Coffee-Crusted Ribeye - For the Carnivore Diet
This coffee-crusted ribeye leans on two things carnivore cooks love: quality beef and hot fat. The coffee adds a toasty, savory bitterness that amplifies the ribeye’s buttery richness without needing sugars or complex seasonings. Keep the crust simple and apply the coffee just before searing so it toasts, not burns.
Start with a thick ribeye and dry it well. Salt early if you have time, then pat on a light coat of very fine coffee grounds immediately before the pan. Sear in beef tallow or butter in a ripping-hot cast-iron skillet to form a deep crust, then baste to finish. Rest briefly so the juices settle and slice against the grain. Aim for medium-rare to keep the fat luscious and the crust intact.
If you prefer, you can reverse sear: bring the steak up gently in a low oven or on the cool side of a grill, then hit it hard in hot fat for the final crust. Leftovers are excellent sliced cold with a knob of butter or reheated quickly in tallow.
Ingredients
- 1 large ribeye steak, 1.25–1.5 inches thick (18–24 oz)
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt (adjust to taste)
- 1 to 1.5 teaspoons very finely ground coffee (espresso-fine), unsweetened
- 1 tablespoon beef tallow (or 1–2 tablespoons unsalted butter for basting)
- Optional: additional 1 tablespoon unsalted butter for finishing
Instructions
- Pat the ribeye completely dry with paper towels. If time allows, salt both sides and edges and refrigerate uncovered for 30–60 minutes to dry-brine; otherwise, salt just before cooking.
- Preheat a heavy cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until very hot (3–5 minutes).
- Right before the steak hits the pan, lightly dust both sides of the ribeye with the finely ground coffee, patting so it adheres. Use a thin, even coat—too much can taste bitter.
- Add beef tallow to the hot skillet. When it shimmers, lay the steak in away from you.
- Sear without moving for 2–3 minutes until a deep brown crust forms. Flip and sear the second side for 2–3 minutes.
- Lower heat to medium. Add butter (if using) and baste, tilting the pan and spooning foaming fat over the steak for 60–90 seconds per side.
- Continue cooking, flipping every minute, until the internal temperature hits your target: 120–125°F for rare, 130–135°F for medium-rare, 140–145°F for medium.
- Transfer to a warm plate and rest 5–7 minutes. Spoon any pan fat over the top and finish with a touch more salt if desired.
- Slice against the grain and serve. For a thicker steak, you can reverse sear: bring to 110–115°F in a 250°F oven, then sear 60–90 seconds per side in hot tallow.