Sweet & Spicy Steaks

Four sauce ingredients, one bowl, and thick-cut chuck steaks over charcoal. That’s the whole play. Chunky salsa, ketchup, packed brown sugar, and Dijon mustard get stirred together into a sweet, spicy, tangy glaze that caramelizes on the steak’s surface during the final minutes of grilling.

The sauce only goes on during the last five minutes of cooking. Brushing it on too early means the sugars in the brown sugar and ketchup burn to a bitter char before the steak reaches temperature. Waiting until the end gives you a sticky, lacquered finish without the burnt taste.

Reserve half the sauce before you start brushing. The reserved portion goes on the table as a dipping sauce so you don’t cross-contaminate cooked meat with the brush that touched raw steak.

Boneless top blade steaks (also called flat iron steaks) are a smart choice here. They’re one of the most tender cuts from the chuck, well-marbled, and full of beefy flavor that stands up to the bold sauce.

Kitchen Tips

• Trim all visible fat before grilling. The sweet sauce can cause fat drippings to flare up
• Grill over medium coals, not blazing hot. The inch-thick steaks need time to cook through without charring the outside
• Turn occasionally, not constantly. Let each side develop some char before flipping
• Pull at medium-rare to medium. Chuck blade steaks get tough if overcooked past medium

Variations

• Add a teaspoon of chipotle in adobo to the sauce for a smoky, deeper heat
• Use this sauce on grilled chicken thighs or pork chops instead of steak
• Stir a tablespoon of honey into the sauce for an even sweeter glaze