Grilling a juicy and flavorful steak to perfection is a tool that everyone should have in their back pocket.

I’ve developed this fail-proof method for cooking medium-rare steak on the griddle, which produces an incredible wall-to-wall medium-rare steak with a beautiful crust that would be impossible on a grill.

You’ll never want to go back to cooking steak on the grill after you master this recipe!

Perfect Blackstone Steaks

Everyone loves a steak with beautiful crosshatch grill marks, but did you know that the flavor is actually in the crust? The dark brown crust results from chemical changes in the meat as it cooks, known as the Maillard reaction.

Traditional grills are great for getting grill marks, but the griddle will always win for getting a consistent, even crust you can taste with every bite.

Learn how to cook a steak to absolute perfection on your griddle or flat top using a simple homemade steak rub, cooking oil, fresh herbs, and butter.

Ingredients you’ll need for the BEST Blackstone steak

• Steak – I used 1.5″ thick boneless NY Strips. You can also use ribeye, sirloin, or any boneless steak with similar thickness,  
• Steak seasoning – black pepper, Kosher salt, and garlic powder. If you have time, I recommend making our homemade steak seasoning; however, you can also use your favorite.
• Cooking oil – it’s best to use an oil with a high smoke point of 450°F. I used an avocado oil spray. Other options include beef tallow, duck fat, canola oil, and vegetable oil.
• Butter or Ghee  – a good quality butter or ghee (clarified butter) for basting will take these steaks to the next level. 
• Herbs – I used rosemary and thyme in the basting stage. You can also use garlic cloves.

Equipment you’ll need

• Griddle – I used my Traeger Flatrock for this recipe, but any griddle or flat-top cooking surface will work. You can also buy an insert that fits onto your existing gas grill.
• Tongs
• Meat thermometer
• Steak press – or a cast iron skillet will enhance the crust on the steak.
• Cutting board
• Sharp knife

Tips for cooking the perfect Blackstone Steak

1. Sear the steak hot and fast

The hot and fast method is best for when cooking on a surface like a griddle, rather than an open flame. I also prefer this method when cooking boneless cuts of steak and steaks thinner than 2 inches.

The reverse searing method is a very popular method that works best with open flames, pellet grills, and thicker cuts with the bone still intact.

You can achieve a wall-to-wall medium-rare steak with any method, it just depends on how you cook it.

2. Flip often

The best way to get a nice crust is to ignore what chefs have been repeating for years about only flipping steak once.

After the first minute, I flip and continue to flip every 30 seconds until the resting phase. This will allow the steak to cook evenly while achieving a great crust.

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With its combination of marbling and a fat cap, I think the NY Strip steak is the best cut for cooking hot and fast on the griddle.

To make it fun, I used four different NY Strip steaks to show you the difference in quality and marbling. The USDA grades steaks on their marbling and quality from least to greatest—Select, Choice, and Prime. There are also breeds with higher marbling that go beyond this scale, like American Wagyu, Australian Wagyu, and Japanese A5 Wagyu. 

• USDA Select NY Strip – This is the standard grocery store NY Strip cut. It’s going to be the least expensive with the least amount of marbling. There’s no shame in this cut, however it just needs a little extra care. When cooking this grade of steak, I always suggest letting the seasoning sit a little longer and basting it with a little more butter. This specific cut was sourced from my local grocery store.

• USDA Choice NY Strip – This cut is right in the middle of the grading scale. You can find it at your local grocery store or butcher’s shop. When picking out this cut, always go for one a little darker in color and look for the most marbling. This specific cut was sourced from Snake River Farms Double R Ranch.

• USDA Prime NY Strip – This cut will have more marbling than the Select and Choice cuts. It costs a little more than Choice, but it is the best bang for your buck. Most grocery stores and butchers carry USDA Prime steak. This specific cut was sourced from Snake River Farms Double R Ranch. 

4. Make a homemade steak seasoning

Our homemade steak seasoning recipe is easy and uses minimal ingredients: ground black pepper, ground black pepper salt, and garlic powder.

When it comes to hot and fast steaks, I find it important to pick a rub/seasoning that brings out the steak’s natural flavors. This simple steak rub will do just that while also producing a beautiful crust.

If you’re looking for some complexity in your seasoning, check out our recipe for the best prime rib rub. 

How to cook the perfect Blackstone Steak step-by-step instructions

I suggest gathering all of your equipment and ingredients before you start cooking. My number one rule when cooking hot and fast steaks is to never walk away. If you have all of your ingredients and equipment near you, this will help you stay on track and prevent you from overcooking the steaks.

