I’ve been craving crabs for a while now. Luckily it just happened to be exactly what my husband wanted for his birthday dinner! This surf and turf party board features well-seasoned steaks and succulent Dungeness crabs, served with Cajun butter pasta and roasted lemons. It’s a super easy, yet impressive meal that’s perfect for any special occasion!
Dungeness crab is my favorite type of crab because they’re meaty and are just so tender and juicy! It has a sweet and nutty flavor that pairs beautifully with my Cajun butter sauce.
Dungeness crab season traditionally runs from late November through July. You can buy them live at most Asian supermarkets all year long, or cooked and frozen in mainstream supermarkets. I purchased live ones from an Asian supermarket for $22.99/lb with each one weighing between 1.5 lbs to 3 lbs.
My Cajun Buttered Dungeness Crab is an easy recipe that cooks in only 30 minutes. I steam them for 15 minutes before roasting them for 5 minutes until perfection.
The Cajun butter sauce also doubles as a sauce for the pasta. I simply toss it with freshly cooked pasta and a bit of hot pasta water. It soaks up the sauce and is so addicting.
Ribeye steaks cooked with my favorite three-ingredient seasoning are always a hit – I get compliments on them every time! Although they’re basic ingredients, they create the perfect rub. The key is to sprinkle a light layer of seasoning onto the steak and rub it in before adding the next seasoning. This simple combo of just salt, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper brings out the flavor of the steak and adds heat without overpowering it.
I love using a board as a fun way to serve this steak and crab combo. I liked an extra-large baking sheet (21″x15″) with parchment paper sheets and arranged the whole roasted Dungeness crabs, grilled steaks, Cajun butter pasta, grilled lemons, and steamed veggies on top. For individual plates, I use these small 12” baking sheets and line them with parchment paper sheets.
For a pop of freshness and color, I added grilled lemons. The heat makes the lemons extra juicy and the char adds flavor.
All the recipes can easily be doubled or cut in half depending on how many guests you have and how hungry they are. I hope you enjoy these recipes with your loved ones too!
Cajun Dungeness Crab + Spaghetti
Ingredients
- 2 Dungeness crabs
- 1 cup butter 2 sticks
- ¼ cup onions minced
- ¼ cup parsley minced
- 2 tbsp Old Bay seasoning
- 2 tbsp Cajun seasoning any kind will do
- cayenne optional
Instructions
Cajun Butter Sauce Recipe
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Once the butter is melted, add garlic and onions and sauté until they are soft (about 3-4 minutes).
- Add the Old Bay and Cajun seasoning. Stir until combined and continue to sauté for 30 seconds.
- Turn off the heat and add the cilantro or parsley. Stir to combine.
Cajun Dungeness Crabs Recipe
- Steam dungeness crabs by filling a large pot with 1 inch of water and bring it to a boil over high heat. Place a steamer rack inside of the pot. If you don’t have a steamer rack, lightly bunch a long piece of foil into a rope and shape it into a loose spiral that fits into the bottom of the pot.
- Place the crabs back side up on the steamer rack. Cover and return the water to a full boil, about 1 minute. Reduce the heat to medium-high and steam until the crabs are cooked through, about 15 minutes more. Remove the crabs and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Place dungeness crabs back side up on a baking sheet. Spread ½ of the cajun butter sauce all over the dungeness crabs.
- Roast the dungeness crabs in the oven for 5 minutes.
Cajun Butter Pasta Recipe
- Cook pasta according to the directions on the box.
- Drain the pasta and reserve ¼ cup of hot pasta water.
- Add the pasta back to the pot and add the rest of the cajun butter sauce and ⅛ cup of the hot pasta water.
- Mix until pasta is covered with sauce. Add more pasta water if needed.
Grilled Ribeye Steak
Ingredients
- 2 8oz ribeye steaks
- 2 tbsp salt
- 2 tbsp garlic powder
- 1.5 tbsp cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Pat steaks dry with a paper towel.
- Sprinkle a thin layer of salt on one side of the steak and lightly rub it in. Repeat on the other side.
- Repeat the same process with garlic powder and then cayenne pepper. Not all of the seasoning has to be used.
- Marinate for at least 30 mins and up to 24 hours.
- Preheat a grill to high heat.
- Transfer seasoned steaks to the hot grill, and cook for 4 to 6 minutes on each side or until medium-rare, longer if desired.
Grilled Lemons
Ingredients
- 1 lemon
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Cut the lemons in half.
- Drizzle the olive oil on the cut side of the lemon.
- Set the lemons cut side down on a hot grill or frying pan.
- Cook until the lemons are heated through and charred, about 3 minutes.
