Our Louisiana inspired surf and turf burger features two smashed beef patties with crispy edges, topped with Cajun-seasoned fried crawfish. Served on buttered buns with a spicy Cajun burger sauce, these burgers deliver a flavorful and crunchy kick.
If you’re searching for a really good burger recipe, you’ve found it! We often make smashed burgers on our Blackstone, so we decided to update an old favorite from our food blog—a surf and turf burger. We’ve revamped the classic recipe, turning it into a smashed burger with some Cajun inspiration.
If you’ve been following us for a while, you might remember our original surf and turf burger from seven years ago. It had a beef and shrimp patty topped with fresh lobster, blue marble cheese, bourbon bacon butter, and Cajun aioli—delicious but pretty complex.
In this updated version, Marrekus has simplified things with a Cajun-style surf and turf burger featuring fried crawfish and a straightforward burger sauce. It’s easier to make and just as tasty—hope you all love it!
What We Love About This Surf and Turf Burger Recipe
What is a Surf and Turf Burger?
A surf n turf burger is a twist on the classic burger, combining ingredients from both the land and sea. It typically features a beef patty paired with seafood toppings. This could be anything from fried crawfish, crab cakes, lobster tails, or shrimp. It’s a riff on a classic surf and turf dish which combines steak and seafood, usually lobster meat.
Ingredient Notes
Here are the ingredients you’ll need for surf and turf burgers:
- Ground beef: Use a good quality, higher-fat ground chuck for juicy, flavorful burgers. An 80/20 blend works well for smashing on the grill.
- Diamond Crystal Kosher salt: This brand is known for its lighter, flakier texture, which makes it easier to control seasoning levels. It’s less salty by volume than other kosher salts, so be mindful if substituting.
- Black pepper: Freshly ground black pepper enahnces the beef’s flavor.
- Crawfish tails: Use pre-cooked, peeled crawfish tails.
- Cajun seasoning: Adjust to taste for desired spiciness. Alternatively, use Creole seasoning.
- Lemon juice: Fresh lemon juice adds brightness and acidity.
- Hot sauce: Choose a Louisiana-style hot sauce to complement the Cajun seasoning. It adds a tangy heat that pairs well with the crawfish and burgers.
- Dijon mustard: Acts as a binding agent, helping the fish fry stick to the crawfish for a perfectly crispy coating
- Fish fry: This seasoned cornmeal coating adds a crispy texture to the fried crawfish. It’s essential for that authentic Southern crunch.
- Cheddar cheese: For melting over the burgers.
- Brioche bun: Our favorite burger buns.
- Neutral oil for frying crawfish: Use a high smoke point oil, like vegetable or peanut oil, for frying the crawfish.
- Olive oil: A light drizzle on the Blackstone adds a bit of richness to the burger patties and helps achieve a great sear.
Recipe Variations and Substitutions
Surf and turf burgers are a delicious twist on traditional burgers, combining land and sea flavors. Here are some different variations you can try:
- Crab cakes: Surf and turf burgers topped with homemade or store-bought crab cakes.
- Lobster tails: Top the burger with lobster tails. The lobster can be grilled, broiled, or sautéed, and served with a touch of garlic butter or lemon juice.
- Shrimp: Swap in shrimp for a different seafood option. Shrimp can be sautéed, grilled, or even fried, and can be seasoned in various ways to complement the beef.
Tools You’ll Need
Here are the kitchen tools and equipment you’ll need to make surf and turf burgers:
- Mixing Bowls: For combining the crawfish seasoning and for making the burger sauce.
- Heavy Bottom Pot: For frying the crawfish tails.
- Slotted Spoon: To remove the fried crawfish from the oil and drain them.
- Blackstone Griddle, Large Skillet, or Pan: For cooking the burger patties.
- Burger Press or Spatula: To smash the burger patties flat.
- Parchment Paper: To place between the burger press or spatula and the beef when smashing the patties.
- Meat Thermometer: To check the oil temperature for frying (360°F).
Cajun-Style Surf and Turf Burger Recipe
- Shape your ground chuck into 4 balls and set them aside.
- In a bowl, mix crawfish tails with Cajun seasoning, lemon juice, hot sauce, and Dijon mustard until everything’s well coated.
