HEAVENLY HELL: Pistol Powder Espresso Beef Rub – 150g

An espresso shot for your brisket

Pistol Powder loads bone broth and espresso into one outlaw of a beef rub. The coffee drives a dark, near-black bark while the savoury bone-broth depth doubles down on everything beefy. It's built for cooks chasing that steakhouse-meets-smokehouse crust on big cuts.

The flavour

It opens dark and roasty — proper espresso bitterness balanced by a deep, umami savouriness. Cracked pepper runs underneath, and a whisper of sweetness helps the bark set almost black. The finish is long, rich and unmistakably beefy.

How to cook with it

• Rub a brisket the night before and smoke low and slow for a dark, espresso-black bark.
• Reverse-sear a thick ribeye: season, smoke gently to temperature, then blister for a coffee-dark crust over a rosy centre.
• Coat beef short ribs or beef cheeks for a rich, roasty crust on a long braise or smoke.
• Dry-brine the beef uncovered overnight, then dust a second coat before the heat for maximum bark.
• Rogue move: shake it over roast field mushrooms or a beef-fat potato for a savoury, coffee-dark hit.

In the shaker

A dark, espresso-brown blend with a fine-to-medium grind and visible cracked pepper. It reads almost like coffee grounds and sets into a deep, near-black crust on the heat.

Ingredients & Dietary

Ingredients (Heavenly Hell's published list): Black Pepper, Paprika, Garlic, Kosher Salt, Sugar, Beef Bone Broth Powder, Freshly Ground Coffee Beans, Onion, Ancho Chilli, Mustard, Rosemary, Activated Charcoal, Coriander, Chipotle, Ginger, Cayenne, Nutmeg, Turmeric, Herbs & Spices. Heavenly Hell state the blend is 100% natural with no added MSG, no fillers and preservative & additive free. Recipes can change — always check the physical label.

Contains: mustard (listed ingredient).

Dietary: No added MSG, no fillers, preservative & additive free; no gluten source declared — always check the physical label.

The Rub Smuggler's Verdict

Darryl's orders: let the coffee do the talking. Mop the last stretch of the cook with Blues Hog Smokey Mountain BBQ Sauce so the sweet smoke wraps the roasty bark, then cut the richness with a smear of Drunken Sailor Raspberry & Wasabi Mustard. Two coats on a brisket — the bark sets almost black.

FAQ

Does it taste like coffee? There's a genuine dark-roast espresso note, but it reads as savoury and beefy rather than like a cup of coffee — it deepens the crust rather than sweetening it.

Is it hot? Only a little — ancho, chipotle and cayenne are in the blend, but it's all about dark, roasty, savoury depth and a near-black bark.

Does it contain MSG or gluten? Heavenly Hell state no added MSG, no fillers, preservative & additive free and 100% natural. No gluten source is declared, but always check the physical label if you're sensitive.