Best Blackstone Seasonings and Rubs (Ranked by a Flat-Top Regular)
Seasoning your food on a flat-top is different from seasoning it for a grill. There’s no smoke to add flavor, no char from open flame, and no grate lines to hide a thin coat. Everything rests on a flat steel surface where the flavor you build comes entirely from two things: the Maillard reaction and what you put on the food before it hits the griddle.
That means your seasoning choices matter more, not less. The right rub on a steak at 450°F turns into a crust. The wrong one burns, turns bitter, or just disappears.
This list covers the Blackstone-branded seasoning line plus the third-party rubs that actually earn a spot next to the flat-top. Ordered by versatility — the seasonings that work across the most situations come first.
1. Blackstone All Purpose Seasoning
The one to start with if you’re building a Blackstone seasoning kit. It’s a balanced blend of salt, garlic, onion, and herbs that works on everything: burgers, chicken, potatoes, vegetables, eggs. Not the most exciting flavor profile, but it’s consistent and it doesn’t fight with other flavors you’re building on the griddle.
If you keep only one seasoning next to the flat-top, this is it. Apply it before the food hits the surface so it can crust into the sear.
Shop Blackstone All Purpose Seasoning on Amazon
2. Blackstone Steakhouse Seasoning
A coarser blend built around salt, black pepper, garlic, and a small amount of herbs — closer to a Montreal-style seasoning than the all-purpose. The larger particle size holds up better at high griddle temps than fine-ground blends, which can burn more easily.
Use it on ribeyes, NY strips, thick burgers, and smash patties where you want a substantial crust. Pat the steak dry, press this into both sides, and let it sit for 15 minutes before it goes on the griddle.
Shop Blackstone Steakhouse Seasoning on Amazon
3. Blackstone Tequila Lime Seasoning
The most distinct flavor in the Blackstone lineup. Citrus-forward with a mild heat and a slight sweetness — built for fajitas, shrimp tacos, carne asada, and anything that benefits from a bright, Mexican-adjacent profile.
It also does unexpected things well: toss it on corn, summer squash, or potatoes alongside a main protein. The citrus note doesn’t work on everything — eggs, for example — but in the right context it’s genuinely good.
Shop Blackstone Tequila Lime Seasoning on Amazon
4. Blackstone Breakfast Blend
Designed for griddle breakfast — a slightly sweet, slightly savory blend with hints of maple, brown sugar, and warm spice. It works on hash browns, breakfast potatoes, sausage patties, and french toast.
It’s not a seasoning you’ll use every cook, but when you’re doing a full breakfast spread, it pulls the sweet-savory balance of the surface together better than the all-purpose does.
Shop Blackstone Breakfast Blend on Amazon
5. McCormick Montreal Steak Seasoning
A non-Blackstone option that’s earned a permanent spot on many flat-tops. Montreal steak seasoning has the right particle size and ingredient ratios for high-heat griddle cooking — coarse salt, cracked black pepper, garlic, coriander, and red pepper. It crusts beautifully at 425–475°F and doesn’t burn at the sear zone the way finer herb blends can.
It’s widely available, costs less than branded griddle seasonings, and consistently delivers. On a smash burger or a skirt steak, it’s hard to beat.
Shop McCormick Montreal Steak Seasoning on Amazon
6. Bad Byron’s Butt Rub
A competition barbecue rub with a loyal following outside the barbecue world — including among griddle cooks. It’s built around paprika, brown sugar, and spices with a moderate heat level that stays interesting without being aggressive.
On a flat-top, it develops a beautiful mahogany crust on pork chops, chicken thighs, and salmon. The sugar content means it burns above 425°F, so use it for cook-zone temperatures (350–425°F) rather than the sear zone. Pull it off the griddle when the color is dark gold, not black.
Shop Bad Byron’s Butt Rub on Amazon
7. Kinder’s The Blend
Salt, pepper, and garlic — the SPG trifecta — in the right proportions, in a convenient shaker. It sounds simple and it is. Simple is exactly what you want when you’re working a busy flat-top and don’t have time to think about seasoning ratios.
Kinder’s grinds it at the right coarseness for griddle cooking and the salt level is moderate enough that you can season aggressively without blowing past the threshold. Works on everything, competes with anything twice the price.
Shop Kinder’s The Blend on Amazon
8. Tajín Clásico
Not a traditional dry rub — Tajín is a Mexican seasoning of chili powder, lime, and salt. But for griddle cooking, it’s one of the most useful things you can keep near the flat-top. Finish shrimp, fish tacos, corn, or sliced avocado with a light dusting of Tajín before they come off the griddle, and the citrus-heat combination adds complexity without overpowering.
Apply at the end of the cook rather than the beginning — the lime in Tajín is acidic enough to draw moisture from proteins if it sits too long before hitting the surface.
Seasoning Tips for the Flat-Top
Season the food, not the griddle. The seasoning goes on the protein or vegetable before it hits the surface. Shaking seasoning onto an oiled hot surface just burns it.
Pat proteins dry before seasoning. Moisture on the surface steams the food before the seasoning can crust. Paper towels, then season, then griddle.
Watch sugar content at high heat. Brown sugar in a rub burns above 425°F. Use sugar-heavy seasonings in the cook zone (375–425°F), not the sear zone.
Build up in layers, not all at once. Season at the beginning, then add a small second application right before the flip for a layered flavor profile and crust.
More flat-top essentials: Must-Have Blackstone Accessories · Blackstone Temperature Guide · How to Season a Blackstone Griddle
Frequently Asked Questions
What seasoning does Blackstone use on their griddle demos? Blackstone’s own All Purpose Seasoning is what you’ll see most often in their branded videos and demos. It’s designed specifically for flat-top cooking and works across the most food types in their lineup.
Can I use regular grill seasonings on a Blackstone griddle? Yes, but pay attention to particle size and sugar content. Fine-ground herb blends can burn quickly at high griddle temps. Sugar-heavy rubs should be used at medium-high (375–425°F) rather than the sear zone. Coarser blends built for high heat — like Montreal steak — translate better to the flat-top than thin herb rubs.
Does seasoning a Blackstone griddle mean the same thing as seasoning food? No — “seasoning a Blackstone” refers to applying thin layers of oil to the cooking surface and burning them in to create a non-stick polymerized coating. That’s surface care, not flavor. See the Blackstone seasoning guide for surface seasoning instructions. This article is about seasoning your food.
How much seasoning should I use on a flat-top vs. a grill? A bit less than you’d use on a grill. On a grill, smoke and fat drippings add flavor that compensates for lighter seasoning. On a flat-top, the seasoning you apply is most of the flavor work, but food also browns faster and can carry more surface flavor per square inch. Season moderately — you can always add more, you can’t take it back.
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