Grilled Lobster Tail and Steak Platter With a Greek Chimichurri Butter

   A super easy surf and turf recipe and combo made with buttered, grilled lobster tails and steak. The garlic butter is infused with lemon and lots of fresh herbs - a very Greekstyle blend of them for this chimichurri butter. This is the perfect anniversary dinner for two very hungry people but it also makes for a great grill platter that can be shared by 4.

This platter is a great way to serve grilled steak and lobster tails - ready sliced and easy to enjoy with all the sides right on the same plate. I love to serve mine up with a Greek horiatiki salad along with my Greek potato salad. Some grilled lemon to squeeze on to the surf & turf and grilled calabrese baguette that was either drizzled with olive oil before or slathered with some of the Greek chimichurri butter after. This platter enjoyed alfresco with a cold ale or white wine or just something cold - nothing like it. Grilled platters like these just scream summer.

First off, lobster tail is actually a lot easier than you’d think so no need to be intimidated by it. The only struggle I have with them is cutting through the shell, as these particular guys were on the brittle side, so they kept wanting to break on me instead of giving me a clean cut. The ones with the clean cut shell I butterflied but the others I just cut right down the center of them. The directions below have more detailed instructions but the video is super helpful too - make sure to take a second and watch it if you have never prepared lobster tails before. I used Frozen Rock Lobster Tail from Metro. I let it thaw in the fridge overnight. If you are short on time you can throw the whole package in a large bowl of cold water and give it some time to thaw that way as well. Rock lobster is slightly different than Maine lobster. The major difference is the size of the claw and antenna, On a rock lobster, the antenna is much larger, while the claw is pretty much nonexistent. The benefit is that the tail has more meat than the Maine lobster. That’s a little side note from some research I did cause you always gotta know what your cooking, right!?

Steak is another one of those things that some people find intimidating to grill or cook. You will find that cooking a steak is the easiest thing ever and same with the lobster, after you make them. The ingredient list for this surf and turf dinner is quite short and simple. Aside from salt, pepper, and oregano, all you need are your steaks, lobster tails, and your herbed butter if you are serving it with your surf and turf - which I strongly recommend you do. Since the flavors in this dish are so simple, the key to making a great surf and turf dinner is timing. Have all ingredients ready and once you have grilled your steaks on one side - after you flip add the tails and they take no time to grill. Then you can take everything off the grill at one time. When it comes to grilling the steak itself make sure to season them well, and then simply grill - the tougher part is agreeing on how you want them done.

I recommend a meat thermometer if you or whoever your grilling for is picky about how they want their meat - it’s handy and can help you know when your steaks are done according to the way you want them done. I have more information on temperatures and doneness below. I got my cap off Rib Steaks from Metro also and they are such a great cut to grill! They are tender and flavourful and I learned that trimming off the Cap (in cap off steaks) means there is less waste, so better value for your money. One of the most flavourful tender steaks. It’s great for grilling but also great for pan-searing, or broiling. You can use your favorite cut for this surf and turf though.

The dish is a classic and it makes for an elegant special occasion dinner that’s surprisingly easy to prepare and to grill outdoors or on your grill pan. I know you will enjoy it! I made this in partnership with Metro and easily found everything I needed for this dinner there. From the meat to the garlic butter, fresh herbs and dried along with their in house baked Calabrese bread. One stop shopping is something I never take for granted and Metro has you covered!

I have partnered up with Metro Ontario to bring you this fabulous recipe, but all opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting Olive & Mango.

Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 Angus Cap Off Rib Steaks approx 14 oz/400 grams in total
• Salt and pepper to taste  
• ½ tsp of dried oregano
• 4 frozen rock lobster tails, around 4 ounces/113 grams each, thawed, rinsed and patted dry

For the Greek chimichurri butter

• ½ cup (1 stick) of Irresistibles brand herb and garlic butter room temperature
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• ½ tsp lemon zest
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1bsp chopped Fresh oregano
• 2 tbsp mint
• 1 teaspoon salt and pepper
• ½ tsp of Chile powder (optional)
  

Directions

To make the Greek chimichurri Butter

• In a small bowl add the softened butter and mix it well with the rest of the ingredients.  Keep the butter room temp if using right away or store in the fridge for up to 1 week. *

To prepare steaks

• Season the steaks all over with salt pepper and dried oregano

To prepare lobster tails

1. Use kitchen shears or a very sharp knife, cut the lobster tail right down the center. (Or To butterfly cut the lobster shells down the center to the base, stopping before cutting through the base. Using a spoon or fingers to gently separate the lobster from the shell. Open up the shell a little bit, grab the meat and pull it up and over the shell, squeezing the shell back together and letting the meat rest on top of the seam. Make a shallow cut along the center of the meat and layer it over the sides of the shell.) Use 2 tbsp of Greek chimichruri butter and brush it all over the lobster flesh. Saving the rest for basting while on the grill and for serving
2. Heat a grill, grill pan or cast iron skillet over medium/high heat. Once hot, place the steaks on the grates, cook until desired doneness, about 5-8 minutes (depending on thickness) for medium-rare, per side.
3. About five minutes before the steaks are done cooking, place the lobster, flesh side down on the hot grill (or pan), cook for about 5 minutes and then flip the tails over and spread another 1 tbsp the GREEKSTYLE chimichurri butter over the tails. Continue cooking for another 3-5 minutes or until the shells are bright red and temperature reads approx 140 degrees F. Remove both the steak and tails from the heat.
4. Let steak rest 5 min before slicing and then slice and serve on a platter, add a good dollop of the chimichurri butter to them and the lobster tails. Enjoy served you with some Greek salad, Greek potato salad, grilled lemons and grilled bread and extra chimichurri butter.
   

Recipe Notes

If you don’t have garlic butter you can easily make the herbed butter as is in the recipe and just grate or chop 1 clove of garlic into the mix.

How to perfecty grill steak

1. Season steaks with the rub of your choice on both sides. I used salt, pepper and oregano for these ones.
2. Clean your grill grates before cooking on it.
3. Preheat your grill Set your grill to medium-high and make sure grates are well greased or if you are using grill pan make sure that it’s also well greased.
4. Place steaks on the grill and cook over direct heat for 4-5 minutes on each side for medium rare depending on the thickness of your steak. Use a meat thermometer to cook the steaks the way you like them. Here are the temperatures you should keep in mind.
   120°F = Rare
   130°F = Medium Rare
   140°F = Medium
   160°F = Well Done
5. Remove steaks from grill Let steaks rest for five minutes. The juices will redistribute throughout the meat, producing tender, juicy results.