coffee bean smoke?


 
T

Tom Mccann

TVWBB Fan
Not sure where to put this so I will add it here. I was watching triple D this evening because they were showing a dive in my hometown of Superior WI. An earlier segment from a restaurant in Sacramento CA a chef was putting coffee beans on the coals to give his pork a mocha flavor. Anyone ever hear of this?
 
I file this in the same category as putting corn cobs or a whole onion or herbs or whatever on the fire while smoking. It definitely generates a nice smell while cooking. Whether you can discern that flavor in the final product is another story. Your mileage may vary depending on the sensitivity of your palate. The only way to know is to try it for yourself.

Regards,
Chris
 
The only thing I've ever tried that would fit this idea is to put a large sprig of fresh cut rosemary into the fire when doing chicken. We've got this out of control rosemary bush in the back yard so I've got an almost endless supply. My garlic/rosemary smoked chicken is my wife's favorite.

Russ
 
coffee no, but I've burned plenty of other stuff( allspice berries, cinnamon sticks, star anise) .

Make sure you wrap the beans in foil so they do not burn up in flames, you want them to smolder. Most of the tasty flavors can't stand high heats, the foil will help with that.

A good test is to make a small packet that you can burn on a stovetop or outside with a propane torch. Once you got it smoking, get something like white bread or a forkful of cooked rice into the smoke. Taste it to see if the smoke has a positive flavor.

I used this technique when testing the spices and you'd be surprised how the smoke tastes identical to the spice itself. If that's the case with coffee, then you may want to consider simply using a coffee based rub so you have better control over the final flavor. If your cooking for people, you could always throw a packet or two of coffee beans into the fire to get the aroma going and make them think you got something really special going.
 
I saw that same episode of Triple D and considered what flavors might develop when you smoke coffee beans. The bread in the smoke trick sounds like a great test.
Balancing flavor profiles makes great BBQ, and coffee certainly takes care of part of the bitter component. Dry cocao powder is another ingredient in this profile range. I have used ground coffee and or cocao as part of a rub on butts.
I personally feel smoking whole coffee beans is akin to tossing pecan hulls in the smoker on top of the coals. Makes the cooker feel special, but does it really bring out something sensational? IMHO, this may be a gimmic to be somewhat out of the box while offering very little discernable difference in your product.
 
First off thanks Chris for moving my post to the appropriate area. And thanks to everyone else for your comments and further education in the world of BBQ.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">you could always throw a packet or two of coffee beans into the fire to get the aroma going and make them think you got something really special going. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Nothing wrong with a little showmanship when friends are over.
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Sounds like a fun idea and worth trying.
 
As a Homeroaster, I personally would not care for the flavor of burnt coffee on anything. Was he using green beans or roasted? Gives a new meaning to "Charbucks".
 
I've often wanted to use coffee in a rub but never pulled the trigger on it. Brian brings up a point that I never thought of. Does ground coffee hold up well in a HH cook without giving off a bitter burnt coffee taste?
 
Give ground coffee a try in your next rub, Nathan. You may enjoy the subtle bitterness it gives the bark on a pork shoulder or butt. Coffee adds a depth and richness to other foods that I find pleasant. In tomato based sauces, I often add a half cup of leftover black coffee if available. If not, try a teaspoon of dry cocoa powder and a squeeze of anchovy paste from a tube into the sauce. All of these adds depth.
When ground coffee is added sparingly to your pork rub, you will hardly be able to single out that one particular ingredient. It works and blends in harmony with your other flavors for a very pleasing addition. Since you know coffee is bitter, also remember smoke is a bitter component as well, so don't overdo either.
Try adding a teaspoon of finely ground coffee in your next cup of pork rub. It's quite nice and goes well with the flavors in the bark.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Brian Moriarty:
As a Homeroaster, I personally would not care for the flavor of burnt coffee on anything. Was he using green beans or roasted? Gives a new meaning to "Charbucks". </div></BLOCKQUOTE>I assume you would NOT use green coffee beans. You won't get any smoke until those beans get up above 400 degrees.
 
Morrey is absolutely right. I use fresh ground coffee grounds in my brisket rub. Adds a great dimension tot he taste
 
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