Use our Coffee Mushroom Rub to bring earthy umami and savory notes to your next grilled steak, while simultaneously tenderizing by breaking down protein fibers.

Make this recipe your go-to choice when grilling wild game back strap steak or pressed tofu, or coat roasted vegetables such as bittersweet cruciferous vegetables and sweet carrots for delicious coating.

Dry Rub

Add an aromatic rub to meat or seafood to increase its flavor while creating an irresistibly beautiful crust. A rub is simply a mixture of spices, fat and other flavorings applied directly onto proteins to form a seal that retains moisture during cooking – it doesn’t just apply to steak – dry rubs can be used on nearly all forms of protein-based meals, especially when grilling or using high heat methods for preparation.

Coffee grounds add acidity that complements and tenderizes beef, while mushrooms add an intense umami taste that balances out brown sugar for balance and sweetness, and black pepper for some spice – creating an all-encompassing rub that combines sweet with smoky notes.

Start by grinding whole or instant coffee beans using a coffee or spice grinder into a fine powder, before incorporating dried mushroom powder, brown sugar, salt and ground black pepper into the coffee grinder as well. Blitz again until everything reaches a uniform consistency – then either use immediately or store in an airtight container until later use!

This rub can add a smoky, earthy taste to meats and vegetables for a tasty barbecue dish, pairing beautifully with natural flavors of meats such as chicken or pork for ribs, chicken, pork or other seafood dishes like halibut, tilapia or even root vegetables like beets, turnips and parsnips.

Add two or three tablespoons of the rub to sliced portobello mushrooms before roasting in the oven to create a delectable vegetarian meal option for lunch or dinner. It pairs perfectly with herbed goat cheese and grilled onions for a satisfying mealtime experience. Alternatively, coat these baked mushrooms in this mixture while they’re baking then store them in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to enjoy them at mealtime!

Marinade

Marinades are combinations of oil and seasonings used to tenderize and enhance the flavor of foods, especially meat. Marinades often include acidic ingredients like vinegar or wine to break down protein structures in foods, particularly meat. Although most often applied to meat, marinades can also be applied to vegetables and fish for optimal results. To create an effective marinade recipe use simple, readily-available ingredients; you could find out more here.

Ground porcini mushrooms, Kosher salt and black pepper make up the core of this spice blend for creating a coffee mushroom rub. When combined, mushrooms and coffee create an earthy, savory profile that pairs beautifully with the richness of beef. Brown sugar adds sweetness and balances out any bitterness from coffee as it develops caramelized crust during cooking.

Additionally to main flavoring ingredients, several other common ingredients can help create an excellent marinade. Herbs and spices, either dried or fresh, add extra dimension and can be combined to produce distinct profiles, such as herbes de Provence (dried savory, marjoram and thyme mixed together with ground black pepper), Jamaican jerk marinades using allspice berries with ground black pepper as an example or sweeteners like molasses, brown sugar or honey can add additional sweetness.

One common misstep when creating marinades is adding too much liquid. Too much liquid dilutes the acidity, decreasing its effectiveness as a tenderizer. Furthermore, leaving too much food in for too long can result in chemical cooking, with proteins and connective tissues breaking down to become chemicalized and becoming inedible mush. For optimal results, marinades should rest between 30 minutes and 3 hours for fruit, vegetables and fish (but no more!). Meat should remain submerged at least overnight before being placed back into a marinade for chemically cooking purposes.

To create the perfect coffee crusted steak dish, simply grill your steak for 4-5 minutes per side and pair with vegetables that can withstand the intense grill flavor – like earthy mushrooms, sweet root veggies like beets or parsnips, and bittersweet cruciferous veggies such as Brussels sprouts or cabbage that will perfectly compliment its rich flavors.

Tenderizer

Dark roast coffee and mushrooms combine perfectly for an earthy, savory steak rub. However, this versatile rub can also add delicious depth of flavor to many other grilled, roasted, and smoked recipes such as Crispy Garlic Roasted Chicken recipe or even heartier fish dishes like this Smoked Salmon with Potato Salad recipe.

Meat tenderizers work independently of marinades to break down protein fibers in tough cuts of beef or pork and render them more tender. Acidic solutions such as lemon, lime or vinegar with salt can do this; so too can slow-cooking methods like braising and simmering, braises and simmering and certain natural foods containing protease enzymes which work similarly on their own to tenderize tough cuts of meat such as pineapples papayas kiwis etc.

Ground coffee stands out as an exceptional material to use for this task, thanks to its tannins which penetrate meat proteins and break them down while adding an appealing savory taste. Coffee therefore makes an ideal meat tenderizer in dry rubs or marinades.

Make an easy and cost-effective meat tenderizer at home quickly by grinding dried porcini mushroom pieces with Kosher salt and black pepper until everything forms a fine powder in a spice or coffee grinder. Store the mixture in an airtight jar or container to avoid creating clouds of mushroom dust which might fly out when opening the grinder after pulses have stopped being sent through it.

To use this tenderizer, dampen the surface of meat with just a small amount of water and sprinkle generously with your spice blend of choice, such as coffee mushroom rub. Let it sit for 30 minutes before proceeding as directed – especially effective with cuttings that will be cooked over high heat, such as ribeye or leg of lamb. For other recipes calling for dry rubs such as dry rubbed steaks and chops. Alternatively, moisten and dust the surface of meats that require dry rubs like beef with this blend – perfect when cooked over high temperatures such as ribeye steak or leg of lamb cut! Additionally low carb, gluten-free and FODMAP friendly options are also great ways of tenderizer use!

Mushroom Substrate

Mushroom cultivators rely on substrate materials to assist their mushroom cultivation efforts. Just as plants require soil for growth and fruiting, mushrooms need an adequate substrate in which to flourish. There are various types of substrate available but most recipes call for some variation of straw or hardwood sawdust as the base ingredient; additional components may also be added for nutrition and structure of mycelial networks. Once prepared, this substrate can then be inoculated with mushroom spores/mycelium and planted into containers for fruiting.

Based on your desired type of mushrooms, there are various substrate recipes you can follow for growing them. Most commonly, a mixture of straw and hardwood sawdust is utilized; other organic waste such as corn stalks, manure and even water hyacinth or kudzu may also be suitable. All such ingredients must first be sterilized or pasteurized prior to being included as ingredients in any mushroom substrate recipe.

Straw used as the main ingredient of mushroom substrate recipes is typically pasteurized before being mixed with the rest of the ingredients. This is often an exhausting and time-consuming process that can be completed either over an open fire, or using a pressure cooker – in either case be sure to wear a mask when using this latter option to protect yourself from breathing in steam and heat!

Wood pellets are a popular alternative to straw, often manufactured from hardwoods such as oak, hickory and maple and sold at very competitive prices in 40 lb bags. While most pellets do not need sterilizing as the manufacturing process itself sterilizes them naturally; many growers still supplement them with bran to add essential vitamins and minerals that may otherwise be missing in wood alone.

Common mushroom substrate ingredients include coco coir and vermiculite. This combination provides mycelium with ample nutrition while helping the substrate retain moisture; vermiculite can usually be purchased at garden centers at an affordable cost.