Coffee Marinade

The bitter undertones of coffee are an ideal complement to the smoky flavors of grilled beef. This marinade is particularly good with bone-in rib-eye and bone-in chuck steaks. From The Great Meat Cookbook by Bruce Aidells and Anne-Marie Ramo.

• Ready In: 5 mins
• Yields: 2 cups approximately

Ingredients

• 1  cup  strong coffee, cooled
• 3  tablespoons  balsamic vinegar
• 2  tablespoons  minced  white onions
• 2  tablespoons  minced garlic
• 1  chipotle chile in adobo, finely chopped
• 2  teaspoons  chopped fresh sage
• 1  teaspoon ground cumin
• 3  tablespoons soy sauce
• 2  teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2  teaspoons dark brown sugar
• 2  teaspoons Tabasco sauce or 2  teaspoons  hot sauce
• 2  teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
• 1⁄4 cup canola oil

Directions

1. Pour the coffee into a small bowl and stir in the remaining ingredients.
2. Place the steaks of your choice in a large zipper-lock bag. Pour in the marinade, seal the bag, and turn to ensure the steaks are coated with the marinade. Marinate for 2 hours at room temperature or, better still, refrigerate overnight. (For a 2- to 3-inch-thick bone-in steak, it's best to marinate overnight.) Turn the bag from time to time to redistribute the marinade. Let the steaks sit at room temperature for 2 hours and pat dry before grilling.