Summer is here, and with that, the season of grilling and barbecues at backyard (or back deck) parties. I’m a sucker for a good grilled steak accompanied by a light veggie salad. What inspired this recipe was a delicious spice blend that my coworker and I came up with at the shop one rainy day. The idea of chocolate and chili had our mouths watering and very soon after our cocoa chili rub came to be.
I decided to experiment a bit with it and decided I did like it best on steak, but it also would pair wonderfully with pork or chicken. Below is the recipe for cocoa chili steak with a cucumber feta salad. It’s quick, easy, and absolutely delicious!
For the rub:
3 tbsp garlic powder
2 tbsp cumin
2 tbsp ancho chili powder
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp tellicherry peppercorn
2 tbsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp cane sugar
1 tbsp onion powder
4 tsp cocoa powder
2 tsp Ceylon cinnamon
Rub this blend along with salt onto the steaks until thoroughly coated. For this particular recipe, I opted to cook the steaks on the stove and the oven. In a skillet on high heat sear the steaks on either side for 3-5 minutes and then place directly into the oven at 400 degrees. Take the steaks out after 6-8 minutes, making sure they are at the right temperature. For medium rare, the temperature should be between 140 and 145. Let rest.
For the cucumber salad:
1 large cucumber, cut into quarters
1 pint of grape tomatoes, cut into quarters
1 block of feta cheese, diced
1 red onion, diced
2 tbsp tzatziki spice mix
1 tsp salt
Olive oil
Toss the ingredients together in a bowl and serve with the steak. Paired with a delicious red wine, this is the perfect summer indulgence meal. All spices used in this recipe can be found on our website or in store.
Happy grilling!
