More specifically, this is snow crab with a hand trimmed Manhattan filet. You can't really mess up the snow crab legs, they are already cooked and you're just need to warm them up. The steak is as simple as you can get but it sounds like you worked hard to "hand trim" the filet. It makes you sound like a meat wizard and lets you be the hero of your back yard cookout.
I like the Manhattan filet because you don't need a huge portion since you're also eating the crab but it still lets you have a thicker steak rather than a thin one. It starts with getting good 1 1/4" strip steak like these Certified Angus Beef steaks that I got at my local supermarket. You'll also need a sharp knife (I prefer a boning knife) and about 2 feet of kitchen twine for each strip steak.
Then it is simple as 1, 2, 3.
 |
| 1) Cut the strip steak in half, 2) trim off the edge of fat, and 3) shape the steak into a round portion and tie with kitchen twine. |
If you have a bigger appetite, by all means, you could always serve a whole strip steak with this. You'll need a grill safe container for the crab legs. I like to use half steam pans as shown but you could use stone ware, grill safe pans, or even make a really big "hobo pack" out of foil like the Scouts do.
Grilled Surf and Turf
serves 4
Ingredients
- 2-3 pounds snow crab legs
- imitation spray butter
- seafood seasoning such as Old Bay or Dizzy Pig Raging River
- 1/2 cup water, beer, or white wine
- 4 Manhattan filets
- 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt
- 3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 lemons sliced in half
- 1/2 cup clarified butter
- Set up your grill for indirect heat (see picture below) and preheat your grill to 450°F.
- Spritz the crab legs with imitation butter spray. This will help the seafood seasoning stick. Then season the crab legs liberally with the seafood seasoning. It's pretty hard to over season it since it stays on the outside of the shell.
- Place the crab legs in a steam pan or other container, add the 1/2 cup of water, beer, or wine. Seal the top with foil. Place the packet on the grill over the indirect heat (burners underneath off), shut the grill lid, and cook for 8 minutes.
- Meanwhile season the steaks evenly with the salt, pepper, and garlic.
- Clean and lightly oil your grill grates that are over the direct heat (burners underneath on).
- Place your steaks over direct heat and cook for 4 minutes. Rotate your steaks a quarter turn at 2 minutes if you want cross hatch marks. Keep the lid closed, your crab legs are still heating.
- Flip the steaks and add the lemon halves, cut side down. Cook the steak until they reach 125°F for medium rare - about 4 minutes of cook time. (For medium cook until 135°F, about 5-6 minutes)
- Remove all from the grill, let the steaks rest for 3-5 minutes and keep the crab legs sealed.
- Carefully open the crab leg packet using tongs and heat/liquid resistant gloves (steam burns, yo) and squirt with the juice from the grilled lemon halves. Serve 1-2 clusters with clarified butter and a steak.
I did this one on a gas grill in part because I know the majority of people use gas grills. But also because I am enjoying my new Char-Broil 3 burner Commercial series grill this Spring, it has quickly become my favorite gas grill I have ever owned. I need to do a write up on this grill but I love the way the TRU-infrared heat emitters cook and I like the grill's simple styling. See disclosure at the end but I'm not getting paid to say any of this.
 |
| The basic indirect set up. The pan is where the crab legs would be and the lid would be closed. Notice that only the far left burner is on. |
 |
| The imitation butter spray is just to help the seasoning stick. You could just spray chicken broth or water if you want to instead. |
 |
| To give you an idea of how much seasoning to use, just sprinkle until it's coated on both sides like this. I'd guess 2-3 tablespoons but it's more about coverage than a measurement. |
 |
| Have everything ready to go before you start and this will be an easy cook. |
 |
| To clarify butter, just put a stick in a half into a pot and put it on your side burner over medium low heat until it simmers awhile and the fat/solids separate as shown on the left. Then just scoop off the fats with a spoon. Carefully pour the clear butter into a dish, leaving the solids on the bottom of the pan. |
 |
| Grilling the lemons concentrates their natural flavors and really adds to the crab legs. |
 |
| We planned on grilling asparagus with this but somebody (i.e. me) forgot until we were in the middle of eating. |
Beef vs Pork - Which is the real BBQ?
My recent post for the Char-Broil Allstars is showdown between pork and beef in the smoker. I know, fightin' words, right?
Hop over there to see which one reigns supreme.
[Standard FTC Disclaimer] I am a member of the Char-Broil Allstars and have a compensation package with them but this is not a sponsored post.
