If you are searching through the fresh meat aisle there are a few selections which now include March's new Trader Joe's theme: coffee. Trader Joe's Coffee Rubbed Flank Steak made a lot more sense than the Coffee Spatchcocked Chicken. The coffee here was a lot more subtle without being so forward. This makes me wonder why we haven't seen any red-eye gravy with all this coffee craziness.
The pros: Trader Joe's Coffee Rubbed Flank Steak is pre-marinaded so you don't have to do any of the work.
The cons: Directions should remind you that for the most tender pieces you should cut the meat across the grain. Touching the meat or the marinade will leave an orange hued stain so be careful if you don't wish to look like you've had a poorly done spray tan.
The verdict: Trader Joe's Coffee Rubbed Flank Steak is a new addition to the meat case. It will set you back $9.99 per pound and my package was about $11. What you get out of the package is a well-trimmed and thoroughly marinated piece of meat.
When I opened the package, the first aroma I noticed was the smell of vinegar and spices. The coffee was a subtle note in the background. When it was cooked, it was very tender. Just be aware there is enough paprika to recolor your kitchen (at least your sink or anything that touches it for that matter). Be sure to cut across the grain and not with the grain of the meat for the most tender meat possible. After being grilled the marinade became more of a spice rub which was not overpowering in any way.
There is still a slight tang from the vinegar and there is a subtle heat in each bite. The next strongest flavors were salt and pepper. The marinade did not go all the way through the steak. The coffee flavor is more muted on this dish compared to many of the recent additions involving coffee. The rosemary is pleasant and there were no rosemary needles to speak of in the marinade. Overall, I thought this was way better than Trader Joe's Coffee Rubbed Spatchcocked Chicken (although I'd still rather have Trader Joe's Lemon Rosemary Spatchcocked Chicken over both of these).
Not because of the meat, but because of the marinade. This was good, but not outstanding. It goes with the recent theme of new products: coffee. As for repurchasing this item, I'm undecided. It was good, but nothing that made me say "wow this is amazing" or "I better stock up on this before Trader Joe's discontinues it."
The vacuum sealed bag in the meat section of the refrigerated aisle:
The nutritional information:
The ingredients:
How to prepare:
After being cooked:
Would I buy this again? I liked it, but wasn't in love with it. I had it plain, with salad, and in a quesadilla. My husband took to it more than I did. I'd buy it again for him, but not for me.
Want to see more items I've reviewed from Trader Joe's? Click on Thoughts & Reviews of Trader Joe's for a searchable list.
Did you try it? Let me know what you think in the comments section!
pauldaviescartoons says
I never ceased to be amazed at what Americans do to their food, which is why I follow your fascinating blog. I thought for one awful minute that butter lettuce from the last one might actually be lettuce with added butter, now coffee on beef. Whatever next?
Laurie says
I tried it tonight...me, my partner and my daughter all loved it!! So easy because you just had to put it in the pan! I loved the vinegary taste!!
becomebetty says
I'm glad you enjoyed it Laurie. If you really enjoy it, I'd suggest making sure you pick up an extra one of these. I haven't seen any at my local Trader Joe's.