Fish
Grilled Surf and Turf
Grilled Surf and Turf Recipe
Treat yourself with this grilled surf and turf recipe. A thick cut strip steak gets a simple seasoning of salt and pepper before slow-smoking until it reaches the perfect rosy doneness inside. While the steak rests, succulent salmon fillets get a bright lift from lemon zest and fresh dill before smoke-roasting to flaky perfection with crispy skin. The star of the show? A luscious garlic-thyme compound butter melting luxuriously over the juicy sliced steak. Each bite pairs the rich beefiness with the light, smoky fish – an indulgent yet straightforward showcase of prime ingredients. Grill up some lemon halves for a zesty pop of freshness over this epic combo.
Grilled Surf and Turf
Recipe Notes
- Yield: Each steak serves 2, one salmon fillet per person
- Method: Reverse-sear and direct grilling for the steak, indirect grilling for the salmon
Ingredients
- 16-ounce strip steak
- Kosher salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 4-ounce salmon fillets (skin-on)
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons freshly chopped dill
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Garlic-Thyme Butter (recipe follows)
- 2 lemon halves for grilling (optional)
Garlic-Thyme Butter
- 8 tablespoons of room temperature butter
- 1 tablespoon of freshly chopped thyme
- 1 to 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
- Kosher salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- Parchment paper or plastic wrap
You’ll also need:
- 1 wire rack set over a sheet pan; an instant-read meat thermometer; wood chunks or wood chips soaked and drained.
Recipe Steps
1: Make the thyme-garlic butter: 1) Mix the butter, garlic, and thyme in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. 2) Lay a 12-inch-square piece of wax paper or plastic wrap or parchment paper on your work surface and mound the flavored butter in the center. Roll it up into a cylinder, twisting the ends to compact the butter. Chill the butter in the refrigerator or freezer until firm. Refrigerate for one week or freeze for up to six months.
2: Set up your grill for smoking (indirect grilling) and heat to 250 degrees; add the wood chunks or chips.
3: Paint the strip steaks with olive oil and generously season with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
4: Smoke the strip steaks for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the steak reaches an internal temperature of 110 degrees. Rest the steaks for 15 to 20 minutes on a wire rack over a sheet pan.
5: Lightly oil the salmon fillets with olive oil. Season the salmon fillets with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Next, top each salmon fillet with fresh dill and lemon zest.
6: Set up a two-zone fire and increase the temperature of the grill to 400 for smoke-roasting. Place the salmon fillets on the cool side of the grill and smoke-roast for 20 to 25 minutes.
7: Move the salmon fillets to the hot side of the grill to crisp the skin at the end of cooking.
8: Place the strip steaks over the hot part of the grill and cook for 2 minute, then give each steak a quarter turn. Repeat on the opposite side.
9: Remove the strip steaks when they reach an internal temperature of 125 to 130 degrees.
10: Place the strip steaks on a wire rack set over a sheet pan to rest. Top the strip steaks with the garlic and thyme butter while the steaks rest.
11: Slice and serve with the salmon fillets.
