bowl, stir the grilled corn, the cilantro-basil mix, the onion, the jalapeño, the lime juice, the remaining salt, and the remaining pepper, tossing to combine.

Step 12 -Slice the steaks against the grain.

Step 13 -Serve topped with the salsa.