While I was at the grocery store a few days ago, this gorgeous hunk of meat caught my eye from across the aisle.  It was big, beautiful, gleaming, and fresh.  It taunted me with its possibilities.  And, all things considered, it was a fairly cheap date.  It called itself “London Broil” and virtually begged me to take it home with me and have my way with it.  How could I resist?

I had to combine two of my favorite flavors in the world – coffee and chipotle – and do right by it.

Try this on the grill, or if it’s raining, under the broiler.  It’s so simple, don’t tell anyone how you did it – it’ll make you a grilling rock star!

Coffee & Chipotle Crusted London Broil

Ingredients:

3 Tbs. ground coffee (not instant!)
2 tsp. ground chipotle pepper
1 tsp. kosher salt

1 London Broil, 2-3 pounds and at least 1-1/2 – 2 inches thick

A little olive oil

Method:

Combine the coffee, ground chipotle pepper, and salt in a small dish and set aside.

Rinse the London Broil, pat dry with a paper towel, and rub or brush a bit of the olive oil onto the surface of the meat.

Sprinkle the seasoning onto the meat, pressing it into the surface with your hands.  Coat the entire steak well, including the sides.  Let sit for a minimum of 15 minutes and up to an hour.

Grill or broil to your preferred doneness (about 10 minutes per side for medium), at least six inches from the heat source, whether flame or broiler element.

Allow to rest about 5 – 10 minutes before slicing across the grain to serve.

Notes:

This is going to generate some smoke, so again, make sure to keep it a good six inches from the flame or broiler element, and if you’re doing this indoors, turn on your kitchen ventilation fan!

London Broil is not generally the most tender cut of beef, hence the lower price.  The keys to keeping it from turning into shoe-leather, are to allow it to rest well, once cooked, and slicing it thinly across the grain.

Do Ahead:

Want to have this during the week, but don’t have time to grill on your average weeknight?  Go ahead and grill this up when you’re grilling other things on the weekend and cut the cooking time by 2 minutes per side.  Remove from the heat, allow to cool, and wrap in foil and refrigerate whole.  Slice thinly while cold and lay the slices out on a baking pan.  Brush the exposed surfaces with a little cold coffee and cover with another sheet of foil.  Heat in a 350º F oven for about 15 minutes, or heated through.

Serve with your favorite sides or even a simple baked potato and pickles or tossed salad.

*We take a moment today to remember the sacrifices of our Service men and women, past and present.  To all members of the Armed Forces: Thank You For Your Service!

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