An Inspired Cook

A couple of years ago I purchased a Groupon for half off at Pierpont’s Union Station.  The restaurant is located inside Union Station Kansas City and if you are ever in the area I would highly recommend it.  Inside Union Station is historical architecture reminiscent of the days of the Harvey Houses.  Actually there is a Harvey’s Restaurant located in the center of Union Station with the decor and ambiance of a bygone era.  Walking through the halls takes you back to a time of elegance.  We celebrated our anniversary by having dinner at Pierpont’s.  I ordered the Ancho Chili Coffee Rubbed Steak and I must say it was one of the finest steaks I have ever tasted. I found an online site in Kansas City where independently owned restaurants will post some of their most popular recipes online and they just happened to share my favorite steak. The original recipe called for a Grand Marnier Butter which I skipped in my recipe.  In the future I might make my own Ancho Espresso butter, however with or without the butter, this steak screams flavor.  And just in case you didn’t already know, this might possibly be the best steak I’ve ever grilled at home!

This rub recipe was tough to scale down but I managed to make an amount that I could use now and have some that I could store for later use.  I made a couple substitutions and additions to the original rub as well.  My rub consists of Ancho chile, Espresso powder, brown sugar, Hawaiian smoked black lava salt, black pepper, white pepper, coriander, and paprika.

Mix it all together.  You won’t believe how wonderful it smells.

With ribeye steaks as pricey as they are, I purchased a rib roast, cut the rib bone off the bottom and sliced 1 1/2 inch thick steaks.  I paid $6.99 per pound on sale for the roast verses $15.99 per pound for steaks.  Bit of a bargain, don’t you think and aren’t these steaks fantastic!

Start the coals on your grill or start up your gas grill.  Either way, pull the steaks out of the fridge to adjust to room temperature while the coals get hot.

Liberally rub the seasoning over the steaks on both sides.

And drizzle with olive oil.

For medium rare my rule of thumb is 4 minutes on each side for 1 inch steaks, 5 minutes on each side for 1 1/2 inch steaks.  Doesn’t really matter how many times you flip them in between. Whether you are a flip them once or constant flip method they will turn out great.

I (er, my assistant Josh) flipped them once because I had too many things going at once to keep track.

We let them rest outside for 5 minutes, until we couldn’t stand it any longer.

Oh Yummy Day!!





Ancho Chile Espresso Rubbed Ribeye Steak

3 – 4 Ribeye Steaks (1 1/2 Inch Thick)
Olive Oil for Drizzling
Dry Rub Ingredients
1 tablespoon Ancho Chile, ground
1 tablespoon Espresso Powder (substitute Ground Coffee)
1 tablespoon Brown Sugar
1 tablespoon Hawaiian Smoked Black Lava Sea Salt (substitute Mesquite Smoked Sea Salt)
2 teaspoons Coriander
2 teaspoons Paprika
1 teaspoon Black Pepper
1 teaspoon White Pepper

Heat a gas or charcoal grill.  Set your steaks out to room temperature for at least 20 minutes so that the steaks will cook evenly throughout.

Mix the dry rub ingredients together.  Rub liberally over the steaks on both sides.  Drizzle olive oil over both sides of the steaks as well.

For medium rare steaks lay them over the hot coals to cook 4 minutes on each side for 1 inch thick steaks or 5 minutes on each side for a 1 1/2 inch thick steaks. If you like your steaks cooked medium or medium well, cook a minute or two longer on each side.  Once grilled, let them rest for at least 5 minutes.

*If you would like to try an Ancho Espresso Butter this is what I would make.  Make up an hour or so ahead to chill before serving over steaks.

4 tablespoons Butter
1/4 teaspoon Ancho Chile, ground
1/2 teaspoon Espresso Balsamic Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Maple Syrup

Soften the butter in the microwave 15 seconds at a time until the butter is soft enough to whisk with a mini whisk.  Whisk in the ancho chile, espresso balsamic and maple syrup.  Add a pinch of salt if using unsalted butter.  Chill butter, then scoop a small amount to melt over steak.

** I did splash some Espresso Balsamic Vinegar over some bites of my steak and it was delicious!