Cherry-Smoked Surf & Turf: Bacon-Wrapped Filet & Butter-Basted Shrimp on the Z Grills

Grilled shrimp skewers and bacon-wrapped filet mignon served with garlic butter and lemon wedges

Cherry-Smoked Surf & Turf: Bacon-Wrapped Filet & Butter-Basted Shrimp on the Z Grills

Fire up your Z Grills and treat yourself to the ultimate Surf & Turf experience—bacon-wrapped filet mignon and jumbo shrimp basted in citrus garlic butter, all kissed with the subtle sweetness of cherry wood smoke. This easy yet luxurious recipe delivers bold flavor and steakhouse-quality results, all from your backyard grill.

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 1 10

Total Time 1 30

Equipment

Z Grills cherry pellets
Z GRILLS 10002B2E

Ingredients

For the Filet:

1 ½ to ¾ lb filet mignon
1-2 slices bacon
Your favorite steak rub

For the Shrimp:

20 jumbo shrimp peeled, deveined, tails on
Shrimp rub your favorite blend
3-4 Skewers Flat so shrimp won't spin

Garlic Butter Baste:

1½ sticks salted butter
3-5 garlic cloves minced
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp chopped Italian parsley
½ tsp orange zest
½ tsp lemon zest
½ tsp lime zest

Instructions

1. Prep the Filet
Wrap the filet mignon with bacon and secure with toothpicks if needed.
Season generously with your favorite steak rub.
2. Prep the Shrimp
Peel and devein the shrimp, leaving the tails on.
Skewer the shrimp evenly on sticks.
Season both sides with your shrimp rub.
3. Make the Butter Baste
In a small grill-safe pan, add:
- Butter, garlic, Worcestershire, parsley, and citrus zest (orange, lime, lemon).
Place it on the grill later to melt and infuse.
4. Fire Up the Grill
Load cherry pellets (or your favorite) into your Z Grills.
Set the temperature to 275°F and let it preheat.
5. Start Cooking
Place the bacon-wrapped filet on the middle shelf.
Place the butter baste pan next to it to melt and infuse.
Let cook for about 40–45 minutes, basting the filet with butter at the 40-minute mark.
6. Crank Up the Heat
Remove the filet and butter sauce from the grill.
Turn the Z Grills up to 450°F (or max temp).
Once preheated, move the filet to the bottom shelf.
Sear until your preferred doneness, basting generously with the garlic butter as it cooks.
7. Grill the Shrimp
When the steak is done, remove and let rest.
Add shrimp skewers to the bottom shelf.
Grill for 2 minutes total, flipping once halfway.
Baste 4–5 times with the garlic butter while grilling.
8. Rest and Serve
Let both the steak and shrimp rest a few minutes before plating.
Serve together, drizzle with remaining garlic butter, and enjoy that smoky cherry wood flavor.

Notes

Chef trimming filet mignon before wrapping it in bacon on a wooden Z Grills cutting board — Preparing a tender filet mignon on a Z Grills cutting board—trimming before wrapping with bacon for the perfect surf and turf.

Bacon-wrapped filet mignon being seasoned with salt on a wooden cutting board — Gloved hands season a thick-cut filet mignon wrapped in bacon, prepping it for the grill in a classic surf and turf recipe.

Raw jumbo shrimp seasoned with dry rub on a wooden cutting board — Jumbo shrimp seasoned with a flavorful dry rub, ready to be skewered and grilled to perfection on the Z Grills.

Bacon-wrapped filet and garlic butter pan cooking on the top rack of a Z Grills pellet grill — Bacon-wrapped filet mignon and a pan of citrus garlic butter slow-cooking over cherry wood pellets inside a Z Grills pellet grill.

Bacon-wrapped filet mignon being basted with garlic butter on a pellet grill — Brushing garlic butter over a sizzling bacon-wrapped filet mignon during the final sear on a Z Grills pellet grill.

Shrimp skewers grilling on a Z Grills with garlic butter basting — Jumbo shrimp skewers basted with citrus garlic butter as they cook over cherry wood pellets on a Z Grills pellet grill.

Cost: 35

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: BBQ