Black and Blue Steak
This black and blue steak recipe makes you feel like you’re eating in a 5-star restaurant. Made with a flavor-packed spice rub, creamy blue cheese, and your favorite cut of meat, all you have to do is fire up your grill for perfectly-cooked, juicy steaks. It’s so easy to impress family and friends!
Table of Contents
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 summer grilling recipes. I season the meat, my husband cooks it, and then I add the blue cheese. And we all dig in!
Why You’ll Love This Black and Blue Steak
- Impressive flavors. The melty bleu cheese on top of the meat adds a creamy tanginess that tastes amazing with the savory meat. It’s a simple touch that really boosts this dish into gourmet status.
- Versatile spice rub. If you make a big batch of my Blackening Seasoning, you can make these steaks all summer long, or use it to make Blackened Chicken or a Sheet Pan Shrimp Boil.
- Naturally gluten free. You may have heard that blue cheese is not gluten free. While I always recommend you speak to a doctor, concerns about gluten in blue cheese are generally not what they used to be. In fact, you can even find some that are specifically labeled as gluten free, so check that out. If you are concerned, you can always skip it and still enjoy a nice blackened steak. And since you are making your own spice rub, there are no sneaky gluten-containing ingredients there.
Recipe Ingredients
Here’s a quick rundown of what you’ll need to make black and blue steak. I include everything you need for the spice mix, but you can also buy a pre-made one. You can find 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.
- Paprika: You can use sweet or smoked.
- Cayenne Pepper: To bring some heat.
- Garlic & Onion Powders
- Salt & Pepper
- Dried Oregano & Basil: These classic dried herbs add freshness and flavor.
- Bleu Cheese: Crumbled.
🍴 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 and set your grill to high, about 450°F.
- Make Spice Rub: In a small bowl, combine the paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, salt, dried oregano, and dried basil. Mix well with a fork and set aside.
- Season Steaks: Sprinkle generous amounts of the blackened seasoning mix on all sides of the steaks, and lightly press so that it sticks.
- Grill: Grill the steaks for about 4-6 minutes per side, flipping once to cook to medium-rare to medium, adjusting cooking time if your steaks are very thick or to cook to your desired doneness. See below for the internal temperature you should target.
- Top and Rest: Remove the steaks from the grill and immediately sprinkle each with crumbled bleu cheese or 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.
Tips for Success
More ways to make sure your black and blue steak comes out perfect:
- Use a Shortcut. I prefer to make my own Blackened Seasoning so I can prepare extra and be ready to make another dish like Baked Blackened Chicken, but you can buy a pre-made spice blend.
- 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.
- 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. An Instant-Read Meat Thermometer is a game-changer for making sure your steaks are cooked exactly the way you prefer them and to grill each one to any individual’s liking. Each of the steaks you make can be tailored to the person who’s eating it!
- 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.
Steak Doneness Guide
Use that thermometer I mentioned earlier to check your steak while cooking so you can achieve your perfectly-grilled steak.
- Rare – For rare steak, grill it for about 3-5 minutes on each side until the internal temperature reaches 125°F–135°F.
- Medium – Grill the steak for 5-7 minutes on each side. The thermometer should read 135°F–145°F when the steak is done.
- Medium-Well – For a medium-well steak, you’ll want to cook it a bit longer, at 7-10 minutes per side. The correct temperature for a medium-well steak is 14F–155° F.
- Well-Done – A well-done steak will be cooked for the longest amount of time, for at least 10 minutes per side. The thermometer should read 155° F or above for a well-done steak.
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
- Pair with Potatoes: Steak and potatoes are a classic combination for a reason! This blackened steak with blue cheese belongs on a plate next to my Air Fryer Truffle Fries for extra indulgence, or deliciously crispy Smashed Potatoes.
- Serve with Salad: This simple Strawberry Wedge Salad is a fresh side dish that complements black and blue steak beautifully. You can also use the leftovers on top of a Grilled Steak Salad.
- Make some Veggies: I love a steak with Oven Roasted Asparagus or Air Fryer Onion Rings. If you have extra blue cheese, carry the flavors through with Blue Cheese Roasted Vegetables.
- Pair with a Cocktail: Forget the glass of wine and treat yourself to an Apple Cider Moscow Mule on cooler days or a refreshing Spicy Grapefruit Margarita in the summer.
Black and Blue Steaks
This black and blue steak recipe is an easy way to impress family and friends. Made with a flavor-packed spice rub and tangy blue cheese, fire up your grill for perfectly-cooked juicy steaks!
Servings: 6 servings
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.
Nutrition Facts
Black and Blue Steaks
Amount Per Serving
Calories 427
Calories from Fat 261
% Daily Value*
Fat 29g45%
Saturated Fat 13g65%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 11g
Cholesterol 137mg46%
Sodium 533mg22%
Potassium 587mg17%
Carbohydrates 3g1%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 0.3g0%
Protein 36g72%
Vitamin A 925IU19%
Vitamin C 0.5mg1%
Calcium 166mg17%
Iron 3mg17%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Disclaimers: Please discuss your individual dietary needs (i.e. gluten free) with a physician. Even when not specified, be sure to verify all ingredients are gluten free, if needed, by reading labels on all packaging and/or confirming with the manufacturer this varies by brand and can change at any time. Nutrition information shown is an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate.
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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!!