Coffee-Rubbed Smoky Elk Roast - A Tribute to Food Network's 'Chopped'

This last weekend I introduced my wife's friend to elk. She was visiting from DC. She is one of the most well-traveled people I know, and six years ago my wife, mother and I visited her when she lived in Berlin. This, however, was her first trip to Montana. It was filled with adventure, beer and meat.

Two nights before she left, we also introduced her to Food Network's "Chopped," which is a staple in our household. For the dinner round, contestants were faced with elk, hard cider, jews mallow and canned cheese. Sans the jews mallow and canned cheese, I was inspired to prepare an elk roast for our guest before she left. I do have my own (award-winning) hard cider, but I saved that for a Strawberry-Rhubarb Crisp.

Our friend is also a dedicated coffee devotee. We had already been making cups of fresh pour-over coffee in the mornings, made lovingly with my Hario Coffee Drip Kettle and Dripper. So I had to find just the right combination of coffee + meat, and I think I came pretty close with this dry rub recipe. Feel free to tweak as needed, but it's certainly a good start.

Coffee-Rubbed Smoky Elk Roast
Ingredients:
2 lbs. elk roast (silver skin trimmed)
1/4 c. coffee grounds (the finer the better)
2/3 c. brown sugar
1 Tbl. Chili powder
2 T. Smoked paprika
1 tsp. Ground sage
1 tsp. Onion powder
1/2 tsp. Cayenne
1 Tbl. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
2 Tbls. Worcestershire

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine all dry ingredients together in a bowl. Tenderize the elk roast and then coat with Worcestershire sauce. Apply dry rub evenly and generously on all sides of elk roast. Let marinate in fridge for up to an hour before cooking.

Place elk roast on a tin foil-lined baking sheet and place in oven to cook until internal temp is at least 130 degrees (I use a digital thermometer). Let stand five minutes before cutting. Serve with hard cider!