Preparing Scallops at Home



Posted: Friday, September 11, 2009

by Brant Reed

Few foods taste better than perfectly cooked scallops, but how do we prepare them without making them taste like rubber? With scallops it is crucial to keep cooking times short. Simply put, they should be served rare. Overcooked scallops have poor taste, tough texture and they give seafood a bad name!

They can be pan-fried, broiled, baked, sauted, grilled or eaten raw. In this article, we will discuss the pan-fried and grilled cooking methods. In my opinion, these two cooking methods deliver the best tasting scallop. Pan-frying brings out the intense flavor combinations of the herb, butter and wine in combination with the scallops. On the other hand, grilling produces the crusty outer, texture desired by seafood lovers. This texture is best achieved by searing. Before cooking, rinse them off under cold water and pat dry. Remove and discard the small side muscle. When purchasing, ask for dry packed scallops. If they were frozen, completely thaw before cooking. Some scallops have excess moisture inside of them, to remove this moisture, place them between paper towels. Gently press on the covered scallops, with the palm of your hand, to release any excess moisture.

Let's talk about pan-frying. We want to use a hot, oiled pan to caramelize our scallops. Heating olive oil with a splash of white wine and some fresh herbs gets the pan perfectly prepared to start our cook. Make sure they are completely dry before placing them into our oil mixture. Add the scallops and watch them carefully. Approximately one minute into cooking, turn them over. After flipping, place some butter in the pan and caramelize. When scallops are no longer translucent or clear, they are done. Serve them while they are still warm.

Let's talk about grilling. We want a clean, hot and oiled grill to cook our scallops. Spray or brush them on all sides with oil and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Thread them onto skewers; make sure they are flat, so they cook evenly. Grill over direct heat for approximately two to three minutes, or until they are opaque in the center. By using a clean, hot and oiled grill, you will achieve the crusty texture we previously discussed.

In my opinion, some of the most expensive foods are best cooked at home. Take time and find quality, dry packed scallops. They may be a little more expense, but the sweet taste more than makes up for the cost. As we have learned, quality scallops can be cooked at home with little preparation, in a short period of time.

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Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)
» left by Chef Will from Oregon Coast 2 years 220 days ago.
Why would you advise people to heat up oil and wine together? For the oil to be hot enough to sear the scallop, the wine would sputter and pop out of the pan and burn someone. Deglazing with wine is okay, but only when the scallops are almost finished. Who taught you to cook?
» left by Brant Reed 2 years 220 days ago.
4 fans.
I'm writing about cooking methods I've used. I don't claim to be an expert Chef, but I do appreciate your comment. I will try your method, it sounds like it will taste great.
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