Posted September 8, 2023 by: Admin #Kitchen

Surf and Turf (Steak and Shrimp) is an easy and excellent Valentine’s Day dinner. The tender filet mignon steak is seared in garlic rosemary butter, while the shrimp sizzles in the same flavored butter sauce. Serve it with Boiled New Potatoes to complete the meal.

This dish truly gives you the experience of dining at a fancy steakhouse – it’s flavorful, juicy, and memorable. And the best part? It takes less than 30 minutes to make. For a complete Valentine’s Day menu, pair it with Chocolate Souffle. Check out the video tutorial to see how simple it is to make.

Surf and Turf Recipe

Years ago (January 2006), my husband and I had the opportunity to go on a horse-drawn sleigh ride in the snow-covered mountains which landed in a cozy cabin where live music was playing and a steak and shrimp dinner was served (I snapped the photo below from that night).

Friends from church had reservations for that sleigh ride and weren’t able to attend so they were kind enough to offer their tickets to us and it was such a beautiful experience that we still remember. We were so impressed by that meal and it was the inspiration for this Surf and Turf recipe.

Ingredients for Steak and Shrimp

The key to making great surf and turf is all of the accumulated flavors from cooking the steak and shrimp in the same pan with flavored butter. The ingredients here are simple, but the flavors are memorable.

• Filet Mignon – steaks should be even thickness and about 1 1/2″ thick
• Shrimp – use large 21-25 count shrimp
• Salt and Pepper – we use fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper and make sure to season just before you start cooking.
• Oil – use a vegertable oil, extra LIGHT olive oil or any high heat cooking oil.
• Unsalted Butter – I like to cut it into pieces so it melts quickly in the skillet. Swirl the pan as it melts so it doesn’t spatter.
• Garlic – use 2 large cloves, peeled and cut into quarters
• Rosemary – one sprig is sufficient to infuse the butter with rosemary flavor and aroma

Time Saving Tip: Buy shrimp that are peeled and deveined with the tail on. If buying frozen shrimp, be sure to fully thaw shrimp according to the package instructions.

How to Make Surf and Turf

• Prep Steaks and Shrimp – pat dry with paper towels and season with salt and black pepper.
• Heat the pan – place a heavy skillet or cast iron pan over medium/high heat and once it’s starting to smoke, swirl in 1/2 Tbsp oil.
• Sear steaks – sear steaks for 4 minutes on the first side, 3 minutes on the second side and then sear the edges for 30-60 seconds per edge. Remove from heat 10 degrees before your desired temp on a thermometer. Transfer to a plate and tent with foil. The temperature will rise as it rests.
• Flavored Butter – reduce skillet to medium heat and melt in 3 Tbsp butter with quartered garlic cloves and a rosemary sprig.
• Sautee shrimp – Add shrimp and sautee in a single layer for `1 minute, flip and cook another minute until opaque and pink then remove from heat.
• Return steaks to the pan along with any accumulated juices. Turn the steaks to coat and spoon more flavored butter over them. Serve and enjoy.

Pro Tip: Season your steak and shrimp just before turning on the stove. Seasoning too early will draw moisture out of the steak and shrimp.

Steak Doneness Chart

When using an expensive cut of meat, or any cut of meat really, a good Thermometer will give you confidence in the kitchen. Since a steak will continue to cook and increase in temperature when it’s taken off the heat, you’ll want to remove the steak from the skillet about 10 degrees before the final desired temperature. These are the final resting temperatures that we aim for:

• 130˚F for Medium-Rare
• 135˚F for Medium doneness (Natasha’s favorite)
• 140˚F for Medium-Well doneness

Common Questions

What is Surf and Turf?

Surf and turf is the combination of seafood (surf) and red meat (turf). The seafood can be anything from shrimp to Lobster or scallops and the turf is typically a great steak. If you aren’t able to source Filet Mignon or Beef Tenderloin, you can substitute with New York Steak, Ribeye, or Top Sirloin, which are all excellent cuts that will yield tender results.

Can I cook this on the grill?

You can make grilled surf and turf, just place your cast iron skillet on the grill over medium/high heat. I would definitely use a skillet to benefit from the pan juices and flavored butter.

Can I substitute the filet mignon?

Yes, you can use your favorite steak here and cook to your desired doneness. A better quality steak with more marbling will yield tender results. Also, go for a steak that is about 1 1/2″ thick. If it is too thick, it will take longer to cook on the skillet.

How to Serve

We love to serve this as a main course paired with these simple sides:

Surf and Turf (Steak and Shrimp)

Surf and Turf is easy, excellent, and our favorite Valentine’s Day Dinner. The tender filet mignon steak is seared in garlic rosemary butter and the shrimp sizzles in that same flavored butter sauce.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes mins
• Cook Time: 15 minutes mins
• Total Time: 30 minutes mins
• Servings: 2 people

• 1 lb filet mignon, 2 steaks, each 1 1/2” thick
• 12 oz large shrimp, peeled, deveined, tail-on (21-25 count)
• 1 1/4 tsp fine sea salt, divided, or to taste
• 3/4 tsp black pepper, divided, or to taste
• 1/2 Tbsp vegetable oil, or any high heat cooking oil
• 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and quartered
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary

• Pat dry shrimp and steaks thoroughly with a paper towel. Just before cooking, season the steak season with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper, and season shrimp with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper or to taste.
• Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium/high heat. Once it’s hot to the point where it’s just starting to smoke, add 1/2 Tbsp olive and swirl the skillet to coat.
• Add the steaks and sear for 4 minutes on the first side then flip and sear for 3-4 minutes on the second side. Using tongs, turn the steaks on their sides to render the white fat and sear the edges (30-60 seconds per edge). Remove from the skillet when it is about 10 degrees from your desired doneness on a thermometer (the temperature will continue to rise as it rests). Transfer the steaks to a plate and tent with foil to rest.
• Reduce the heat to medium and right away add 3 Tbsp butter, quartered garlic cloves, and a sprig of rosemary.
• Add the seasoned shrimp to the pan and spread in a single layer. Sauté about 1 minute per side or until pink and opaque and cooked through then immediately remove the skillet from the heat.
• Return steaks to the pan and turn to coat in pan sauce, spooning more of the flavored butter over the steak and shrimp. Serve drizzled with more pan sauce.

Steak Final Doneness Temperatures: Remove the steaks about 10 degrees before they reach your desired doneness temperature on a thermometer. I remove my steaks at 125˚F to reach a final resting temperature of 135˚F for medium doneness.

• 130˚F Medium Rare
• 135˚F Medium
• 140˚F Medium-Well