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Cooking 101 | Rub made with instant coffee adds a kick to beef
When Nash Zink accepted the assignment to create a recipe for Cooking 101, he knew he wanted to feature coffee-roasted beef.
The chef apprentice at Johnson County Community College was eager to try his hand at creating a recipe that used the wake-you-up dry rub. But then he took the coffee theme a step further.
Lots of people like cream with their coffee, right? And some add a shot of whiskey, as well. So he decided a whiskey cream sauce would be the perfect accompaniment to the coffee-crusted roast.
Zink said he chose the tri-tip roast because it’s a nice cut of meat — lean, tender and not too expensive. It gets its name from its shape, a bit like a boomerang-shaped triangle. The roast is cut from the bottom of the sirloin, the area of the animal just ahead of the back leg, or round.
A dry rub adds both a rich flavor and a nice texture to the tri-tip roast, sealing in juices as well. The brown sugar in this rub is used to caramelize the meat, adding a smoky sweet flavor. You can use regular coffee, but Zink suggests decaffeinated if you’re serving the meal later in the day.
Zink serves his beef dish with wilted spinach and glazed carrots as accompaniments. Both are nutritional powerhouses: The USDA says spinach is a great source of fiber, vitamins A and C, iron and folate, while carrots provide added amounts of vitamins A and C.
Roasted Coffee Beef With Wilted Spinach
Makes 4 servings
1/2 cup ground decaffeinated coffee
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon nutmeg
3 teaspoons salt, divided
1 pound beef tri-tip roast
3 tablespoons butter, divided
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1 carrot, finely diced
1/4 cup sour mash whiskey
1 cup heavy cream
1 egg yolk
1 pound spinach
1/8 cup minced garlic
1 tablespoon dry white wine
Heat oven to 250 degrees. Mix together coffee grounds, brown sugar, allspice, nutmeg and 2 teaspoons salt; rub over tri-tip roast. Grill roast over medium heat for 2 minutes on each side. Place in 11- by 7-inch pan; roast at 250 degrees for 15 minutes until medium rare, 130 degrees on a meat thermometer.
While roast is in oven, melt 1 tablespoon butter in small saucepan over medium heat; add shallot and carrot and sauté until tender, about 6 minutes. Add whiskey to deglaze pan; simmer until reduced by half. Add cream, heat through. Whisk egg yolk in a small dish; add one-third of hot cream mixture to egg yolk, stirring constantly. Add egg mixture to remaining hot cream mixture, stirring constantly. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt. Set aside.
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in medium sauté pan over low heat. Increase heat to medium; add spinach and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently, until spinach starts to wilt. Add garlic, salt and black pepper to taste, sauté for 30 seconds. Add white wine.
Remove roast from oven; let rest 10 minutes, slice into 1/4-inch slices.
To serve, place one-fourth of spinach on plate. Place three slices of roast on top of spinach; top with whiskey sauce.
Per serving: 499 calories (70 percent from fat), 37 grams total fat (21 grams saturated), 207 milligrams cholesterol, 14 grams carbohydrates, 21 grams protein, 1,336 milligrams sodium, 4 grams dietary fiber.
Glazed Baby Carrots
Makes 4 servings
8 ounces long baby carrots (see note)
3/4 cup apple juice
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon nutmeg
Peel carrots; boil in saucepan with salted water until crisp tender.
While carrots cook, place apple juice in small saucepan and bring to a simmer over low heat. Add brown sugar, cloves, cinnamon stick and nutmeg. Simmer until reduced by one-third, about 15 minutes. Serve glaze over carrots.
Note: Look for whole baby carrots, not the peeled, snacking type.
Per serving: 73 calories (9 percent from fat), 1 gram total fat (trace saturated fat), no cholesterol, 15 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram protein, 24 milligrams sodium, 1 gram dietary fiber.