Gordon Ramsay's Go-To Steak Spice For Perfectly Balanced Flavor

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Celebrity chef and restauranteur Gordon Ramsay has plenty of cooking tips for achieving the perfect steak. Besides chef Ramsay's secret to better steak using chicken stock, another pro tip from the culinary mogul is to make a tasty steak spice with two main ingredients: Aleppo pepper and coffee. This dry rub imparts the perfect flavor balance of bitterness, smokiness, mild heat, and a touch of sweetness to your steak. 

In a YouTube video made for Phillips, the outspoken chef prepares a chili and coffee-rubbed ribeye to be cooked in the air fryer. In the quick demonstration, he reveals that the ground coffee combined with sugar produces a "sweet and sour, bitter flavor", while the ground Aleppo pepper "takes the rub to a different level." Ramsay proceeds to season the plate with the chili-coffee blend, lay the steak on top, and thoroughly season the steak, making sure to get the sides and firmly press the rub into the meat. Per his advice, seasoning the steak 15 to 20 minutes before cooking will greatly boost the flavor.

Pairing ground coffee with chili powder or crushed chili flakes is a fairly common combination for a steak, pork, or chicken dry rub. Sometimes referred to as a "cowboy coffee dry rub", this spice blend adds robust flavor to meat with just a touch of heat that isn't overwhelming. Aleppo peppers are considered mildly spicy (less spicy than cayenne peppers) with a touch of sweetness and citrusy notes. 

Dry rubs not only add robust flavor, but also help create a deeply caramelized crust that will transform your steak. The dry spice blend helps to pull out the excess moisture in the steak, enhancing the browning or searing that occurs when pan-seared, air-fried, or grilled. Coffee, specifically, imparts a nutty, earthy flavor that works perfectly with the red meat and also serves as a meat tenderizer. While not completely understood how it makes steak more tender, it's generally believed that the tannins in coffee help soften the protein strands in the red meat. 

In addition to crushed Aleppo peppers and any type of finely ground coffee or espresso powder, there are a few other flavor-enhancing ingredients you can add to your cowboy coffee steak rub. For instance, it's a good idea to balance out the bitterness and acidity of the coffee with a sweet ingredient like brown sugar. Add equal parts coffee, Aleppo pepper, and brown sugar for the perfect flavor combination. Boost the smokiness with a bit of smoked paprika and add some peppery sweetness with a touch of ground ginger. Cumin, coriander, and thyme are other warm, zesty spices that pack a flavorful punch. 

Instead of making your own, you might choose to buy a pre-made coffee-chili dry rub such as Spiceology Cowboy Crust Espresso Chile Rub or The Seasoning by Victoria Gourmet – Coffee Chili Rub. You can also take this seasoning beyond the steak, as adding a coffee rub to your burger is another brilliant idea.