- Searing the steak bites builds a flavorful crust while keeping the centers juicy and medium-rare for balanced texture.
- Chipotles in adobo and rich butter create a creamy sauce that’s flavorful yet not overwhelmingly spicy.
- This recipe comes together in just 20 minutes of total cooking time.
Smoky, buttery, and irresistibly tender, these steak bites deliver maximum flavor when you find yourself in a hurry to get dinner on the table. Cubes of rib-eye or strip steak are quickly seared in a sizzling cast-iron skillet until caramelized on the outside and perfectly juicy within. What brings it all together is the silky butter sauce infused with canned chipotles in adobo.
A pantry staple in most Mexican households, smoked and dried jalapeños are rehydrated and packed in a tangy, slightly sweet tomato-based sauce to create chipotles in adobo. Together, the chipotles and adobo sauce add smoky heat and rich complexity, which meld beautifully with the garlic and warming cumin in the pan. A splash of tequila deglazes the skillet, releasing flavorful browned bits and reducing into a concentrated base. Cold butter is then whisked in, emulsifying into a silky, velvety coating. The result is a sauce that’s bold but balanced, its smokiness and spice lifted by the natural richness of the beef.
Serve these juicy bites as a casual appetizer with tortillas and lime, pile them over rice or nachos for a hearty meal, or skewer them with toothpicks for a party snack. However you share them, they’re guaranteed to disappear fast.
Are canned chipotles in adobo spicy?
Chipotles in adobo bring a medium, smoky heat that’s spicier than a fresh jalapeño but not as fiery as a serrano or habanero. Because the peppers are concentrated, a little goes a long way. In this recipe, the butter helps temper the spice, but for a milder flavor, use fewer chopped chiles.
Which is better for steak bites: rib eye or strip steak?
Both cuts work well, but they have different advantages. Boneless rib eye is the juicier option because its higher fat content (marbling) melts into the meat as it cooks, delivering the richest flavor. Strip steak, on the other hand, has a firmer texture and a leaner profile, giving you beef-forward bites with less fat. For indulgent, buttery steak bites, choose rib eye; for a leaner but still tender option, go with strip.
Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen
- Cooking the steak in batches is key here — you’ll get that deeply browned crust without steaming the meat.
- Cooling the skillet briefly before adding the tequila helps the liquid reduce properly and creates a silky base for the butter to emulsify into a creamy sauce.
- Cutting the steak into evenly sized cubes ensures consistent cooking.
Suggested pairing
To balance the smoky, spicy depth of these steak bites, pour a lightly peppery 2023 Pax North Coast Syrah. This California red offers vibrant blackberry and plum flavors that complement the dish’s buttery richness while mirroring the chipotle’s gentle heat. Its savory spice and bright acidity cut cleanly through the steak, creating a pairing that feels bold yet harmonious, with each sip enhancing the smoky, silky sauce and juicy seared beef.
This recipe was developed by Paige Grandjean; the text was written by Andee Gosnell.
