Smoky Coffee Rubbed Burgers

These Smoky Coffee Rubbed Burgers are the ultimate evening treat. Coffee, salt, smoked paprika and other spices give this beef a smoky and sweet taste that goes great with our homemade BBQ sauce!

Take your next BBQ menu to the next level with this smoky coffee rubbed hamburger recipe! You might think a coffee rub on a burger sounds a little strange, but coffee actually enhances and deepens the flavor of the meat. It also creates a charred crust on the outside allowing the burger to stay moist on the inside.

I’ll be honest, I’ve never used coffee in meat before, but boy does it make a HUGE difference ..  these coffee rubbed burgers are probably the meatiest tasting burgers I’ve ever made.

For the first time in my life, my burger actually dripped down my arm! Do you have any idea how excited this makes me? It means my burger was not only FULL of flavor, it was JUICY … like RESTAURANT juicy.

INGREDIENTS IN OUR COFFEE RUB:

The rub for these burgers isn’t exclusive to burgers. It is also amazing on steak! The spices have a balance of smoky and a little sweet. But the coffee is really the star of the rub. It brings out that deep meaty flavor that we all crave when we think of a really good restaurant burger.

• Ground Coffee – only a Tablespoon is needed
• Sea Salt
• Smoked Paprika
• Brown Sugar
• Onion Powder
• Garlic Powder
• Chili Powder
• Coriander 
• Oregano
• Black Pepper

Helpful Tips:

1. Fat – 95% lean meat is going to produce a dry burger.  It’s just a fact.  I’m sorry.  Get a pound ground sirloin between 75-80% fat freshly ground from the butcher and you can’t go wrong.
2. Rest – After the burgers have been coated in the rub, place them in the fridge UNCOVERED to chill for 30 minutes. This will help the outside of the burgers get a really nice char on them, yet keep those juices inside. Be sure to bring them to room temperature as the grill is heating up – again 20-30 minutes.
3. Cook the burgers using what is known as a Reverse Sear.  In other words you start the temperature HIGH and end on LOW.  Place burgers over a very high heat for a few minutes, turn the flame down to low (if using a grill, simply continue cooking them on indirect heat) until done. 
4. Rest – rest again. Allow the burgers to rest under tented foil for a few minutes to let the juices redistribute.

Don’t forget the toppings:

• ONIONS – While the burgers are cooking, slice a large onion in thick chucks keeping the onion in tact.  Brush the onion slices with a little oil, salt and pepper and cook them alongside the burgers until they caramelize.
• TOMATOES – a little fresh produce never hurt anyone
• CHEESE SLICE- We topped our burgers with a slice of smoked gouda.  Gouda is such a great burger cheese, it melts to perfection, it’s smooth and creamy and smoky.
• BBQ SAUCE – But the icing on the cake (or the sauce on the burger) is the homemade BBQ sauce that goes on top!  OH MY!  The combination of the charred and meaty burger with the sweet caramelized onion, smoky cheese and BBQ sauce on top is TRULY EPIC !!! Be sure to have some additional sauce for dunking.
• HAMBURGER BUNs – this is just my personal preference, but nothing beats a Brioche bun, placed on the grill for some perfectly grilled marks on the bun tops.

OH! And don’t forget to top your burgers with these amazing caramelized Grilled Vidalia Onions!

LOOKING FOR OTHER BURGER IDEAS?

• The Juiciest Burger You Will Ever Eat
• Cheese Stuffed Black Bean Burger
• Mouthwatering Chicken Burger

Print