Grilled Lobster Surf n Turf with Lemon Garlic Brown Butter

Grilled Lobster Surf n Turf with Lemon Garlic Brown Butter. An ultimate backyard barbecue feast, featuring smoky grilled lobster and steak with plenty of bright fresh herb flavours.

Grilled Lobster Surf n Turf with Lemon Garlic Brown Butter

Originally published July 2013. Updated July 2024.

It’s lobster season here in Newfoundland! While living in the middle of the cold North Atlantic has its challenges, having access to some of the best seafood in the world is delicious compensation. We are definitely a province of lobster purists here on these rocky shores. The vast majority of the succulent sea bed crawlers being simply boiled and hungrily consumed. Spouse tells me that her family didn’t even stop to dunk the juicy morsels in butter!

A delicious way to enjoy the ocean’s bounty.

One of my favourite ways to enjoy this former poor man’s food is to split and grill the lobster to quickly impart just a tinge of smoky flavour to it. I even throw a few water soaked pecan or apple wood chips on the barbecue flame for the few minutes that they are grilling.

On this occasion, not wanting to choose between seafood and beef, I decided to throw on a beautiful thick Alberta prime rib steak, grilled to medium rare and brushed with the same brown butter as the lobster.  The butter also got brushed on some good crusty bread and grilled.

Grilled Lobster Surf n Turf with Lemon Garlic Brown Butter

Grilled lemons to squeeze over the lobster and steak added a final flavour flourish to this sensational summer meal. If on the coming weekend, you are eating better than this, set another place at the table because I’m coming to your house!

2024 Update.

It’s July once again here in Newfoundland and we’ve been enjoying a bounty of fresh lobster in Ochre Pit Cove. Grilling has been a fabulous way to enjoy this delicacy, which came out of the ocean on the very same day! It’s certainly a major perk of living on this singular island. 

Enjoying fresh lobsters on a charcoal grill in Ochre Pit Cove, Newfoundland.

Like this Grilled Lobster Surf n Turf recipe?

You’ll find many other traditionally inspired Newfoundland dishes and baked goods in our Newfoundland Recipes Category. If you love seafood check out our Fish & Seafood Recipes Category.

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Grilled Lobster Surf n Turf with Lemon Garlic Brown Butter

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Grilled Lobster Surf n Turf with Lemon Garlic Brown Butter

Yield: 2 servings

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 2 minutes

Total Time: 27 minutes

An ultimate backyard barbecue feast, featuring smoky grilled lobster and steak with plenty of bright fresh herb flavours.

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Ingredients

For the Lemon Garlic Brown Butter

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• 1 cup butter
• 2 cloves finely minced garlic
• pinch white pepper
• juice of one lemon

For the Lemon Herb Steak

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• juice and zest of half a lemon
• salt and pepper to season
• 1 tbsp chopped oregano
• 1 tbsp chopped chives
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 12 - 16 ounce prime rib steak (about 1 inch thick)

For the Grilled Lobster

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• Approximately 1 1/2 pound lobsters
• chopped fresh herbs ( dill, tarragon, oregano and chives all work well)

Instructions

To prepare the Lemon Garlic Brown Butter

1. In a small pot over medium heat, heat the  butter until it begins to bubble then watch it very carefully for a few minutes until it begins to turn a light golden brown.
2. Remove from the heat and allow to sit for a minute or two before decanting the brown butter off of the browned milk solids in the bottom of the pan.
3. Pour the decanted hot butter over the minced garlic and whisk in the lemon juice.
4. Be sure to stir the butter each time before spooning it to serve.

To prepare the Lemon Herb Steak

1. Mix together the lemon, zest, salt, pepper, herbs and oil and pour over the steak in a ziplock bag.
2. Marinate for a half hour at room temperature before grilling to your desired internal temperature, about 3 1/2 minutes per side over high heat for medium rare.
3. In the last minute or so of cooking baste the steak on both sides with the Lemon Garlic Brown Butter turning several times. Let the steak rest for a few minutes before slicing and serving with the lobster.

To prepare the Grilled Lobster

1. Bring a large pot of water to a vigorous boil and par boil the lobster/s for 5 to 7 minutes, depending on size.
2. Remove from the water and quickly plunge them into a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking action.
3. After a few minutes, split the lobster straight down the middle with a sharp knife. Clean everything but the meat out of the shells.
4. Brush the lobster meat with the Lemon Garlic Brown butter and grill for 5 minutes, meat side down on a medium hot grill.
5. Turn over and generously sprinkle with the chopped fresh herbs.
6. Brush on more of the Lemon Garlic Brown Butter (At this point you can crack the claws and brush them with the butter as well if you like, then replace the shell).
7. Close the grill cover and cook for an additional 5 to 7 minutes.
8. Serve with the Lemon Garlic Brown Butter to dunk the lobster in and grilled lemon halves to squeeze over both the steak and the lobster.

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