Chili-Coffee Spice Rubbed Pork

The first time I made this spice rub, I used it as Katie intended and smothered a gorgeous steak with it. Since then, I've used it a number of times on red meat and also pork. It is bomb dot com on pork.

The side dish here? I basically used my Fairway olive bar standards: peppadews and artichoke hearts, plus some trusty ole asparagus, all roasted in the oven.

Here's what you'll need:

2 tablespoons finely ground dark roast coffee
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon kosher salt (leave out if you're watching your sodium!)

For this side, I sautéed leeks and Brussels sprouts hit with a bit of low sodium soy sauce at the end for some brightness (it could also be good with a squirt of citrus or any good vinegar).

But what about the actual rub? It is DELICIOUS. Rich, spicy, almost chocolatey from the brown sugar melding with the coffee flavor, and really unique. You can use a little or a lot to adjust the spice level and works for the grill, the stove top, or the oven. With summer grilling weather upon us, I know I'll be putting this into heavy rotation!

Ok, here's a bonus EXTREMELY zoomed-in picture of the rub used on steak. Goodness, I love steak.