This Steak and Crab Legs recipe combines rich, lobster-like king crab legs with tender filet mignon or New York Strip Steak cooked from black and blue steak and crab to medium rare! If you're looking for surf and turf recipes with crab, or surf and crab, this is one to beat. This steak and crab recipe is one of the finest seafood dishes around, and it feels so gourmet!
Steak and Crab Recipe Table of Contents
- Surf and Turf Recipes with Crab
- Black and Blue Steak and Crab
- How to Cook Black and Blue Steak and Crab
- Steak and Crab Legs
- Best Way to Cook King Crab Legs
- How to Cook King Crab
- Steak and Crab Recipe Ingredients
- How to Eat Steak and Crab Legs
I remember when I was young and going out for dinner with my parents for seafood. There would also be the biggest pile of the biggest steamed king crab legs right in the middle of the table.
There were lots of lemon slices and a bunch of these little things holding butter with a small candle underneath to keep the butter melted.
Anyone else remember those?
We had a blast making the biggest mess dipping the crab legs into melted butter. I thought I was in heaven and wished we could have done it more often.
My dad always said though if we went out for king crab dinner more often then it wouldn't be a treat!
I wasn't necessarily happy about it but he was definitely correct.
My husband is a true surf and crab lover, and has been as far back as he can remember. Steak and crab legs is one meal he gets really excited about. And who can blame him? I enjoy the steak but because of recent allergies, I now have to stay clear of the crab legs.
Up until I was in my forties, I was able to savor both the steak and crab legs. These days, I get to partake in the beef and watch my husband dive into all of it with gusto!
Garlic-infused butter or our bacon butter really ramps up the flavor of steak. With creamy horseradish dip on the side, you can't go wrong. All of these flavors are simply superb! No matter which one you choose, the results will be a melt-in-your-mouth steak that's to die for.
Eating surf and turf recipes with crab in a restaurant comes at a premium. Keep some of that money in your pocket by making this steak and crab legs recipe in the comfort of your own home. Creating a high-end, black and blue steak and crab like meal takes surprisingly little time and the results will astonish you!
Surf and Turf Recipes with Crab
Every time we decide to treat ourselves to this fabulous steak and crab legs meal, filet mignon is our steak of choice. New York strip steak is great also, but since we only make this a few times a year, it's filet mignon all the way!
King crab has that delicate, sweet, flavor that tastes very much like lobster meat. It's delightful in hot or cold sandwiches or in a salad. But most often, King Crab is best served cascaded in melted butter with lemon on the side. Given that King Crab often comes pre-cooked and frozen, you don't want to overcook it. Steamed, broiled or grilled are the ideal ways of cooking it. Boiling is never a great idea.
My grandmother was from Denmark where seafood dishes were big. According to her, boiling crab will kill the flavor fast. So much of that amazing taste will be lost and wasted. And that would be a shame, which is why I don't recommend it.
Although King crab legs aren't cheap, they're definitely worth spending the money on occasionally. And they're so easy to make! King crab legs have a rich, wonderful lobster-like taste and are therefore guaranteed to be delicious, every single time you make them.
When it comes to surf and turf recipes with crab, many dining establishments have the know-how. With this homemade steak and crab legs recipe, you can have that knowledge too. I think you'll find this steak and crab legs recipe equally as good as in any fine dining restaurant worth their salt. Maybe even better. The only way to know is for you to find out for yourself.
For those that prefer black and blue steak and crab, read on! The directions are below.
Black and Blue Steak and Crab
Black and blue steak and crab contains a cut of beef with minimal fat, like filet mignon or New York Strip. The steak is cooked quickly on an open flame grill on the highest heat to achieve a charred, black outside and a beautifully rare blue steak inside. Hence, the term "black and blue."
Making black and blue steak and crab could not be easier and there's only one way of doing it.