- Fill a medium pot halfway with canola oil and heat it up to 360°F. Toss the crawfish in fish fry, then fry them in the hot oil for about 3-4 minutes until they’re golden and crispy. Use a slotted spoon to take them out and let them drain on a wire rack.
- Heat a griddle, cast iron skillet, or stainless steel pan over medium-high heat and drizzle with olive oil. Butter the cut sides of your buns and toast them on the griddle for 1-2 minutes until they’re golden and crispy, then set them aside.
- Place your beef balls in the hot pan, then smash them flat using parchment paper and a burger press or spatula.
- Season with salt and pepper, cook for 1-2 minutes until crispy, flip, add a slice of cheese to the top of the burger patty, and cook for another minute until the cheese is melted.
- Combine mayo, ketchup, hot sauce, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and Cajun seasoning in a small bowl. Stir it up and adjust the seasoning to your taste.
- Spread Cajun burger sauce on the bottom bun, stack 2 patties on it, top with crispy crawfish, and add more sauce to the top bun. Add your favorite toppings and enjoy!
Recipe Tips for the Best Surf and Turf Burgers
- Chill Beef: Before forming patties, chill the ground beef in the refrigerator so that it’s easier to handle.
- Season Crawfish: For the crispiest, most flavorful crawfish, ensure they are well-seasoned with Cajun spices before coating them in the fish fry.
- Maintain Oil Temperature: Keep the oil at 360°F to ensure the crawfish cook evenly and stay crispy. Too hot, and they’ll burn; too cool, and they’ll be greasy.
- Preheat the Griddle: Make sure your flat top griddle or pan is properly preheated before cooking the patties. This ensures a good sear and crispy edges.
What Goes with Fried Crawfish Surf and Turf Burgers
Crispy fries seasoned with Cajun spices, a tangy, creamy coleslaw, grilled corn on the cob, fried pickles, or baked beans all pair perfectly with these Cajun-style smashed burgers.
Summary
These Louisiana inspired surf and turf burgers are a game-changer, combining the best of both worlds with juicy beef patties and crispy fried crawfish. With a spicy burger sauce and buttered buns, each bite delivers a satisfying crunch and amazing flavor.
Surf and Turf Burger Recipe with Fried Crawfish
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Ingredients
- 12 ounces ground beef
- 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal Kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- ½ pound crawfish tails
- 3 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoon hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ cup fish fry
- 4 slices cheddar cheese
- 2 brioche Brioche buns toasted
- 3 teaspooons canola oil divided
- Neutral oil for frying crawfish
- Olive oil for drizzling on Blackstone
Cajun Burger Sauce
- ¼ cup Mayo
- ¼ cup Ketchup
- 2 teaspoons hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
Instructions
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Prepare Burger Patties: Form the ground chuck into 4 3-ounce balls and set aside.
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Season Crawfish Tails: In a bowl, combine crawfish tails, Cajun seasoning, lemon juice, hot sauce and Dijon mustard. Mix until tails are completed coated.
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Preheat Oil: Fill a medium sized heavy bottom pot half way with canola oil and heat to 360°F.
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Fry Crawfish: Toss the crawfish in the fish fry and cook for 3-4 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a wire rack to drain. .
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Cook Burgers: Heat a heavy bottom cast iron or stainless steel pan over medium high heat and drizle with olive oil. Place beef balls on the hot griddle, then use a piece of parchment paper and a burger press (or a spatula) to smash them flat.
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Season with salt and pepper, and cook for about 1-2 minutes until the edges are crispy. Flip, add a slice of cheese, and cook for another minute until the cheese is melted and the burgers are browned.
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Make Sauce: Mix the mayo, ketchup, hot sauce, lemon juice, Dijon and Cajun seasoning together in a small bowl. Stir well until incorporated. Adjust seasoning to taste.
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Assemble Burger: Slater bottom bun with Cajun burger sauce, stack 2 patties on the bun, top with fried crawfish tails and add more sauce to top bun. Service with favorite toppings.
The post Surf and Turf Burger Recipe with Fried Crawfish appeared first on Cooks with Soul.
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