Black and Blue Steak
This black and blue steak recipe makes you feel like you’re eating in a 5-star restaurant. Made with flavor-packed homemade blackening spice, creamy blue cheese, and your favorite cut of meat, all you have to do is fire up your grill for perfectly-cooked, juicy steak. It’s so easy to impress family and friends!
Delicious Details
- Cuisine Inspiration: American
- Primary Cooking Method: Grill
- Dietary Info: Gluten-free
- Skill Level: Easy
What’s better than a juicy steak cooked just right? A juicy steak that’s perfectly cooked, charred on the outside, and topped with bleu cheese! That’s what you get with this easy black and blue steak recipe. The spice rub for the blackened steaks is delicious, and the blue cheese just puts it over the top, making this one of my family’s favorite grilled steak recipes. I season the strip steaks, my husband cooks them, and then I add the blue cheese. And we all dig in!
Make a big batch of blackening seasoning to enjoy this steakhouse-style steak all summer long. You can also use the same spices to make blackened chicken or a sheet pan shrimp boil.
My Secrets to Steakhouse-Style Black and Blue Steak
- Simple seasonings. A generous layer of blackening spice combined with the hot grill creates a flavorful “black” crust on the outside of the steak. Meanwhile, the inside stays extra juicy.
- All about temperature. I’ll show you my family’s technique for getting a perfect sear on our grilled steaks. I include the temperatures to target so you can cook these black and blue steaks exactly how you like them on your own grill!
- Naturally gluten-free. Cooking at home is always the best way to ensure my dinners are gluten-free. Since I make my own spice rub and use gluten-free blue cheese, there are no sneaky gluten-containing ingredients lurking.
Recipe Ingredients
Here’s a quick rundown of what you’ll need to make blackened steak with blue cheese. I include everything you need for the steak spice mix, but you can also buy a pre-made one from the store. See the full amounts and detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Steaks – I usually use NY strip steaks or ribeyes, but filet mignon is also a good option.
- Blackening seasoning – Make it at home with paprika (sweet or smoked), cayenne pepper, garlic and onion powders, dried oregano and basil, plus salt and pepper. See the recipe card for the exact amounts for each spice.
- Bleu cheese – I like to use crumbly bleu cheese, like French Roquefort or English Stilton, though you could use gorgonzola, which is creamier. If needed, check with your healthcare provider and look for blue cheese brands that are specifically labeled as gluten-free.
Can I Substitute the Blue Cheese?
Sure thing. If you’re not a fan of the “blue” in a black and blue steak recipe, easily substitute blue cheese with crumbled feta or goat cheese. You can always skip it, too, and still enjoy a perfectly blackened steak.
🍴 In the Cupcakes & Kale Chips Kitchen…
- Meat Thermometer – don’t wing it. Use an instant-read thermometer to ensure your steak is grilled exactly to your liking.
- Metal Tongs – you’ll need a set for flipping the meat on the grill. The metal-tips are important to ensure they don’t burn or melt on the grill.
- Cutting Board – while resting your meat will allow the juices to redistribute, having a cutting board with a channel around the edge will catch any juices that escape when you slice it.
How to Make Black and Blue Steak
The process isn’t much different from that of your classic grilled steak recipe. Let’s get into it!
- Get ready. Bring your steaks to room temperature while you set your grill to high, about 450°F.
- Make the spice rub. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, salt, dried oregano, and dried basil. Mix well.
- Season the steak. Next, sprinkle generous amounts of the blackened seasoning mix on all sides of the steaks, and lightly press so that it sticks.
- Grill the steak. Grill the steak for about 4-6 minutes per side, flipping once. I like to cook mine to medium-rare to medium. You may need to adjust the cooking time if your steaks are very thick, or to cook them to your desired doneness. See below for the internal temperature you should target.
- Add blue cheese and rest. Lastly, remove the steak from the grill and immediately sprinkle it with crumbled bleu cheese. You can also sprinkle it on the steaks during the last few minutes of cooking. Let the steaks rest for 5-10 minutes.
- Enjoy! Serve right away, or slice against the grain before serving.
Steak Temperature Guide
An instant-read meat thermometer is a game-changer for making sure your steaks are cooked exactly the way you like them. Check your steak while cooking to achieve a perfectly-grilled steak:
- Rare (125°F-135°F): Grill for 3-5 minutes per side.