How to Cook Black and Blue Steak and Crab
Here's how to cook the steak:
- Clean the barbecue by scrubbing the grates and then oiling them. Crank the barbecue as high as it goes and allow it to preheat for at least five minutes
- Using FROZEN butter cut into squares, add it on top of the steak as it cooks. This causes a lot of flames, so be careful. But I guarantee it's the best way of charring
- The butter should melt right away. My bacon butter recipe works beautifully here too. If you're interested, give it a try
- My husband loads about a ¼ cup of bacon butter on top of each steak and closes the lid to create an even deeper char on the outside
- One minute per side works for us. While our neighbors prefer two minutes per side.
Try it both ways with the lid open or closed to see what works best for you. While the steak is resting, making the crab is simple and quick.
This will be one of the best black and blue steak and crab recipes you'll ever make! I can't wait to hear what you think of it!
Steak and Crab Legs
Steak and crab legs go together like peanut butter and chocolate. They're meant for each other. Needless to say, this surf and crab recipe is a heavenly combination!
When it comes to my son, the apple doesn't fall very far from the tree. Like his father, he has a passion for surf and turf recipes with crab. I watch him devour it with pleasure.
If the thought of preparing King crab legs sounds a bit daunting, don't be intimidated. I've made many King crab legs in my day, and I can tell you the recipe is foolproof and the taste is amazing.
With a little lemon and butter, this becomes a bucket list kind of steak and crab recipe you don't want to miss!
Best Way to Cook King Crab Legs
King crab legs are best served simply, hot or cold. No fancy ingredients. Either steamed, broiled, or grilled. Boiling is NEVER a good method.
My grandmother from Denmark always said that boiling results in loss of king crab flavor because you boil it all away in the water. That is the reason I won't encourage you to cook your King crab with the boiling cooking method.
King crab legs definitely aren't inexpensive but are worth spending on for the occasional reward to yourself! At least on occasion. Why not?
King crab legs are so easy to prepare and enjoy with their incredible lobster-like flavor. You won't find better anywhere. I can almost guarantee it.
You might find king crab legs as good but definitely not that taste better!
How to Cook King Crab
King Crab legs are best prepared steamed, broiled or grilled. Remember to avoid boiling, as it won't give you the results you're looking for or deserve.
King crabs have to be cooked and flash frozen in the harbor when caught to keep them fresh. What you're essentially doing is reheating the crab, so if you're wondering if you can overcook crab legs, the answer is yes.
Like lobster, crab shells change color once they're cooked, and they become a gorgeous orange or red.
How to Thaw King Crab Legs
Thawing King crab legs couldn't be easier. Wrap them in plastic and place in your fridge overnight, or run them under cold water until the meat starts to soften.
How to Eat King Crab Legs
Unlike crab claws, which require a nutcracker, lobster cracker or meat hammer or tenderizer to break the shell enough to pull it apart enough to access the sweet, tender meat inside, King crab only requires a pair of kitchen shears or scissors.
Be careful with any part of the crab, or any kind of crab for that matter, to use a minimum amount of force to break the shell. You want to avoid little bits of a shattered shell throughout your crab meat.
King crab shells are soft enough, generally speaking, to simply use kitchen scissors to cut up the crab leg shell so you can remove the wonderful meat in one piece, or nearly.
My husband has been eating steak and crab legs his entire life and rarely gets an entire section of crab meat out at one time, so don't be too frustrated while you're getting the hang of it.
You can also use pressure with your hands to tear and remove the shell. But honestly, kitchen scissors work the best.
Eating surf and crab legs at home could not be easier.
When we are having guests, my husband cuts the entire leg so it's easy for guests to remove the meat when served. If it's just us eating the crab, we cut our crab legs right at the table.
True story.
After the King crab legs are cut all you need is a small fork or your fingers to remove all of the meat. This King crab legs recipe is definitely worth the effort.
Just wait until you try it.
Steak and Crab Recipe Ingredients
Each of these ingredients plays a key role in bringing out the very best flavor and taste!
