Southwest Salisbury Steaks with Chipotle Gravy

Perhaps a better title would have been Next Level Salisbury Steaks. I guarantee, you've never had the classic dish served up like this. Those oval beef patties are seasoned with the bold flavors of the Southwest (chili, cumin, garlic, onion) and then seared to ensure juicy nuggets of flavor adhere to the bottom of the skillet. Then, in a flash, a fiery gravy swoops in to pick up those caramelized bits and incorporate them in a remarkable sauce. It's layer upon layer of heat AND flavor. And it's all ready in less than 30 minutes. 

Let's discuss the level of heat for a moment. We like spicy food in my house. The kind that makes your eyes water and nose run. My boys like a little more heat than I can handle. When I have too much, I get this odd feeling that I'm sweating just under my eyes. Does that happen to you?

Anyway, since we like things spicy, I used 3 tablespoons of chopped chipotle chilies in adobo sauce (about 1 1/2 chilies plus adobo sauce). I typically buy the canned variety and it's sold next to the other canned chilies. When I served this dish, I spooned a little gravy over the steaks and served the rest on the side. Just in case. I didn't want to blast our heads off in the first bite.

Turns out, the boys took ONE nibble and said, "Wow, this is spicy... really spicy"... And then they reached for the remaining gravy. Me? I was wiping the moisture from under my eyes. A drizzle was enough for me.

If you like things "spicy", use 3 tablespoons of the minced chipotle chilies/sauce, as I did. For mildly spicy, ditch about 1 teaspoon. For a more mild (family friendly) gravy, use 1 teaspoon, or just use the sauce from the can - it's hot by association with the chilies.

Southwest Salisbury Steaks with Chipotle Gravy

1 pound lean ground beef
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder, divided
1 teaspoon onion powder, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups beef stock or beef broth
2-3 tablespoons minced chipotle chilies in adobo, or to taste (see note above)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
Chopped green onions for serving

In a large bowl, combine the beef, chili powder, cumin, 1/2 teaspoon of the garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon of the onion powder, salt, and pepper. Mix well and shape the mixture into four oval patties, about 1-inch thick.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the patties to the hot pan and cook for 1 to 2 minutes per side, until browned. Remove the "steaks" from the pan and transfer to a plate. Set aside. Add the butter to the same pan over medium heat. When the butter is bubbly, whisk in the flour until blended. Whisk in the broth and bring to a simmer, scraping up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the chipotle chilies, tomato paste and remaining garlic powder and onion powder. Simmer for 1 minute. Return the steaks to the pan with any accumulated juices from the plate. Simmer for 3 minutes, until the steaks are cooked through and the gravy is thick.
Top with green onions and serve.

Serves 4