This might be new to some of you, but coffee and meat do taste well together especially if done right. Coffee can be used in various ways to enhance your daily means. So let’s try and understand how coffee affects meat today.
What does coffee do to Meat?
Coffee being acidic tenderizes the meat. Coffee contains compounds such as tannins that are found in wines, which help in multiplying the flavor of the meat. If coffee grounds are used they also help in giving a nice texture as well as a crust to the meat.
Most people use wine for its acidic properties. The tannin compounds found in the wine help reset the taste palates and allow it to absorb the fatty steak compounds which carry flavor. As a result, we can taste the steak in much better detail and enjoy it more.
Since coffee has the same tannin compounds, it can be used to give a similar effect. Also, coffee is not an overwhelming flavor, so the flavor of the meat is preserved.
Does Coffee rubbed steak have Caffeine?
Yes, it does have caffeine. Caffeine breaks down at temperatures above 235 °C. So at the boiling point of water caffeine does not break down.
Decaffeinated coffee can be used but may alter the taste of the final dish.
What Meat can be put in Coffee?
Coffee has an earthy flavor, so meats such as beef, pork, and fish will go well with it. Since it does not have an overwhelming flavor it also can be used with white meats such as chicken and turkey.
Really as long as you understand the flavors and how they interact you can potentially add coffee to many other types of meat and in different ways to influence their flavor and texture.
How long do you have to cure Meat in Coffee?
Depending on how you cure the meat, i.e. rubbed with ground coffee or soaked in espresso it can take anywhere from 6 to 24 hours. In my opinion, 12 to 24 hours is the sweet spot as it helps bring out the flavor and tenderize the meat.
What does coffee-rubbed steak taste like?
Coffee rubbed/cured steak tends to have very little coffee flavor, rather it tends to give a more earthy flavor to the meat. There is also a slightly charred taste added to it.
If you are interested in trying out coffee with meat, check out our Coffee Cured Steak (Filet) Recipe