This blackened steak is deeply seasoned, juicy, and tender, with a bold, savory crust. I dry-brine the steak first so the salt has time to work its way into the meat and season it through. Once the steak is cooked, I finish it with garlic herb compound butter, which melts over the top and adds extra richness and flavor.
I use my homemade blackening seasoning, but a good store-bought blend works just as well. This recipe is best for steaks about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick.
What Does “Blackened” Mean?
“Blackened” refers to a cooking method where the steak is generously coated with blackening seasoning and seared in a very hot skillet. As the spices and herbs cook, they darken and form a bold, flavorful crust on the steak’s surface. That deeply browned, almost black crust is where the name “blackened” comes from. Blackened does not mean burnt. The crust comes from the seasoning reacting to intense heat, not from scorching the steak.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the Steak:
- Steak: Choose a well-marbled, naturally tender steak that’s about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick. New York strip, ribeye, picanha, Denver steak, and flat iron are all great choices. Thicker steaks need more time over direct heat, which increases the risk of burning the seasoning on the steak surface.
- Salt: Use about 1% of the steak’s weight in salt for dry brining. For a 12 oz (340 g) steak, that’s about 0.12 oz (3.4 g), or roughly 1 1/4 teaspoons of Diamond Crystal kosher salt, 3/4 teaspoon of Morton kosher salt, or 1/2 teaspoon of table salt. I prefer kosher salt because the larger crystals are easier to distribute evenly, but any salt will work.
- Oil: Use a high-smoke-point oil to sear the steak. I prefer refined avocado oil because it has a neutral flavor and a smoke point of about 500°F (260°C). If you do not have avocado oil, check the recipe notes for other good alternatives. Do not use regular butter for searing. It burns quickly over high heat.
For the Blackened Seasoning:
This makes enough blackened seasoning for 2-3 steaks.
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
For the Garlic-Herb Compound Butter:
This makes enough compound butter for 2-3 steaks.
- Butter: 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick; 56 g) unsalted butter.
- Parsley: 1/2 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley, or 1/2 teaspoon dried.
- Rosemary: 1/2 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary, or 1/2 teaspoon dried.
- Garlic: 2 garlic cloves, finely minced or pressed.
- Salt and black pepper: Start with a generous pinch of each, about 1/8 teaspoon, then taste and adjust as needed.
If using fresh rosemary, chop it as finely as possible so you do not get tough, woody bits in the butter.
Tools You’ll Need
- Wire rack and rimmed baking sheet: For dry-brining.
- Heavy skillet: A cast-iron skillet works best. A carbon-steel or heavy stainless-steel skillet also works well.
- Long tongs: Look for smooth-edged ones to flip the steaks without messing up the crust.
- Meat thermometer: An instant-read thermometer is good for quick checks. A leave-in probe thermometer tracks the steak’s temperature as it cooks.
How to Cook a Blackened Steak
Dry-Brine the Steak
Pat the steak dry with paper towels, then season both sides with salt equal to about 1% of the steak’s weight. For a 12 oz (340 g) steak, that’s about 0.12 oz (3.4 g) of salt, or approximately:
- 1 1/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt,
- 3/4 teaspoon Morton kosher salt,
- or 1/2 teaspoon table salt.
Place the salted steak on a wire rack set over a baking sheet and refrigerate it uncovered. For the best results, dry-brine it for 2 to 4 hours. One hour is the minimum. If you don’t have at least an hour, don’t salt it ahead of time. Instead, season it right before searing or salt it after cooking.
Make the Garlic-Herb Compound Butter
Cut the butter into small cubes, place them in a bowl, and let them soften at room temperature until easy to mash. Don’t let the butter melt. To soften it faster, microwave it in a microwave-safe bowl in 5-second bursts, checking after each one so it doesn’t melt.
Add the garlic, rosemary, parsley, salt, and pepper. Mash everything together with a fork until evenly combined. Taste, adjust the seasoning, then cover the bowl and refrigerate until you’re ready to use it.
Make the Blackening Seasoning
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix until well blended. Store the seasoning in an airtight container until you’re ready to use it.
Feel free to adjust the seasoning to your taste with white pepper, smoked paprika, ground cumin, mustard powder, or a little brown sugar.
Apply the Blackening Seasoning
Once you’ve prepared the compound butter and blackening seasoning blend, and the steak has dry-brined as long as you planned, you’re ready for the final prep before cooking. Remove the steak and compound butter from the refrigerator 15 minutes before cooking.
Pat the steak dry again with paper towels to remove any surface moisture. Generously coat both sides and the edges with the blackening seasoning blend, pressing it lightly into the meat so it adheres evenly.
Preheat the Pan
High-heat searing creates a lot of smoke, so turn on your exhaust fan or open a window before you begin. Heat a heavy skillet over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of high-smoke-point oil and let it heat for another minute.
Cook the Steak
If the steak has a fat cap, like a New York strip or picanha, hold it fat-side down with tongs and sear for 60 to 90 seconds, until the fat is browned and crisp. Then lay the steak flat in the pan and keep cooking, flipping it every 60 seconds.
Be gentle when flipping the steak. Sharp-edged tongs can scrape off the seasoning, so use smooth-edged tongs and handle the steak carefully to keep the crust intact.
After 3 minutes, start checking the temperature in the thickest part of the steak. Keep the thermometer away from the bone and any large pockets of fat. Once the steak reaches the pull temperature listed in the chart below, transfer it to a plate, top with 1 to 2 tablespoons of compound butter, and let it rest for 5 minutes.
