Ancho Coffee Rub for Brisket

posted by Michelle Goth on Feb 18, 2025 (updated Sep 4, 2025)

Make this homemade dry rub recipe for your next beef brisket or roast! Perfect for the smoker.

Looking to BBQ a brisket? I developed this coffee rub recipe especially for briskets and other beef roasts, especially ones that will end up on the smoker!

The bold flavor of beef desires a bold and savory rub! In this recipe, I combine ground ancho chili powder and ground coffee beans to perfectly compliment the rich smokiness of the brisket.

Why ancho chile? Ancho chile powder is dried, ground poblano peppers. And while paprika is my go-to seasoning for spice rubs like my smoked chicken rub, I chose ancho for this brisket rub because it has a smoky and earthy flavor that’s considerably deeper than paprika.

I also think the tobacco notes in ancho pair perfectly with coffee! Together, the coffee and ancho powders combine to form a savory crust with a deep, rich color.

a photo of a picanha roast rubbed with coffee rub

How to Use this Dry Rub

But of course, you aren’t limited to just using this simple brisket rub recipe for beef brisket seasoning!

This rub also holds up well on Picanha, short ribs, tri tip roast, beef ribs, or any cuts of beef you’d like to smoke. It’s also excellent when grilling ribeye steak on the grill or even tomahawk steak.

It is even good on meatier cuts of pork, like pork shoulder (pork butt), pork ribs, pork tenderloin and thick, bone-in pork chops. If you do use this recipe for pork, I recommend adding a tablespoon of smoked or regular paprika to brighten the flavors in the rub a bit. I do not love this rub on chicken, however! The coffee flavor is just too intense.

I prefer using this rub as a dry rub because it creates such a wonderful, dark bark. However, it is easy to convert it into a wet rub if that’s your preference! you want to use this as a wet rub, you can brush your raw piece of meat with Worcestershire sauce or a robust mustard, then rub the spices on.

a photo of a beef roast rubbed with dry rub then covered with plastic wrap

a plastic container labeled with the words "Coffee Ancho Rub"

What type of coffee should I use for this spice rub?

I think it’s best to use dark roast coffee for this smoked brisket rub recipe, but you can use what you have!

If you’re able to ground your own beans, freshly ground coffee has a lot more flavor!

a close up photo of ancho coffee spice rub

Recipe Substitutions and Additions

There are plenty of things you can do to adjust these coffee rub ingredients so that you can best use what you have on hand. Here are a few ideas:

If you don’t have kosher salt or coarse salt, you can use table salt. Just halve the amount!
For an extra spicy rub, add up to 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper powder. If you’re worried about the spicy flavor, you can also omit the cayenne completely.
If you don’t have dark brown sugar, just use light brown sugar!
Yes, you can substitute ground espresso for the coffee.
Add 1-2 tablespoons of smoked paprika for an earthy flavor.

a coffee rubbed beef roast on the smoker

Storing Leftover Rub

If you have leftover rub, store in an airtight container in a dry place. Please be aware that the brown sugar may clump! If that happens, just run your hands through the rub and pinch the clumps to break them apart before using.

I hope that you enjoy this coffee rub recipe! If you use it, I’d love to get your feedback in the comments below.