Coffee-Rubbed Cowboy Steaks

Coffee-Rubbed Cowboy Steaks with Pinto Beans
Serves 4

As much as I like cooking barbecue, I love to eat a steak. Cowboy steak is a big, bone-in rib-eye. While you wouldn’t normally associate umami with cowboys, that’s exactly the savory taste that the coffee rub provides. I like steaks prepared medium-rare, and that’s what you will get if you follow these directions.

What you need:
1 cup dry pinto beans
1 cup apple juice, in a spray bottle, for the grill
¼ cup finely-diced bacon
½ cup finely-diced yellow onion
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
¼ to ½ jalapeño, sliced, with seeds
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 small bay leaf
4 cups chicken stock
2 (2-pound) bone-in rib-eye steaks, about 2- to 2 ½ inches thick, and frenched
6 tablespoons Coffee Rub (recipe to follow)
Coffee Sauce (recipe to follow)

What to do:
Soak the pinto beans overnight, uncovered, in a medium bowl or pot, along with 3 cups water, or enough to cover. In the morning, discard any partial beans that have floated to the top, along with any stones, then rinse and drain in a colander.
The day you plan to cook, add the bacon to a 2- to 3-quart, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat and cook 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the fat is rendered and the bacon is browned. Add the onion and cook 3 to 5 minutes, stirring often, until translucent. Add the garlic and jalapeño and cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often, until the garlic turns a light golden brown. Stir in the salt, pepper, bay leaf, pinto beans, and chicken stock. Cover and cook 1 hour, stirring occasionally, or until the beans are tender. Add additional water, if needed, during the cooking. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let it sit, covered, for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Prepare the Coffee Rub.
Dust the steaks evenly with Coffee Rub. Let them sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Meanwhile, prepare the Coffee Sauce.
When you are ready to cook, heat the grill to 400 degrees F, using the direct grilling method.
Place the steaks directly over the heat and cook 4 minutes, then rotate them 90 degrees, and spray with the apple juice to moisten. Cook another 4 minutes. Flip the steaks, spray them with apple juice, and cook 4 minutes, then rotate 90 degrees, and cook another 4 minutes, or until a meat thermometer placed in the thickest part of the steak reads an internal temperature of 125 degrees F. Transfer the steaks to a platter or a cutting board, and let them rest 5 minutes before slicing.
Slice the steaks against the grain and serve them with the Coffee Sauce on the side.

Coffee Rub
Yields a generous ½ cup

What you need:
4 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons medium roast ground coffee
1 tablespoon brown sugar
½ teaspoon freshly ground cumin
½ teaspoon cocoa powder
¼ teaspoon chipotle powder

What to do:
In a small bowl, mix all ingredients together thoroughly. Store in an airtight container until ready to use.

Coffee Sauce

What you need:
1½ cups medium roast coffee, brewed
½ cup port wine
¼ cup minced shallot
1 tablespoon minced garlic
¼ cup demi-glace
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons Coffee Rub
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

What to do:
In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the coffee, port, shallot, and garlic. Stir and cook 5 to 7 minutes, or until the sauce is reduced to ½ cup.
Stir in the demi-glace, mustard, Coffee Rub, and balsamic vinegar, and simmer 3 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and gently stir in the butter until melted. Cover and keep the sauce warm until ready to use.
NOTE: Check the consistency of the sauce before serving. If it is too thick, stir in hot water, 1 teaspoon at a time, as needed to reach a desired consistency.