Steak Temperature Chart
| Desired doneness | Pull at internal temp | Final temp after resting |
| Rare | 110°F (43°C) | 125°F (52°C) |
| Medium-Rare | 120°F (49°C) | 135°F (57°C) |
| Medium | 130°F (54°C) | 145°F (63°C) |
| Medium-Well | 140°F (60°C) | 155°F (68°C) |
| Well-Done | 150°F (66°C) | 165°F (74°C) |
Slice and Serve
After the steak has rested, slice it thinly and serve with your favorite sides. With tender cuts like ribeye or strip, slice however you prefer. For cuts with long, coarse muscle fibers, always slice against the grain. This shortens the muscle fibers, making every bite more tender and easier to chew.
Read my guide on slicing steak against the grain for more details.
What to Serve with Blackened Steak
With the garlic-herb compound butter and deeply seasoned crust, this version of blackened steak is pretty rich, so I like to keep the sides simple. Potatoes work especially well, and I usually add a green vegetable or a fresh salad to round out the meal.
A few of my favorites:
- Mashed potatoes
- French fries
- Crispy roasted potatoes
- Steakhouse potato wedges
- Roasted asparagus
- Arugula salad
- Simple green salad
- Tomato salad
- Green beans
Blackened Steak Recipe
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Dry-Brine Time: 1 to 4 hours
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 2 large or 3-4 moderate servings
Description
Juicy blackened steak with a deeply seasoned crust, bold homemade spices, and a rich garlic-herb compound butter melted over the top.
Ingredients
For the steak:
- 2 steaks, about 12 oz (340 g) each and 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick
- salt, about 1% of the steak’s weight (see instructions for an example using a 12 oz / 340 g steak)
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) refined avocado oil (see Notes for alternatives)
For the Blackened Seasoning (makes enough for 2-3 steaks):
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
For the Garlic-Herb Compound Butter (makes enough for 2 steaks)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (1/2 stick / 56 g)
- 1/2 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
- 1/2 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
- A generous pinch of salt and black pepper (about 1/8 teaspoon each)
Tools:
- Wire rack and rimmed baking sheet (for dry-brining steak)
- Heavy skillet (preferably a cast-iron skillet; carbon steel or heavy-bottomed stainless steel are good alternatives; do not use a nonstick pan)
- Smooth-edged long tongs
- Meat thermometer (instant-read or leave-in probe thermometer)
Instructions
Dry-Brine the Steak
- Pat the steak completely dry with paper towels, then season both sides with salt equal to about 1% of the steak’s weight. For a 12 oz (340 g) steak, use about 0.12 oz (3.4 g) of salt, or roughly: 1 1/4 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt, 3/4 teaspoon Morton kosher salt, or 1/2 teaspoon table salt.
- Place the salted steak on a wire rack set over a baking sheet and refrigerate uncovered for at least 1 hour, preferably 2 to 4 hours for deeper flavor and a better crust. One hour is the minimum.
- If you don’t have at least an hour, don’t salt it ahead of time. Instead, season it right before searing or salt it after cooking.
Make the Garlic-Herb Compound Butter
- Cut the butter into small cubes and place it in a bowl. Let it soften at room temperature until easy to mash, but not melted. To soften it faster, microwave it in a microwave-safe bowl in 5-second bursts, checking after each one so it doesn’t melt.
- Add the garlic, rosemary, parsley, salt, and pepper. Mash with a fork until evenly combined. Taste, adjust the seasoning, then cover the bowl and refrigerate until you’re ready to use it.
Make the Blackening Seasoning
- Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix until well blended. Store the seasoning in an airtight container until you’re ready to use it.
Apply the Blackening Seasoning
- Once you’ve prepared the compound butter and blackening seasoning blend, and the steak has dry-brined as long as you planned, you’re ready for the final prep before cooking.
- Remove the steak and compound butter from the refrigerator 15 minutes before cooking.
- Pat the steak dry again with paper towels to remove any surface moisture. Generously coat both sides and the edges with the blackening seasoning blend, pressing it lightly into the meat so it adheres evenly.
Cook the Steak
- Turn on the exhaust fan or open a window before you start, since high-heat searing creates a lot of smoke. Heat a heavy skillet over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of high-smoke-point oil and let it heat for another minute.
- If the steak has a fat cap, like a strip steak or picanha, hold it fat-side down with tongs and sear for 60 to 90 seconds, until the fat is browned and crisp.
- Lay the steak flat in the skillet and continue cooking, flipping every 60 seconds. Flip gently and use smooth-edged tongs to avoid scraping off the seasoning or damaging the crust.
- After 3 minutes, start checking the internal temperature. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the steak, keeping it away from the bone and any large pockets of fat. Remove the steak from the pan when it reaches the pull temperature for your preferred doneness: 110°F (43°C) for rare, 120°F (49°C) for medium-rare, 130°F (54°C) for medium, 140°F (60°C) for medium-well, 150°F (66°C) for well-done. See the complete steak temperature chart above recipe card.
- Transfer the steak to a plate, top with 1 to 2 tablespoons of compound butter, and let it rest for 5 minutes.
Slice and Serve
- After the steak has rested, slice it thinly and serve with your favorite sides.
- For tender cuts like ribeye or New York strip, slice the steak however you prefer. For cuts with long, coarse muscle fibers, always slice against the grain to shorten the fibers and make the steak more tender and easier to chew.
Notes
Oil/Fat: Use refined avocado oil, refined high-oleic safflower oil, refined high-oleic canola oil, refined canola oil, refined olive oil, refined peanut oil, or ghee (clarified butter). Do not use regular butter for initial searing (it burns at high heat).
The homemade blackening seasoning was great, and the compound butter at the end made it even better.
Thanks, Chris.