Create an elegant, flavorful meal with this delicious surf and turf recipe that will be sure to make an impression on your family or friends.
There is no better way to celebrate and indulge than with a homemade steak and lobster tail dinner. This Surf and Turf recipe is the ultimate elegant meal featuring the king and queen of proteins. Beautiful tender and juicy filet mignon and succulent fresh lobster tail.
When I make filet mignon at home, I like to saute the steak in a pan, so none of the flavor and fat is lost. I can control the cooking temperatures and make a luscious sauce all in one pan! One of my favorite sauces to accompany this Surf and Turf is a caramelized onion and mushroom pan sauce. There is so much flavor already left in the pan from cooking the filets, that the sauce is packed with delicious flavors!
I simply reserve the cooking juices and drippings from the steak then I saute the onions, garlic, and mushrooms in the same pan. Bacon is also my secret ingredient to tie all of the flavors together, by adding the perfect smoky and savory note to the sauce.
I also add a little bit of chicken or beef stock and butter to make the sauce super delicious, season with salt and pepper, and it’s ready to top the steak! If you want, you can also add more flavoring ingredients like wine or herbs to the sauce, be creative, you can’t go wrong!
After cleaning the lobster tails and cutting the shells to expose the meat, I add melted butter, paprika, salt and fresh garlic to each lobster tail. I used the broiler to cook the lobster, and it was done in 5 minutes. That’s it, and I couldn’t believe how easy it was! I pulled the meat out of the tail then added it to the top of the cooked shell to give it that “pop out of the shell look.”
This is that elegant meal you can create at home for your loved ones. I like to make a couple of sides for the meal like green beans, roasted asparagus or sauteed Brussels sprouts.
One of my favorite alternative side dishes to mashed potatoes is my creamy cauliflower puree, which you can found in my rosemary and thyme lamb chops. It doesn’t have to be a special occasion to have steak and lobster, treat yourself, You deserve it!
Understanding how food cooks
When meat is cooked the internal temperature will continue to rise as it rests. Understanding that there is carryover cooking effect, remove the meat from the cooking surface when it’s 5 to 10 degrees below the desired serving temperature. Since the muscle fibers of poultry and fish are not as dense as meat, they do not retain heat has well. Chicken and fish should be cooked to the final desired serving temperature for proper doneness and safety.
Delicious Surf and Turf Recipe
Ingredients
Steak
- 16 ounces filet mignon, two 8-ounce pieces
- black pepper, for seasoning steak
- kosher salt, for seasoning steak
- 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
- 2 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Mushroom Pan Sauce
- ½ cup yellow onions, cut into small ¼-inch by ¼-inch pieces
- 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 2 cups white mushrooms, sliced
- 1 slice bacon, cut into small pieces
- ½ cup chicken stock, or beef stock or broth
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Broiled Lobster Tails
- 16 ounces lobster tails, two 8-ounce pieces
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- black pepper, for seasoning
- kosher salt, for seasoning
- 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges, for garnish
Instructions
Steak
- Allow the steaks to sit at room temperature covered with plastic, for at least 30 minutes to an hour before cooking. This will help with evenly cooking of the meat.
- Generously season each side of the filets with salt and freshly ground black pepper, set aside.
- Select a pan large enough to fit the fillets. Heat the pan over medium-high heat, for about 1 minute. Add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and heat until the oil is hot but not smoking, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Carefully add the seasoned filets to the pan. Cook over medium-high heat for about 5 to 6 minutes on each side, 10 to 12 minutes total.
- Add the sprigs of rosemary and thyme to the pan, and 1 tablespoon of butter. When the butter is melted, spoon some of the butter over the steaks. Repeat this process for about 1 to 2 minutes. This will add more flavor to the steak.
- Place fillets on a plate to rest, set aside. Do not discard the cooking pan! The fillets should have a nice caramelized brown color on the surface. The internal temperature should be around 120-125°F for medium-rare or 130-135°F for medium. Cook longer on each side for medium-well doneness. Allow the meat to rest for 15 minutes to achieve the final serving temperature.
Mushroom Pan Sauce
- Using the same pan from cooking the steaks, begin to make the sauce. Remove the rosemary and thyme from the pan, discard.
- Heat the pan over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until translucent, about 4 minutes. If there are brown bits on the bottom of the pan from cooking the steak, try to scrape it off while you are cooking the vegetables, this will add amazing flavor as long as it’s not burnt! (If the cooking pan from the meat is not useable for the pan sauce, add 2 tablespoons of butter or oil to a fresh pan and proceed).
- Add the sliced garlic and sauté for about 1 minute. Add the sliced mushrooms, sauté until tender, about 4 minutes. Add the bacon to the pan, saute for 1 minute.
- Add the chicken stock to the pan. Turn the heat up to medium-high. Continuously stir the sauce until about half of the liquid has evaporated. It should be slightly thickened, but not runny.
- Turn the heat down to low. Add the 1 tablespoon of butter and whisk. Season with salt and pepper to your liking. Turn off the heat and cover until ready to serve.
Broiled Lobster Tails
- Preheat oven to broil. Line a small sheet pan with foil and set aside.
- Place the lobster tails on a clean cutting board. With kitchen shears, cut the top of the lobster shells lengthwise. Slightly pull apart the shells to expose the meat. Remove any of the entrails. Gently rinse under cool water and dry.
- Place the cleaned lobsters on the foil-lined baking sheet. Season with 1 to 2 tablespoons of melted butter (you can coat the outside of the shell with butter as well). Add about ⅛ teaspoon of the paprika evenly over the meat. Season with salt and pepper. Add a few slices of the garlic on top.
- Place the tray on the middle rack of the oven. Broil lobster tails until lightly brown and shells turn a reddish color and the meat is opaque, about 4 to 6 minutes (add additional time for larger tails). Remove the lobster from the oven and check the meat for doneness before cooking longer.
To Serve
- If needed, reheat the steaks in the broiler for 1-2 minutes if the steak has cooled down, keep a close eye on them. Remove from the oven and set aside.
- Reheat the mushroom pan sauce for a few minutes until hot.
- On a plate, place the steak with the mushroom sauce on top. Add the lobster tail and lemon wedges. Serve with a side of melted butter if desired for the lobster.
Nutrition Facts
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000-calorie diet. All nutritional information is based on estimated third-party calculations. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
Michael says
Is there a “correct” order to serve surf and turf that doesn’t spoil one’s pallet in the process? I’m serving lobster tails, king crab legs, “regular “ steak, dry aged steak and Wagyu steaks (all the same cut).
Jessica Gavin says
Wow, what a spread? If you are doing separate courses, I would start with the crab legs, then lobster, then regular steak, dry aged, and then wagyu. I like to start from the least amount of fat and strength of flavor and then build up.
Michael says
As they say in the Guinness commercials… Brilliant!
I forgot…I’m starting with bacon-wrapped shrimp w/ bbq sauce on the grill. It’s a group of guys…do we HAVE to have a vegetable, lol!