surf and turf

American  

noun

1. a steak served with seafood or fish, especially filet mignon and lobster.

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Usage

What does surf and turf mean? Surf and turf is a dish consisting of both seafood and meat, usually lobster and steak. The word surf is a fanciful way of referring to the ocean or sea, where seafood comes from, and the word turf refers to grass or land—where cows graze. Surf and turf is basically a shorter and more fun way of saying meat and seafood together in a single dish. An abbreviated form of the term is surf-’n’-turf (which is sometimes spelled without the hyphens and with a different combination of apostrophes or none at all). When it refers to a particular dish on a menu, it’s typically used with the article the, and not a, as in I’d like to order the surf and turf (not a surf and turf). Because it essentially includes two main courses, surf and turf is usually considered an indulgent meal. Since steak and lobster are both usually expensive by themselves, surf and turf can be expensive. Although the classic surf and turf combination is lobster and steak, it can also include other kinds of seafood, such as shrimp or crab, and other types of meat, such as prime rib. Example: My favorite kind of surf and turf is shrimp piled on top of filet mignon.

Example Sentences

The other large-format dishes celebrate surf and turf.

From Washington Post • Apr. 1, 2022

Pros: A smokier flavor that would suit "surf and turf" better than the other methods.

From Salon • Jan. 1, 2022

Chopped Four winners return and the baskets contain ingredients reminiscent of the preliminary battle themes: wild game, steaks, surf and turf, and pork.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 7, 2021

Bethany: So we scurried back to our respective abodes … I had decreed that supper should be celebratory surf and turf.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 10, 2021

A few dishes labeled surf and turf include rack of lamb with scallops.

From New York Times • Jul. 3, 2017