1. Fire up your griddle

Preheat your griddle to medium-high heat. If your griddle has three sections, two sections will be enough cooking surface for four NY Strip steaks.

2. Prep

While the griddle is heating up, prepare the steaks by patting them dry with a paper towel and letting them sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes. This will allow the steaks to cook evenly. I highly recommend doing this when cooking steaks hot and fast. 

3. Make the seasoning

Place black pepper, Kosher salt, and garlic powder in a bowl and combine well.

4. Season

Apply a small amount of a high smoke point cooking oil to your steak to act as a binder.

Season the steaks all over with the steak seasoning of your choice. 

5. Sear the steak

Apply a thin layer of cooking oil to the griddle surface. Place the steaks on the griddle and begin to cook for one minute, then flip and cook for an additional one minute.

After the first two minutes, flip every 30 seconds for an additional two minutes.

Give the fat cap a good sear for at least 30 seconds.

6. First rest

Remove the steaks to rest for 10 minutes and lower the heat on your griddle to its lowest setting.

7. Baste

Apply butter or ghee to the griddle surface.

Place the steaks back on the griddle and nestle the sprigs of both rosemary and thyme in between the steaks.

Add butter or ghee to the top of each steak. Once it starts melting, use a spoon or brush and baste the steaks with the melted herb butter until each steak is nicely coated.

8. Final rest

Using a meat thermometer, temp the centermost part of the steak. To achieve medium rare, remove the steaks at 130°F. For medium, remove the steaks at 135°F. The steaks will climb in temperature 3-5 degrees as they rest.

For more information on how to cook steak, check out our Steak Doneness Guide, which includes more information on internal temperature.

9. Slice

Using a sharp steak knife, slice the steaks into 1/4-inch thick pieces. Top with any reserved melted herb butter or juices and a sprinkle of salt.

What to serve with steak

I recommend serving these juicy NY Strip steaks with a starch and a vegetable. Some good combinations would be our Smoked Mashed Potato with Smoked Balsamic Brussels. Or you could go for our Crispy Grilled Smashed Potatoes and Garlic Butter Mushrooms.

For more ideas, check out our list of side dishes for steak.

Perfect Blackstone Steak Recipe

Once you’ve tried this method for Blackstone Steak, don’t forget to come back and let us know how they turned out. If you want to level up your steak skills, we have a massive list of steak guides you can check out.

Print

Perfect Blackstone Steak

Perfectly griddled steak with a simple homemade seasoning, finished off with a butter and fresh herb baste.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 630kcal

Author Rosalie Bradford

Ingredients

• 4 NY Strip Steaks, Or any boneless steak 1.5" thick
• 4 tbsp steak seasoning
• ¼ cup cooking oil high smoked point recommended
• 5 tbsp butter or ghee
• 6 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme

Steak seasoning

• 4 tbsp ground black pepper
• 4 tbsp table ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp Kosher salt
• 2 tbsp garlic powder

Instructions

• Preheat your griddle to a medium high heat.
• Prepare the steaks by patting them dry with a paper towel and let the steaks sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes.
• Apply a small amount of a high smoke point cooking oil to the steaks to act as a binder, and season the steaks all over with seasoning.
• Apply a thin layer of cooking oil to the griddle surface. Place the steaks on the griddle surface and cook for 1 minute, then flip and cook for an additional one minute.
• Flip every 30 seconds for an additional 2 minutes. Sear the fat cap for 30 seconds.
• Remove the steaks from the griddle to rest for 10 minutes, and lower the heat to its lowest setting.
• Apply 3 tbsp of butter or ghee to the griddle surface. Place the steaks back on the griddle and add 3 sprigs of both rosemary and thyme in between the steaks.
• Add ½ tbsp butter or ghee to the top of each steak. As it melts, use a spoon and baste the steaks in the melted herb butter for 30-45 seconds.
• Using a meat thermometer, temp the centermost part of the steak – if achieving medium rare, remove the steaks at 130°F. For medium, remove the steaks at 135°F. The steaks will climb in temperature 3-5 degrees as they rest.
• Using a sharp steak knife, slice the steaks into ¼ inch thick pieces. Top with any reserved melted herb butter or juices and a sprinkle of salt.

Sesoning

• Place all the seasoning ingredients in a bowl and mix until well combined.

Notes

Use a cast iron weight on the steaks for an enhanced crust.

Nutrition

Calories: 630kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 47g | Fat: 47g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 24g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 138mg | Sodium: 1865mg | Potassium: 747mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 0.2g | Vitamin A: 248IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 91mg | Iron: 6mg