Not Brown Sugar Or Paprika: Sprinkle This Smoky Ingredient On Steak For 10x The Flavor

There are countless ways you can season a steak. To the purist, the only seasoning needed is a dash of coarse salt. To the maximalist, no steak is complete without an elaborate marinade that's then slathered in heaps of peppercorn or béarnaise sauce. There's really no right or wrong way to go about it. If you find yourself sitting somewhere in the middle, one seasoning that'll take your steak to a whole new realm of flavor is chipotle chili powder.

We like to think of chipotle chili powder as a step above your regular chili powders. It's made entirely from smoke-dried red jalapeño peppers, whereas chili powders typically feature a variety of ground chile peppers, usually mixed with additional spices here and there. The smoking, which lasts several days, is what gives chipotle chilis that distinctive depth. Its intense flavor, natural spiciness, and rich aroma, all balanced by the subtle sweetness of the peppers, allow chipotle to confidently assert itself against indulgent, meaty flavors, with steaks being no exception.

Our go-to method of pairing chipotle chili powder with steak would be a dry rub. Before applying the chipotle, either on its own or part of a mix, ensure the steak is bone dry; this will allow the spices to properly cling to the meat's surface. Once the powder is applied, allow your steak to sit for around 15 minutes to absorb some of its flavors. This hearty coating of spice protects moisture, allowing steaks to develop reddish chipotle-tinted bark. The main thing to be aware of when working with dry rubs is heat. Although chipotle powder can withstand serious heat, any sugars in the mix can quickly scorch. To be on the safe side, use a reverse sear or a two-zone grill setup to prevent this from happening.

A dry rub might be the quickest way to get chipotle flavor onto your steak, but why stop there? If you have a little more time on your hands, turn that smoky chili powder into a marinade. Unlike a dry rub, a marinade gives the chipotle a liquid base to travel through, coating the meat with flavor from edge to edge. Throw in some salt and an acidic ingredient, and you've got the added bonus of seasoning the meat while tenderizing its outer layer — particularly handy when you're working with a cheaper cut. This is also your chance to lean into chipotle's Mexican roots. Start with a glug of avocado oil, squeeze in some fresh lime juice or even some dried mango. Add minced garlic and chopped cilantro for even more flavor, and you've got a marinade that's a winning combination of smoky, tangy, and zesty flavors.

But if you don't fancy a marinade or dry rub, another route to incorporate chipotle is as a sauce. Chipotle chili powder will pair wonderfully with creamy ingredients, making it an easy addition to everything from mayo to sour cream to crema fresca; the latter is our pick if you want to lean into those Mexican-inspired flavors, bringing a cool tanginess that balances out the smoky heat. Or, for something a little more indulgent, make chipotle butter. Mix softened butter with the powder (or chipotles right out of the can) and your favorite seasonings, then let it melt over the finished steak. Better yet, use it for an arrosé (aka butter basting) while the steak is still in the pan. Add the butter, let it foam, then repeatedly spoon it over the meat, bathing the steak in smoky flavors while giving the crust an irresistible glossy finish.