Filet Mignon
- 1 lb. of filet mignon (about four 1” filets)
- ½ teaspoon of sea salt
- ½ teaspoon of garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon of fresh ground peppercorn
- 1 tablespoon of salted butter (or with olive oil or both)
- 5 cloves of garlic
- 3 sprigs of thyme
King Crab Legs
- 2 lbs. of Alaskan King Crab Legs
- 1 teaspoon of sea salt flakes
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges or add ¼ to ⅓ of a cup of lemon juice
Butter Dip
- 4 tablespoons of salted butter
- 5 cloves of roasted garlic (from the steak)
Creamy Horseradish Dip
- 3 teaspoons of horseradish
- 1 teaspoon of crushed garlic
- ¼ cup of mayo
Garnish
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges
- 1 tablespoon of fresh chopped parsley
How to Eat Steak and Crab Legs
How to eat steak is obvious. The crab legs are another matter, and many people assume eating them is more complicated or difficult than it is.
All that's required is a pair of kitchen shears or scissors to carefully slice into the soft shell. Gently break the shell, so you don't end up with tiny shell pieces throughout the crab meat.
Once you get the hang of it, it's fairly simple. After the first crack, your confidence will grow and the rest will get easier.
You might be able to use your fingers with a bit of force to remove some of the shell. That being said, kitchen scissors work best and will make the king crab legs experience most enjoyable.
Once cut, use a tiny fork or your fingers to remove all of the king crab meat from the shell.
With that gorgeous steak and yummy crab legs sitting in front of you, you know what comes next. I don't need to tell you what to do.
How to Remove the Shell from the Crab Legs
Either completely remove the meat from the shell, or get each one started by using kitchen shears or scissors. If we're having guests, I usually snip the shell and leave the scissors on the table for them to do the rest.
How Many Kinds of King Crab are There?
There are approximately 40 varieties of King crab, but three that are most commonly harvested for sale are found in the area between Alaska and Russia.
Generally speaking, King Crabs live somewhere between 20 and 30 years but are considered mature and harvestable somewhere between the five and seven year mark.
They typically weigh between six and nine pounds but the largest on record (male) weighed over twenty pounds and had a leg span of six feet. Females do not grow as large as the males.
How to Bake King Crab?
The fastest and easiest way to eat king crab legs is to wrap them in a double layer of aluminum foil. Just leave a small hole so that steam can get out as this helps them steam. Put them in the oven at 350 degrees for four to seven minutes.
You can also put them on a baking pan with a bit of water that is warm for eight minutes at 350 degrees. Put aluminum foil over the pan and add a bit of warm water in it too, to help it steam.
How to Grill King Crab?
If you want to grill your surf and crab, yummy! Put the thawed crab in aluminum foil and wrap it tightly. Put on the grill above medium-heat and cook for six to eight minutes.
How to Broil King Crab?
Broiling crab is a fast-cooking method. Just put it on a baking pan and broil for between four and six minutes, about six inches away from the broiler.
How to Steam King Crab
Simple steam on a pot on my stovetop is my favorite way to prepare King crab legs. Simply add King crab legs to a pot filled with an inch or two of boiling water, cover and steam thawed king crab legs for four to eight minutes.
Mine always take eight minutes and each of my king crab legs weigh a little over a pound.
Steaming Times for King Crab Legs
- If your king crab legs weigh ½ to ¾ of a pound each you're looking at four to five minutes
- ¾ pound to a pound means five to six minutes
- One pound is seven minutes
- Over a pound means eight minutes
Every time.
Where Do I Find Crab?
King crab can be ordered online (I still can't believe it either!) or purchased at your local market or grocery stores in your area that have a seafood section. Call ahead to make sure they have it in stock. I always do, just to be sure it's there.
Alaska King Crab
The three kinds of King crab commercially sought after and caught are Alaskan Red King Crab, Blue King Crab, and Brown or Golden King Crab.
For the record, Red King Crab is considered the best King crab and a delicacy so as you might expect it is usually the most expensive.
Blue King Crab meat is somewhat sweeter than red king crab and the flesh turns to an orangish-red color when cooked causing some to believe it's red king crab meat.
