This blackened steak is cooked in a cast iron skillet or on an outdoor griddle, like a Blackstone. The steak is coated in a homemade blackened seasoning, seared to your desired doneness, and then topped with garlic butter that melts all over for a deliciously flavorful steak dish. It's a quick and easy recipe worthy of a high-end restaurant.
Serve it with some charred broccolini and crispy potatoes for a dinner that will receive rave reviews.
Easy Chef's Tips for the Perfect Blackened Steak
How to Choose Steak:
- Marbling: Marbling is the fat running through the meat. It looks like little white lines or flecks in the steak. The more marbling, the more flavor and juiciness your steak will have.
- Thickness: Go for steaks at least 1-1.5 inches thick if you want to cook them evenly, especially if you're aiming for a medium-rare finish. Thinner steaks can be overcooked quickly.
- Color: A good steak should have a rich red color with creamy, white fat. Avoid steaks that look brownish or gray, as they’re less fresh.
- Quality: In the U.S., USDA Prime is the best quality, with great marbling and tenderness. Prime is going to give you the best results unless you can find Wagu steaks. Choice is next best. Learn more about steak grades.
- Bone-in vs. Boneless: Bone-in steaks like ribeye or T-bone tend to have more flavor because the bone adds richness during cooking. Boneless steaks are easier to manage, and work great for this recipe. Bone-in steaks will need to cook a little longer than boneless.
Dry The Steak: Use paper towels to pat the surface of the steak dry. Removing surface moisture is important because it helps the steak sear better when cooking and ensures a nice crust.
Season: Sprinkle kosher salt or sea salt generously on all sides of the steak. The salt will help draw out some moisture, and it also tenderizes the meat while enhancing flavor.
Bring to Room Temperature: A room-temperature steak cooks more evenly because the entire piece of meat starts closer to the final cooking temperature, meaning the heat can penetrate it uniformly. The result is a better crust and evenly cooked steak.
Cooking: Heat the cast-iron skillet or griddle to medium-high heat. Make sure it's hot and ready before searing the steaks. Leave the steaks alone for 5 minutes once you start to sear them.
- If you like your steak medium-rare or medium, finish cooking the steak in the oven or air fryer. This helps to prevent the blackening seasoning from getting bunt. We want a little char on the crust but not too much. If you keep searing them, the crust could develop an acrid flavor.
Resting: Allow the steaks to rest on a cutting board or plate for 5-10 minutes before slicing so that the juices evenly distribute throughout the meat resulting in a tender, juicy steak.
Slicing: If slicing to serve, make sure to slice the steak against the grain for the most tender steak.
Ingredients You'll Need
- Steak: I like to use ribeye steak for this recipe, you can also use New York strip steaks or even filet mignon if you prefer a leaner cut of meat. The cooking time for the filet could vary slightly so keep a close eye when cooking.
- Oil: Preferably a neutral oil like avocado or canola. If you only have olive oil, that will work well too. We are using much, it's just to coat the steak so it holds the blackening seasoning.
- Salt: I like to use Diamond Crystal Kosher salt to season the steak and Maldon flaky sea salt to add a touch of crunch to the flavorful crust.
- Blackening Seasoning:
- Chili Powder
- Smoked Paprika
- Onion Powder
- Garlic Powder
- Dried Thyme
- Black Pepper
- Cayenne Pepper (optional). If you want a little heat.
- Ground Fennel Seed or Cumin
- Garlic Butter:
- Softened Butter salted, if using unsalted, add a little salt.
- Fresh Garlic
- Fresh Thyme
- Fresh Parsley
How To Prep and Cook Blackened Steak
Season The Steak + Bring it to Room Temperature:
- Remove the steaks from the fridge and arrange them on a large plate, or a sheet pan fitted with a cooling rack (for air circulation if you want to be extra cheffy). Evenly season both sides with salt so that it looks like the steak is gently covered in snow. Allow them to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to take the chill off and absorb the salt. While the steaks are coming to room temperature, make the spice mixture and garlic butter.
Make the Blackening Seasoning + Garlic Butter:
- In a small bowl, add all the blackening seasoning ingredients and mix until well combined. Set aside.
- In another small bowl, combine the softened butter, minced fresh garlic, and fresh herbs. Mix until well combined and set aside.
Dry The Steak + Coat in Blackening Seasoning:
- Using clean paper towels, pat both sides of the steak dry. The salt should be absorbed, so don't worry about removing any salt. It will have tons of flavor.
- Brush a thin layer of oil on both sides of the steak.
- Then, coat both sides of the steak in the blackening spice mixture and rub it in. If desired, top with a little flaky sea salt--added crunch-yum.
Cook Your Steak
- Turn on your exhaust fan if cooking inside. If you like your steak medium or medium rare, preheat your oven to 400F or your air fryer to 350F.
- Preheat your cast iron skillet or griddle to medium high heat. Add a little oil to the pan and then add the steak. Sear for 3-5 minutes without lifting or moving the steak. After 5 minutes, flip the steak and cook another 3-5 minutes. Using the finger test or an instant-read thermometer, check to see if the steak is done. If you like your steak rare, it's usually done at this point.
