Generally I use my fish burner turned up as high as it will go. Through necessity I had to get a black iron skillet (15"?) as my black iron pot was too deep and it looked like a batch of Halloween witch's brew being made... I couldn't even see the meat. The skillet is much better.
Admittedly, part of the allure of blackening is the opportunity to create intense crackling sizzles, fire and huge plumes of smoke that waft through the neighborhood... Certainly the kids and their buds thought it was cool.