Golden King Crab are the smallest of the three, have the mildest flavor, are the cheapest, have the least amount of meat on them and a bright gold-orangish shell.
There are also other small varieties of King Crab available in South America and Europe but the Red, Blue and Golden King Crab are the most popular and most widely available.
And there are several ways to heat it, all involving a gentle heat that mostly involves steam.
Why is Filet Mignon so Expensive?
Why is this cut so expensive? Because it's the most tender part of the steak. Sure, it costs a pretty penny, but it's a penny well-spent. Filet mignon is the gold of all steaks and is totally worth the price.
Is Filet Mignon a Good Steak?
It really is. Being one of the most expensive cuts of beef, it's loaded with flavor. Filet mignon is so succulent and juicy, people will pay a lot of money for it. And rightly so.
What is a Good Substitute for Filet Mignon?
Honestly, there's really no substitute for filet mignon, but if it's out of your price range, New York strip steak is a great alternative, and you won't be disappointed with the results.
What is the Least Chewy Steak?
Why filet mignon, of course! It's guaranteed to be the least chewy. In fact, it can be so tender, it barely needs cutting with a knife. It's like slicing through butter. Imagine that?
How is Filet Mignon Supposed to be Cooked?
It all depends on the cooking method. In the oven, it will take between five and eight minutes on each side.
If you like it rare, cook it for about six minutes. Medium-rare steak will need about seven minutes and medium steak requires about eight minutes.
How Long Do Steaks Need to Rest After Cooking?
Resting is an important part of the process. Once cooked, a good rule of thumb is to let it rest for about seven minutes or so.
Letting the steak rest seals in moisture and gives it time to let all those flavors sink in. Some say 10-20 minutes resting time, but I let it rest for about seven minutes. As steak rests, cover it with aluminum foil, so that it traps in the heat and keeps it warm.
Why Do They Put Butter on Steak?
Butter is added to steaks for richness and flavor. But it's not a requirement, and it won't affect the tenderness of the steak at all.
What are Other Dips that People Use for Steaks?
This all depends on who you ask. Some people think using dips is a big no-no when it comes to steaks. My theory? It's your steak to enjoy whichever way you like it.
I've included the recipe for horseradish dip here, but I have a collection of our favorite dips you might want to check out. They're delicious, if I do say so myself!
That being said, feel free to use ketchup or sauces like Bearnaise, BBQ or A1. Blue cheese topping is also popular.
The best steak you'll ever make is exactly the way you want it. Need I say more?
Tips for Cooking Steak
For best results, use a cast iron skillet over medium high heat and then place it directly inside the oven. Seasoned cast iron skillets are cheap and worth every penny, in my humble opinion.
Paying attention to steak as it cooks is key. It doesn't take much to overcook steak. So, keep a watchful eye on it.
Use a Meat Thermometer
If unsure of how a steak should look or feel to determine how done it is, investing in a meat thermometer is probably a good idea.
Rare Steak
The internal temp should be between 120-130 degrees.
Medium Rare
Look for an internal temp of 130-135 degrees.
Medium
Is going to have a temp of 134-145 degrees.
Well Done
It will have an internal temperature of 145-155 degrees.
How Do You Reheat Steak?
If you're lucky enough to have leftover steak, just reheat it and enjoy. Remember to reheat steak low and slow as you don't want to overcook it.
How Do You Use Leftover Steak?
Leftover steak can be used in many different ways. Reheat as is, or slice it up in a sandwich. It's fabulous in soups, stews, salads, omelets, tacos, pasta, quesadillas, burritos and the list goes on.
Saute with veggies or check out this amazing stir fry dinner. There's no shortage of ideas for amazing surf and turf recipes with crab.
For a quiet, romantic night at home, make surf and turf recipes with crab part of the scene. Or make surf and crab part of your party and share with family and friends.
I've made up this delicious steak and crab recipe so many times and I promise you, it never gets old! It's much easier to make than you think, and it just might give your cooking skills a boost!
