Smoky Coffee Rubbed Pork Ribs

For the longest time the thought of putting coffee on a steak just made me think of the dregs from a pot of percolator coffee making me gag, but intrigue kept bringing me back. Coffee rubs have been popular for a few years now and I can safely say I’m ON the bandwagon finally. Not going to point fingers here but someone accidentally ground enough coffee to make a pot of drip but while the grinder was set to espresso and me being the cheap-ass that I am decided to experiment with a coffee rub. Turns out it was just the push I needed. Some recipes will use a coarser ground coffee, but after a few trials I am here to tell you superfine espresso grind is where its at when you’re using it for seasoning because it blends right in with the rest of your herbs and spices.

Because I am too impatient to manage the long cooking time required for succulent ribs on the grill and don’t have a smoker, I prefer to cook the ribs in an instant pot then finish on the grill. You can cook the ribs in the instant pot then store in the fridge until you’re ready to eat them, finishing them on the grill while reheating them—excellent for my meal preppers out there.

For the Rub- Mix all the spices together in a bowl, and reserve

1/4 c finely ground coffee

2 Tbsp cocoa powder

1/4 c paprika

1/4 c granulated onion

2 tbsp garlic powder

3 tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp chili pepper powder

2 Tbsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp dried oregano

2 Tbsp sea salt

1.5 tsp finely ground black pepper

To Assemble

Rub recipe makes enough for about 4-5 lbs of ribs. Tastes great with beef or pork ribs, but is equally wonderful on chicken pieces. Reserve any left over in a sealed jar for next time.

2 lbs Pork (or beef) ribs

1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar +1/4 cup water or apple juice

1/4 cup honey or even peach or apricot jam

1. In the bottom of the instant pot add water and apple cider vinegar. Place the rack in the bottom of the pot.

2. Remove any membranes and season both sides of the ribs liberally with rub mixture (this can be done a day in advance and stored in the fridge until you’re ready to cook). Coil the ribs on top of the rack.

3. Cook on high pressure for 45 minutes and naturally release. Transfer ribs to baking sheet and then to a hot grill.

4. In a small bowl with a basting brush, combine the honey with 1/4 cup of the reserved liquid from the instant pot. Baste the ribs on the grill over medium heat until they-re sticky and shiny.

5. Enjoy with your favorite BBQ sides!