Ingredients

1/4 cup ancho chile powder

1/4 cup finely ground espresso-roast coffee beans

2 tablespoons sweet paprika

2 tablespoons dark brown sugar

1 tablespoon dry mustard

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon ground coriander

2 teaspoons ground ginger

2 teaspoons chile de árbol powder or cayenne (optional)

Preparation

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl or a jar with a tight-fitting lid and mix well. Store in a cool place. Omit the chile de árbol if you want a milder rub. To use: Proceed with the master recipe, replacing the kosher salt with a coating of 1 tablespoon of spice rub on each steak, plus salt to taste. During searing, there will be a bit of smoke, but the steaks are not burning; it is just smoke from the spices in the rub. Works on all steaks but is best on strip steaks or rib-eyes