The more you cook steak and play with the timing, the better you're going to be at this game. You'll reach pro status in no time!
If you want a high-end restaurant surf and turf recipes with crab, without having to leave the house, this steak and crab recipe is right up your alley!
What To Serve With Steak And Crab Legs
If you're looking for a great thing to pair with your main course, check out this list of awesome sides to choose from. Now while there are some steak and other meat dishes in the link, I feel you can benefit from all the tasty side dishes listed. Take a gander and pick what speaks to your heart and belly!
More Delicious Recipes with Steak
- Hamburger Steaks with Onion Gravy
- Simple Slow Cooker Steak Stew
- Easy Baked Steak and Potatoes
- Simple Steak or Chicken and Peppers Stir Fry
- Easy Slow Cooker Bacon Philly Cheese Steak Sandwiches
Filet Mignon and King Crab Legs
Ingredients
Filet Mignon
- 1 lb filet mignon, about 4, 1” filets
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground peppercorn
- 1 tablespoon salted butter
- 5 cloves garlic
- 3 sprigs of thyme
King Crab
- 2 lbs king crab legs
- 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes
- 1 lemon cut into wedges
Butter Dip
- 4 tablespoon salted butter
- 5 cloves roasted garlic from the steak
Creamy Horseradish Dip
- 3 teaspoon horseradish
- 1 teaspoon crushed garlic
- ¼ cup mayo
- Garnish
- 1 lemon cut into wedges
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
Black and Blue Steak and Crab
- 1 filet mignon or New York Strip, 1 inch thick
- ½ cup butter, frozen and sliced or our bacon butter (¼ cup per side)
Instructions
- Pull out and measure your ingredients.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Heat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat on the stove.
- Season both sides of the filet with sea salt, garlic powder and ground peppercorns.
- Add a drizzle of olive oil to the skillet. Place filets into the pan and sear for 3 minutes. Flip over. Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the pan. Honestly, my husband will add between 2 and 3 tablespoons of butter. He LOVES using our bacon butter.
- Add garlic cloves and fresh thyme. Cook for 3 more minutes, spooning the butter mixture over top of the steak continuously. Flip and place steak on top of the garlic cloves. Place into the oven for 5 minutes for a medium rare or 7 minutes for medium.
- Remove from heat and let rest on a wooden cutting board for 7-10 minutes. Check for internal temperature of meat to reach desired doneness. Medium Rare 125* - Medium 145* - Medium Well 150*. Remove the beautifully-roasted garlic from the pan and set aside to cool.
- While the steak rests, prepare the king crab legs. Add 2” of water to a large stock pot. Season water with sea salt and bring to a boil. Add crab legs and lemon wedges and cover. Reduce heat to simmer and cook for 8 minutes.
- Prepare the butter dip. Remove garlic cloves from the cast iron skillet and crush. Add garlic to a saucepan with the butter over medium heat, until the butter is melted. Strain into a ramekin. if desired.
- Prepare creamy horseradish dip. Add all ingredients to a small bowl
- Whisk to combine.
- Serve with a side of butter and creamy horseradish dip. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and lemon wedges.
- Enjoy every bite!
Black and Blue Steak (and Crab)
- I recommend using a cut of beef with minimal fat like filet mignon or New York Strip.
- Clean barbecue by scrubbing the grates and then oiling them. Crank barbecue on high and allow it to preheat for at least 5 minutes. My husband leaves ours heating up a little longer.
- Using FROZEN butter, cut it into squares, add it to the outside of the steak as it cooks. This causes lots of flames, so be careful. But it's the best way of charring.
- There should always be butter melting on the steak while it's on the grill.
- My husband will load butter on top of the steaks as soon as they touch the grill; about a quarter of a cup. Then, he closes the lid to create an even deeper char on the outside. .
- One or two minutes per side.
- I encourage you to time it both ways with the lid open and closed to see how you prefer your black and blue steak. The crab is quick and easy to make while your steak is resting.
Notes
Nutrition
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