- For medium rare, cook another 1-2 minutes in the air fryer. Or transfer the steak to a sheet pan and cook for 2-3 minutes in the oven at 400F.
- For medium, cook 3-4 minutes in the air fryer or 4-5 minutes in the oven.
Of course, every oven is different, so be sure to check the internal temperature with a thermometer. It's better to undercook the steak rather than overcook.
Steak continues to cook a bit after you take it off the heat, so remove it when it's about 5°F (3°C) below your target temperature. This is called "carryover cooking" and happens as the steak rests.
NOTE: You could transfer the cast iron skillet to the oven to cook for a few more minutes. It will work fine, but it is easier to overcook the side of the steak that is touching the hot pan. I recommend transferring the steak to a sheet pan to finish the cooking process if you want to make sure your steak cooks perfectly.
Here's a simple steak temperature cooking guide to help you get the perfect doneness based on internal temperatures:
Add Butter + Rest
- Remove the steak and transfer it to a plate or cutting board. Top the steak with garlic butter and allow it to melt while the steak rests for 5-10 minutes.
Slice + Serve
If serving the steaks sliced, make sure to slice them against the grain. Serve and enjoy!
What to do with Leftover Steak
- Make a steak salad with mixed greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, and avocado. Serve it with this blue cheese dressing recipe.
- Blackened steak tacos
- Steak sliders
- Steak and eggs
- Steak bruschetta
What to Serve with Blackened Steak
- Air fryer broccolini
- Sheet pan brussels sprouts
- Smashed fingerling potatoes
- Polenta
- Apple pecan salad
- 3 ingredient cornbread
- Pan seared shrimp for a nice surf and turf.
- Check out these potato side dishes that are perfect to serve with steak.
More Steak Recipes
Storage + Reheating Instructions
TO STORE: Let it cool to room temperature (no more than 2 hours after cooking), then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. You can also store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Eat within 3-4 days.
TO REHEAT: Preheat oven to 250°F (120°C).Place the steak on a wire rack over a baking sheet to allow even heat circulation.Heat in the oven for 20-30 minutes, depending on the thickness, until the internal temperature reaches 110-130°F (43-54°C).Finish by searing the steak quickly in a hot pan with a little oil or butter for about 1 minute per side to regain that crispy crust.
Recipe
Blackened Steak with Garlic Butter
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*Easily adjust serving size to your liking by clicking the number under servings or with the boxes below in the ingredients section.
Ingredients
- 1 1 pound Ribeye Steak 1" thick boneless or 1" thick cut of choice
- 2-3 teaspoon Neutral Oil avocado, canola (olive oil works too) plus some for the pan or griddle
- ¾ tsp Kosher Salt
- pinch Flaky Sea Salt optional
Blackening Seasoning
- ½ tablespoon ground chili powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon Onion Powder
- ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ teaspoon Dried Thyme
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- ¼ teaspoon Ground Fennel Seed sub with cumin or oregano
Garlic Butter
- 1 tablespoon butter salted
- 1-2 cloves Fresh Garlic chopped
- 1 teaspoon Fresh Parsley chopped
- ¼ teaspoon Fresh Thyme chopped
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Instructions
- Season + Bring to Room Temperature: Remove the steak from the fridge and arrange it on a large plate, or a sheet pan fitted with a cooling rack (for air circulation if you want to be extra cheffy). Evenly season both sides with salt so that it looks like the steak is gently covered in snow. Allow them to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to take the chill off and absorb the salt. While the steak is coming to room temperature, make the spice mixture and garlic butter.
- Make the Blackening Seasoning + Garlic Butter: In a small bowl, add all the blackening seasoning ingredients and mix until well combined. Set aside. In another small bowl, combine the softened butter, minced fresh garlic, and fresh herbs. Mix until well combined and set aside.
- Dry + Coat in Seasoning: Using clean paper towels, pat both sides of the steak dry. The salt should be absorbed, so don't worry about taking the salt off. Brush a thin layer of oil on both sides of the steak. Then, coat both sides of the steak in the blackening spice mixture and rub it in. If desired, top with a little flaky sea salt.
- Cook Your Steak: Turn on your exhaust fan if cooking inside. If you like your steak medium or medium rare, preheat your oven to 400F or your air fryer to 350F. Preheat your cast iron skillet or griddle to medium-high heat. Add a little oil to the pan and then add the steak. Sear for 3 minutes (4-5 minutes for 1½-inch thick steak) without lifting or moving the steak. Then, flip the steak and cook another 3 minutes (4-5 minutes for 1½-inch thick). Using the finger test or an instant-read thermometer, check to see if the steak is done, see notes below for doneness. If you like your steak rare, it's usually done at this point. For medium rare, cook another 1-2 minutes in the air fryer. Or transfer the steak to a sheet pan and cook for 2-3 minutes in the oven. For medium, cook 3-4 minutes in the air fryer or 4-5 minutes in the oven. *see note 1 Learn about carryover cooking, see note 2.
- Add Butter + Rest: Remove the steak and transfer it to a plate or cutting board. Top the steak with garlic butter and allow it to melt while the steak rests for 5-10 minutes.
- Slice + Serve: If serving the steaks sliced, make sure to slice them against the grain. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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