it doesn’t get better than blackened pork

Although I’m not a big coffee fan, there are some days when I would trample my grandmother for a mug (only kidding Granny, you’re safe!).

Take earlier this week, when a certain UK firm not only failed to deliver a birthday gift on time, but covered their ass by attempting time travel via email.

No lie.

did you know…it is possible to die from too much coffee – you just have to drink 100 cups in a few hours

I had ordered a gift card with this company, asked for it to be delivered on 16th March and, when it didn’t show up by 18th March, shot off a concerned email to the customer services department. About an hour later I received a message which not only failed to acknowledge my complaint but contained the words: “your gift card has been dispatched and will be delivered as ordered on 16th March.”

the rub

Given that it was already March 19th, I highly doubted that. If time travel has been invented you can bet that boffins in a lab stumbled upon it, rather than shop assistants cataloguing gift card orders.

So anyway, that had me reaching for the black gold this week. And when I wasn’t drinking it, I was rubbing it into meat (ooer, that sounds a bit wrong).

the rub would also be good on chicken or steak

Coffee makes a surprisingly tasty dry rub. It kept the pork moist and gave it a lovely subtle kick. I’d advise that you use whole beans rather than instant because the former give a much better flavour. Plus it’s always fun to bust out the coffee grinder. I love kitchen appliances that are both cute and practical.

Coffee Rubbed Roast Pork (serves 2-3)

• 113g pork tenderloin
• 1 tbsp whole coffee beans
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 1/2 tsp carraway seeds
• 1 tsp paprika
• a pinch of cayenne

1. Grind the coffee beans, peppercorns and carraway seeds together in a grinder until powdery. Mix in the paprika and cayenne.
2. Rub the mixture into the pork flesh, making sure it’s coated.
3. Place the pork in a greased baking dish and roast at 375 for 30 minutes, or until the juices run clear.

Like this? You might also like:

• Honey Mustard Pork Tenderloin
• Spicy Cajun Pork Medallions
• Pan-Fried Pork Chop with Parsley Butter
• Roast Pork with Apple Thyme Sauce