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![]() Prime Rib Wakes-Up with Coffee & Chilesby David BullaWhen the weather cools off, folks here in Texas start to think about certain food groups. Chili is up there on the list, as is anything else that's warm and satisfying. Hearty fare with a little kick is what I start thinking about. The first thing I think about when I wake up in the morning and the house is chilly with the night air is the perfect cup of coffee. The smell of fresh coffee brewing fills me with anticipation for the first cup of the day. I usually make at least half a pot of coffee, which leaves me with several cups of coffee that get wasted every day, not to mention the fresh ground coffee beans that I make too much of as well. It just doesn't seem right to waste all that good stuff. So, naturally, I want to cook with it. We all know that coffee and sugar are a natural combination. Many fantastic treats have been created using coffee as a major flavor. Yet, I want to take that a step further and show you ways to use your coffee with salt for savory food.
Chilies have complex flavor and aromatic qualities that are very complimentary to coffee. When the two are mixed together with beef or pork, you get something indescribable. The aromas of roasted beef, roasted chilies and coffee combine to create a flavor that is hard to describe with any word other than fantastic. Drop your preconceived notions of what it might taste like, and give it a try. Not only do you get a nice new flavor, but you also get the added bonus of a tiny little bit of caffeine to help prevent the desire to take a nap after having a hearty meal. Java Chili Prime Rib with Red-Eye Bourbon Sauce Use whatever cut of beef you like. I think a nice piece of ribeye that is roasted whole is about the best cut for a roast. If you get it with the bones still on, it would be called a standing rib roast and it makes for a fantastic presentation on the table. Plan on at least 8 ounces per person. Rub the meat generously with the Ancho Coffee Dry Rub and let rest in the refrigerator overnight. Roast on a rack in a roasting pan in a hot oven at 450F degrees until the desired internal temperature is reached. When it is done, it will be quite dark in color on the outside as a result of the coffee and the caramelization of the sugars in the rub. A good internal temperature for a medium-rare to medium roast is 120 to 130 degrees F while still cooking. When you take your roast out of the oven, it will continue to cook. The juices that were being drawn out of the meat towards the surface will redistribute towards the center as the temperature equalizes, bringing that heat back towards the center as it "rests." This is a very important part of the cooking process. Let your roast rest for at least 10 minutes before you cut it. While your roast is resting, make the sauce. Red Eye Bourbon Sauce
Ancho Coffee Dry Rub
How else can we use coffee in savory dishes? What about barbecue? I hate to give out family secrets, but coffee has played a major part in my father's secret barbecue sauce recipe for years. Not only does it give subtle nuances of flavor to the sauce, it also adds a rich color. The following recipe is a little bit of a variation from my father's sauce, so I guess I am in the clear. Night & Day Barbecue Sauce It takes all day to make good Texas barbecue. We start off in the morning with a cup of coffee, and by the time the barbecue is ready to eat, it's time for a beer. This sauce is rich and dark in appearance.
On a final note, feel free to experiment with coffee. You can try substituting brewed coffee for water or wine in many sauce recipes. And you can substitute fine ground coffee for various dry ingredients. Give it a try.
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