Pork Steaks on the Blackstone (Cajun & Garlic, 8 Minutes Total)
Cheap. Fast. Hard to mess up. The flat top gives you a full-contact sear that grill grates just can't match.
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Why the Blackstone Is the Best Way to Cook Pork Steaks
Pork steaks are already one of the best weeknight proteins out there: cheap, thick, and forgiving. Put them on a hot Blackstone flat top and they become something else. The full-contact sear across the entire surface of the steak builds a crust that grill grates just cannot replicate. Every square inch browns. No gaps, no missed spots.
This is the cook I reach for on a Tuesday when dinner needs to be on the table in 20 minutes. Blackstone on, season while it preheats, 4 minutes per side, rest, done. No marinade. No brine. No two-phase choreography.
I like the sirloin chop for this. It's thick, has a good fat cap, and stays juicy at high heat. Any pork steak that's 3/4 inch or thicker works. Avoid anything in the thin breakfast chop range. Those overcook before you get a crust.
The Seasoning
Two shakers and a bottle of olive oil. That's the whole setup. This is the same Cajun and garlic salt base I use on the smoked wings. It works just as well on a flat top as it does on a pellet grill.
- Badia Louisiana Cajun Seasoning
- Lawry's Garlic Salt
- Olive oil (any everyday bottle works, no need for the expensive stuff)
The Cajun seasoning brings paprika, pepper, and a little heat. The Lawry's Garlic Salt amplifies the savory side and pulls just enough surface moisture to help the crust form fast on a hot griddle. Olive oil is the binder that holds the rub to the meat and helps the surface brown evenly. Season well. Pork takes seasoning better than most people give it credit for, and a thin sprinkle gets lost on a 3/4-inch chop.
Step-by-Step
- Preheat the Blackstone to high heat. Give it a full 10 minutes. You want the flat top surface hot enough that a drop of water jumps and disappears on contact. That's how 4 minutes per side builds a real crust.
- Pat the steaks dry. Surface moisture is the enemy of a crust. A paper towel takes 5 seconds and makes a real difference on a flat top.
- Oil and season both sides. Drizzle olive oil on, rub it around with your hand, then season generously with Cajun and Lawry's Garlic Salt. Both sides. Don't be polite about it.
- Add a thin layer of oil to the griddle surface. Lay the steaks flat on the hot surface. Set a timer for 4 minutes. Don't poke, don't press, don't move them.
- Flip once. Another 4 minutes on the second side.
- Pull at 140-145°F internal. Use a probe thermometer in the thickest part. Carryover during the rest will finish the job.
- Rest 5-10 minutes on a plate, loosely tented with foil. Skip this and the juice ends up on the cutting board instead of in the meat.
Pro tip: If your steaks are closer to 1 inch thick, add a minute per side. Call it 5 and 5. Anything over an inch and a quarter, lean on the thermometer more than the timer. Shoulder steaks especially benefit from a little extra time to render the fat.
Doneness and Rest
The USDA-safe internal temp for pork is 145°F with a 3-minute rest. That's it. The old "cook pork to 160°F" advice is decades out of date and the reason so many people think pork is dry. Pull at 140-145°F, rest 5-10 minutes, and you'll get a juicy steak with a faint blush of pink in the center. Perfectly safe and dramatically better than gray.
If you're cooking shoulder steaks, which have more connective tissue and fat, push to 150°F so everything renders properly. Sirloin chops and loin chops want to come off earlier.
When the Smoke Clears
No Fuss Easy Mode
This is one of those weeknight cooks I actually look forward to. Cheap, fast, and it never disappoints. Easy enough that I can feed the boyfriend without stressing about it.
Stick to 4 minutes a side and you should not have to worry much about the temp. The flat top does its job. Just let it.
Want it saucy? Hit it with some Sweet Baby Ray's right before you pull it off. Want more heat? Go heavier on the Cajun. Both work. Both are good.
And rest it. I know it is hard to wait, but it is worth every one of those 5 minutes. The difference between cutting in right away and letting it rest is not subtle. Rest it.
Gear Used in This Cook
These are the exact tools and seasonings used for this cook. Affiliate links help keep the site running. Thanks for the support.
Badia Louisiana Cajun Seasoning
Paprika, garlic, pepper, and salt. The whole flavor profile in one shake. Works on pork, chicken, and shrimp without changing a thing.
Check Price on AmazonLawry's Garlic Salt
The savory backbone that lifts the Cajun blend. Goes on everything: wings, burgers, pork, vegetables. Always on the shelf.
Check Price on AmazonTempPro TP420 Instant-Read Thermometer
Pull at 140-145°F without guessing. Fast read, accurate, and the folding probe is easy to use one-handed at the griddle.
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