• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Biscuits & Burlap logo

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipe Index
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipe Index
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    Home » Grilled & Smoked Main Dishes

    Published: Mar 22, 2022 by Pam

    Coffee Rub for Pork (Grilled)

    Thanks for sharing!

    270 shares
    • Share
    • Tweet
    • Yummly
    • Email
    pin image of coffee rub for pork

    This is an easy coffee pork rub, but it has complex flavors with just a few ingredients. Made with instant coffee your grilled pork will have an amazing taste without any of the grittiness or burn that come from using ground coffee!

    coffee rub mixture for pork spilling out of jar.

    Coffee rub adds a unique twist to your grilled meats. This recipe has been specifically created for pork, but you could certainly use it on beef as well.

    After lots of experimentation with different seasonings we decided that the flavor was unbelievable with just 4 ingredients added to the base blend of coffee, brown sugar and salt.

    Ingredients

    Instant coffee granules are made from dehydrated coffee so you get the same earthy flavor in this dry rub that you would get from finely ground coffee beans. The advantage of using instant is that you'll have none of the grittiness.

    We used light brown sugar, but as always, we encourage you to use what you have on hand. If that's only dark brown sugar your coffee rubbed pork is still going to be great! The equal proportions of sugar and coffee are what makes this rub best suited for pork.

    If you want to try your rub on a steak like ribeye or sirloin I recommend cutting back on the brown sugar. Then just add some salt and the 4 seasonings below:

    • garlic powder
    • chili powder
    • smoked paprika
    • cayenne pepper
    overhead shot of all ingredients for coffee rub for pork

    See recipe card for quantities.

    Instructions for making coffee rub for pork

    There is really nothing to making this homemade coffee rub. Just dump all of the ingredients in a small bowl and blend them.

    Recipe Tips: We like to use a medium coarse Kosher salt in our rub, but if you don't have that on hand any salt will do.

    If you have time pat the rub on the dry meat 30 minutes to one hour before grilling. If not, it will still be great!

    Substitutions

    This is a pretty sraightford blend, but in addition to the brown sugar and salt mentioned above you could make these substitutions.

    • Paprika - if you don't have smoked paprika you could use plain paprika, but we highly recommend the smoked type. It adds a lot of flavor!
    • Cayenne - Don't be afraid of the little kick you get from the cayenne, but if you must you could substitute ground black pepper.
    overhead shot of pork coffee rub

    Storage

    Store the coffee pork rub in an airtight container. We like to use a lidded glass jar, but you could also use a plastic container with a tightly fitting lid or a zip-loc bag.

    Store it in a cool, dark place like your pantry for up to a month with no loss in flavor. It can be kept another month, but the intensity will start to diminish.

    Top tip

    For best results this rub is patted on smaller cuts of pork that you plan to grill fairly quickly. Pork tenderloin (check out our marinated version) or pork chops are ideal.

    You could certainly put it on a pork loin or Boston Butt but the flavor won't penetrate the larger cuts. The outside would surely taste good though!

    pork rub made with coffee in coffee cup

    📖 Recipe

    square image of coffee rub spilling out of jar.

    Coffee Rub for Pork (Grilled)

    Pam
    This is a simple coffee rub for pork but it brings complex flavors with just a few ingredients. Made with instant coffee your grilled pork will have an amazing taste without any of the grittiness or burn that come from using ground coffee!
    5 from 7 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Servings 6 people
    Calories 23 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 Tablespoons instant coffee granules
    • 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
    • 2 teaspoons salt coarse Kosher salt
    • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ½ teaspoon chili powder
    • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
    • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

    Instructions
     

    • Mix all ingredients together in small bowl.
    • Use to pat on pork tenderloin or pork chops before grilling.

    Notes

    If possible, pat on dry pork 30 minutes to 1 hour before grilling. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 23kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 780mgPotassium: 78mgFiber: 1gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 201IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 8mgIron: 1mg
    Keyword dry rub,, grilling, pork
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    More favorites for grilling and smoking

    smoked vegetables in grill basket
    Smoked Vegetables
    apples with granola on top
    Grilled Apples
    grilled peach halves with slices behind
    Grilled Peaches
    beef on plate with sauce behind
    Grilled Chuck Roast
    tacos with sauce and tomatoes
    Grilled Fish Tacos with Baja Sauce
    vertical shot of grilled shrimp skewers
    Grilled Shrimp Skewers

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Michele says

      March 28, 2022 at 8:33 am

      5 stars
      Even though I'm not really much of a coffee drinker, I loved this seasoning on the pork roast I made yesterday as did my husband. Thanks for sharing this recipe. We will be making this again and again.

      Reply
      • Pam says

        March 28, 2022 at 8:38 am

        Thanks, Michele. You totally do not have to be a coffee drinker to like this. The coffee is just one of several elements of flavor.

        Reply
    2. Toni says

      March 28, 2022 at 8:44 am

      5 stars
      I seriously loved this rub! I'll always keep this on hand! Thanks for the recipe!

      Reply
      • Pam says

        March 28, 2022 at 9:08 am

        Thanks for letting us know, Toni!

        Reply
    3. dannii says

      March 28, 2022 at 9:14 am

      5 stars
      I love anything coffee flavoured, so this rub sounds amazing. I can't wait to give it a try.

      Reply
    4. Beth Sachs says

      March 28, 2022 at 9:21 am

      5 stars
      This sounds like a really flavorful rub. I've never used coffee in this way before, it sounds intriguing!

      Reply
    5. Claudia Lamascolo says

      March 28, 2022 at 9:45 am

      5 stars
      I have used this rub many times and love it. It's perfect for our smoker and the pork is always fantastic!

      Reply
      • Pam says

        March 29, 2022 at 6:25 pm

        Thanks Claudia!

        Reply

    Tell us what you think! Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hey, y'all!

    Pam and Sara sitting on blanket with picnic.
    Photo cred: Angie Webb Creative

    We’re Pam and Sara, a Southern mother/daughter team on a mission. We’re here to help you keep those precious food memories alive and create new ones, too. 

    Read more-

    Recent Posts

    • overhead shot of carrot pumpkin soup.
      Carrot Pumpkin Soup with Brown Butter
    • close up of brown butter pecan cookies.
      Brown Butter Pecan Cookies
    • steak omelet on a white plate with fork in background
      Steak Omelette with Peppers, Onions, and Mushrooms
    • square image of pan friend sweet potatoes with small flowers.
      Pan Fried Sweet Potatoes

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About Us
    • Disclosures and Privacy Policy
    • Web Stories

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact Us
    • Work With Us

    Copyright © 2021 Biscuits & Burlap

    270 shares