My 4-Ingredient Cocoa-Coffee Marinade Enhances Char on Steaks Beautifully

This marinade brings subtle but delightful flavors.

By
Daniel Gritzer
Daniel Gritzer
Daniel Gritzer
Editorial Director
Daniel joined the Serious Eats culinary team in 2014 and writes recipes, equipment reviews, articles on cooking techniques. Prior to that he was a food editor at Food & Wine magazine, and the staff writer for Time Out New York's restaurant and bars section.
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Updated August 21, 2024
20170420-steak-marinades-coffee-vicky-wasik-3.jpg
Photograph: Vicky Wasik

Why It Works

  • Marinating is mostly a surface treatment, so even an hour is enough to get plenty of flavor onto the meat.
  • Salt in the marinade helps the beef retain moisture during grilling.

Coffee and chocolate sound like strong flavors, but they take on a delightfully mild tone in this steak marinade. I combine them with some brown sugar, which helps the steak develop a deeper crust more quickly on the grill, and a pinch of chili powder for a subtle, spicy warmth. I go light on the chili heat, but you could add more if you want it to be more pronounced. Mostly, the coffee and chocolate add a slight bitterness that underscores that charred, grilled flavor; the chocolate contributes an additional round butteriness, presumably from the cocoa butter.

June 2017

Recipe Details

Cocoa-Coffee Steak Marinade for Grilling Recipe

Total 20 mins
Serves 4 to 8 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (235ml) hot, strong brewed coffee

  • 1/2 ounce (15g) unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped

  • 1 tablespoon (15g) dark brown sugar

  • 1 teaspoon (5g) kosher salt

  • Pinch chili powder or cayenne pepper

  • About 2 to 3 pounds (900g to 1.4kg) steak of your choice

Directions

  1. Stir together coffee, chocolate, sugar, salt, and chili powder or cayenne, until chocolate is fully melted and sugar and salt are fully dissolved. Let cool.

  2. Transfer marinade to a large zipper-lock bag, add steak, press out air from bag, and seal. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours. When ready to cook, remove steak from marinade, blot dry with paper towels, and grill as desired.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
374Calories
25gFat
2gCarbs
34gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories374
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 25g31%
Saturated Fat 10g49%
Cholesterol 124mg41%
Sodium 311mg14%
Total Carbohydrate 2g1%
Dietary Fiber 0g1%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 34g
Vitamin C 0mg0%
Calcium 26mg2%
Iron 3mg14%
Potassium 436mg9%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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