How to Blacken Steak

If your taste buds need a little excitement, then a blackened steak is a good way to spice up your summer grilling. Blackened steak is a lean cut that is cooked on very high heat in a skillet. The blackening process sears the outside of the meat with a caramelized coating. It is usually done with a spicy Cajun style seasoning in a cast iron skillet.

Ingredients

Cajun Seasoning

1¼ tsp. (23g) salt
½ Tbsp. (3.5g) paprika
½ tsp. (1.6g) garlic powder
½ tsp. (0.9g) cayenne pepper
1 tsp. (2.3g) white or black pepper, or mix of both
¼ tsp. (0.4g) ground thyme
¼ tsp. (0.5g) oregano
¼ tsp. (0.5g) celery seed

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Seasoning Steak

1
Choose New York strip steaks or rib eye steaks. You want to use these lean cuts because they will cook evenly and blacken well. Choose steaks that are about ¾-inch (2cm) thick.
2
Defrost the steaks completely in the refrigerator overnight. Do not defrost them in the microwave, or you will ruin the process of blackening them.^{[1]
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3
Mix up your Cajun rub. You can simply buy Cajun seasoning and coat each side of steak with ¾ tsp. (approximately 1.4g) of the seasoning, or you can make your own. To make the rub yourself, whisk together the ingredients listed above and apply them to your steak.^{[2]
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4
Let the steak come to room temperature for about 20 minutes.^{[3]
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Preparing the Skillet

1
Heat up your grill. Heat one side to very high heat and bring the other side to low heat. Spray the low heat side with a little cooking spray before you heat the grill.
2
Place your cast iron skillet on the hot side of the grill. You want it to be as hot as you can get it. Allow it to heat for 20 minutes.^{[4]
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3
Get some tongs, a plate and your steaks.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Blackening the Steak

1
Place a one tablespoon (14g) pat of butter on one side of each steak.
2
Set the steak butter-side down into the hot skillet. You may want to cook your steaks one at a time if your cast iron skillet isn't very large. You don't want steaks to touch while they are blackening.
3
Let the steak cook on this side for four minutes. The butter may catch on fire, and that is ok. Don't adjust the cooking temperature.
4
Flip your steaks over. Cook them for three minutes on the second side. You don't need to apply more butter.^{[5]
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5
Set the steak on the cooler side of the grill when you have blackened the surface. Keep them on this side until you have reached your desired doneness. Rare steaks can start to rest immediately after blackening.
6
Cook for an additional one to five minutes, turning halfway through.
7
Place the steaks on a plate to rest. Cover the plate with tin foil. Turn off your grill.^{[6]
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8
Serve after the steak has rested for 10 minutes.^{[7]
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Community Q&A

Question

If I don't have a cast iron skillet, can I use a regular skillet on the stovetop?

Community Answer

Cast iron gives the best results in terms of heat absorption. But you can try a regular skillet if you want to.
Question

How long should it take per side for rare, in cast iron on the stove?

Community Answer

It should take around two minutes of frying per side to make a rare steak. To check, you can poke the steak with you finger. For rare, your steak should be as soft as your cheek.
Question

How long before cooking do I season the steak?

Community Answer

It should be seasoned between 2 hours and a day before cooking. This should tenderize the steak and make the flavor of the seasoning pop. If leaving it overnight, cover it and put it in the fridge.