Okay, we’ve seen the use of coffee in flavoring a steak before. But here’s a different twist on that, PLUS a recipe for barbecue steak fries!

Holy BBQ, Batman! Enjoy . . .

Coffee and Pepper Steak

Ingredients:

1 cup chopped green onions

3/4 cup cider vinegar

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup molasses

1 1/2 tablespoons instant coffee, preferably espresso roast

1 1/2 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper

1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

One 1 1/2 pound sirloin steak (or flank steak)

Salt to taste

Directions:

In medium bowl, stir together onions, vinegar, oil, molasses, coffee powder, pepper and mustard until completely blended.

With a sharp knife, make parallel 1/2 inch-deep slashes, about 2 inches apart, on both sides of steak. Transfer the steak to a zippered plastic bag and add the marinade, making sure steak is completely coated. Refrigerate for six hours or overnight.

Spray your grill with non-stick coating and heat to medium-high. Season both sides of the steak with salt. Grill the steak directly over the heat four to six minutes per side for medium-rare, or longer to suit your personal taste.

Set steak on a cutting board, cover with foil and let stand for about five minutes for juices to settle, before slicing diagonally. Transfer to serving plate and serve with a crisp salad and corn on the cob or your favorite vegetable. This recipe serves about 4.

If you’d like to barbecue a nice accompaniment for your steak, try these easy steak fries on the grill.

Barbecued Steak Fries

Directions:

Cut four medium russet potatoes in half lengthwise and then cut each half into four thick wedges. Bring about 2 cups of water to boiling in a medium sauce pan and add potatoes.

Lower heat to medium and cook potatoes, covered, for about eight to 10 minutes or until they are almost tender. Drain and cool.

Place cooled potatoes in a large bowl. Mix 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 teaspoon each of your favorite herbs and spices. For example, you could use salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, dried rosemary or whatever else you like. Drizzle the mixture over the potato wedges, tossing gently and being careful not to break them.

Place the potato wedges on the upper rack of the barbecue while your steak is cooking, and grill the potatoes for six to 10 minutes.

Recipe courtesy of kitsapsun.com.

Photo courtesy of KansasCitySteaks.com.

My post on brisket caused quite a stir, it seems. People are so passionate about their barbecue and I love it!

LeFoodDude had a great comment recommending I smoke it for 20 hours and use more charcoal for a better smoke ring.

Well, this weekend I trotted over to my parents’ house where they had smoked a brisket that was much juicier — and smokier — than mine.

Observe:

THIS was some good brisket. Again, they used a SmokinTex smoker, but they split up the smoking into 2 days, letting it sit wrapped in foil in a non-heated oven overnight.

They also smoked theirs a little longer than I did. It seems counterintuitive at first, but the longer you smoke it, the juicier it is.

Oh, and their ribs were better, too.

Is everything just better at Mom’s house or is it just that I have a lot to learn?

Maybe it’s a bit of both. But I do know I have SO much to learn. That’s the fun of it!

LeFoodDude, let us know your thoughts! Anybody else have some secrets to great barbecue???

Photos courtesy of:  my mama

The conclusion of our Memorial Day carnival of carne came in the form of some amazing barbecue ribs.

We allowed them to share the grill with the steakburgers. They earned it.

See what I mean? Those ribs were awesome. We dipped them in some spicy barbecue sauce and all was right with the world.

And the steakburgers? Well, they rocked the house. I don’t think we had any left.

It’s a sad day around here when we don’t have leftovers from a HUGE cookout.

But that just tells me it was a job well done! 🙂