- Medium (135°F-145°F): 5-7 minutes per side.
- Medium-Well (145ºF-155°F): Cook 7-10 minutes per side.
- Well-Done (155ºF+): At least 10 minutes per side.
Tips for Perfect Grilled Steak
- Start with room temperature steaks. Don’t start seasoning your steaks until they’ve sat on the counter for at least 15 minutes. If they’re too cold, they won’t stick to the spice rub as well or cook as evenly. Just don’t leave the steaks out for longer than 2 hours, or they won’t be safe to eat anymore.
- Use a shortcut. I prefer to make my own blackened seasoning, but you can buy a pre-made spice blend if you’re short some of the spices or would prefer to use your favorite brand.
- Cook to your liking. If you like a more well-done steak, leave yours on the grill for a little longer. If you like it rare, take it off a little sooner.
- Slice Against the Grain: When you’re cutting up your steaks, always remember to slice against the grain. This breaks up the muscle fibers, making each bite supremely tender and juicy.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- Fridge. Leftover black and blue steak should be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated. It will last for 3-4 days.
- Freezer. Blackened steak with bleu cheese can be frozen. Keep it in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months and thaw it out in the fridge before reheating.
- Reheat. To reheat it, stick it in a 250°F oven for 20-30 minutes, or until it’s warmed through and the cheese is sizzling.
Make it a Meal
These black and blue steaks don’t need much to make a restaurant-quality steak dinner.
- Steak and potatoes: Juicy blackened steak with blue cheese and a loaded baked potato are a classic steakhouse combo. Also try crispy smashed potatoes or air fryer truffle fries.
- Salad: I like a simple green salad or this refreshingly crunchy cucumber salad. You can also slice and add the leftover steak to a grilled steak salad.
- Veggie sides: Serve your blue cheese steak with roasted asparagus, air fryer green beans, or air fryer onion rings.
- Garlic bread: My family loves these gluten-free garlic knots and copycat Texas toast. Especially when we’re sopping up a side of creamed spinach!
More Grilled Steak Recipes
Black and Blue Steaks
Equipment
- Grill
Ingredients
- 4-6 steaks (New York Strip, Ribeye, Filet Mignon, or a combination)
- 1 Tablespoon paprika
- ½ Tablespoon cayenne pepper
- ½ Tablespoon garlic powder
- ½ Tablespoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- 1 cup crumbled blue cheese (about 4 oz.)
Instructions
- Take 4-6 steaks out of the refrigerator and allow them to sit on the counter for about 15 minutes to bring to room temperature.
- Heat your grill on high, about 450°F.
- In a small bowl, combine 1 Tablespoon paprika, ½ Tablespoon cayenne pepper, ½ Tablespoon garlic powder, ½ Tablespoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, and ½ teaspoon dried basil. Mix well with a fork.
- Sprinkle generous amounts of the blackened seasoning mix on all sides of the steaks, and lightly press so that it sticks.
- Place the steaks on the grill and close the lid. Grill about 4-7 minutes per side, flipping once to cook to medium-rare to medium. Adjust cooking time if your steaks are very thick or to cook to your desired doneness.
- Remove the steaks from the grill and immediately sprinkle 1 cup crumbled blue cheese, divided between the steaks (alternatively, you can sprinkle the blue cheese on the steaks during the last few minutes of cooking if you would like it to melt more). Let the steaks rest for 5-10 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute.
- Serve right away, or slice against the grain before serving.
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That is NOT a “black and blue” steak. That is a term reserved for cooking it Pittsburgh Rare, with a charred exterior and raw to rare interior.
There can be similar/same names for different things. This is just another version, and I could be more specific and call it a Blackened Steak with Blue Cheese, but this is just shorthand for that.
I LOVE you for sharing! And…I LOVE that it turned out so good! I always get nervous when others try my recipes for obvious reasons…1. it might not have been as good as i thought, 2. they screw it up 😉 3.Ummm.. I don’t have a 3rd. lol. But So glad it worked out!!!! Yay! I’m going to feature you on my Tried & True Page! and I’ll share this on Fb! xo
I am so happy I tried it. Thanks for such a great recipe!!