Traeger Coffee Rub Recipe

Try this delicious Traeger Coffee Rub recipe for a fantastic BBQ experience! Add a unique flavor perfect for pork, beef, chicken, & more.  It's the perfect way to add a dry rub to all your favorite things. If you're a fan of coffee flavor, this is the seasoning to give any meat entree an extra punch of flavor. 

​Making a coffee mixture seasoning is simple enough for everyone to do. It's the best way to get an earthy taste with a hint of the flavor of coffee. You can easily make this and put this on chicken thighs, prime rib, the exterior of a brisket, or anything else that you're hoping to get a nice crust on. It's a great rub to use to cover every square inch of the meat! Plus, you can also make it and store it for quite a long time, making it a great recipe to prep and use later. 

The good thing about making your own dry rub is that you know exactly the simple ingredients that are in it. Since this coffee rub mixture only has a few ingredients, as listed below on the recipe card, it literally couldn't be easier to make. Whip up a batch to use for a special dinner for date night, or use it to replace the BBQ sauce that you have sitting on the shelf in the fridge. It's really the perfect way to enhance the flavors of any dish that you're craving. 

Be sure to check out my Traeger Brisket for a great recipe to pair with this seasoning. 

Ingredients

Salt - You can use sea salt, kosher salt, Himalayan salt, pink salt, etc. 

Sugar - Regular sugar is what I use but brown sugar also works well. 

Paprika - Smoked paprika would also be delicious. 

Black pepper - For taste. 

Coffee - Regular coffee grinds are what you will want to use. You could use instant coffee or decaf instant coffee as well. 

Onion powder - For flavor. Dried minced onion works also.

Chili powder - Chili powder is normally not spicy. For added heat add some cayenne pepper.

Garlic powder - For flavor.

Cocoa powder - For a dark coloring and taste. 

Brown sugar - To add sweetness to the rest of the ingredients. 

How to make this Traeger Coffee Rub Recipe

​There is really one simple step to making this coffee rub mixture. 

Step One: Grab a small bowl and mix together all the ingredients. That's all you have to do to make this new rub mixture. 

Variations 

Use different types of coffee - If you really want a dark roast flavor, you could use decaf or darker coffee granules. Just know that it might affect the texture and taste if those granules don't dissolve or blend in while cooking. 

Make a more spicy flavor - You can absolutely up the heat factor to this dry rub recipe by increasing the amount of black pepper. You can even add in some chili pepper as well, or cayenne pepper, too. 

​Add more sweet flavors - If you're a fan of less heat and more sweet, add more brown sugar and less of spiciness. This recipe is really versatile in how you can alter it to taste different and unique every time. 

Common Questions 

How do I use this dry rub?

There really isn't a wrong way to use this dry rub recipe. Once you've made it, you can rub it all over the exterior of the brisket, or you can sprinkle it on top of veggies that are already on your Traeger grill grate. (put a few layers of foil underneath the veggies so that the spice isn't falling into the grill) 

Can I grind coffee beans to use in this rub? 

You bet. If you want to ad da little bit of coffee flavoring from real coffee, then you can grind up a few coffee beans and stir them into the mixture. Just be aware that a little bit of flavor and taste will go a long way, so don't feel like you have to go overboard with this.

Pairing the ground coffee with cocoa powder will result in quite a strong coffee flavor. It would be best to try this method on a smaller piece of meat before using it for a large piece of meat just to ensure that you like the outcome before committing. 

How do I store homemade dry rub seasonings?

The best part about making your own seasonings is that you can store them for quite some time. Be sure to put them in an airtight container with a lid, and keep the rub stored in a place away from heat and cold. 

I keep my homemade seasonings in the same cabinet as the ones that I purchase, and that works out great.