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May 15, 2018 · Leave a Comment

How to Cook Scallops

30-Minutes or Less· 5-Ingredient or Less· Basics· Egg-Free· Gluten-Free· How To· Keto· Main Dish· Nut-Free· Recipe· Shellfish· Soy-Free

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How to Cook Scallops Pinterest Collage

This guide will teach you how to cook scallops the easy way!

raw scallops seasoned with salt and pepper

Today we’re talking about how to cook scallops in partnership with DeLallo Food’s “How To Month”!

Scallops are incredibly easy to prepare but they tend to get a bad wrap for being “difficult” to cook without becoming dry or sticking to the pan unless you use a nonstick pan.

Well, obviously there’s no nonstick pans here, just good ole cast iron which is the perfect vessel for cooking scallops since it heats evenly and sears perfectly.

If you’ve read a few of my past posts you may already know I was once a very, very picky eater.  For real – had I started a recipe website 5 or 6 years ago it would be 101 ways to cook a chicken breast on a George Foreman grill dot com.  Doesn’t quite roll off the tongue, does it?

Anyway, after I met my wife she pushed me to become a more adventurous eater, and after I had my first bite of good seafood I was hooked.  Up until this point, an occasional piece of grilled tilapia or a Long John Silver’s drive-thru meal was the extent of my experiences with seafood.  It was as though a whole new world had opened up for me… salmon, shrimp, even sushi were all foods I was experiencing for the first time as a twenty-something.

The first time I had a good sea scallop my world was completely rocked.  It was in South Carolina the evening of the day I proposed to Lauren, and the scallop was the second best thing that happened to me that day, but had it been any other day it would have easily been the best. Since then I have never really looked back.

Let’s get to it!

TIPS FOR HOW TO COOK SCALLOPS:

  • Source DRY scallops – In the seafood market there are two types of sea scallops, dry and wet. Wet scallops are soaked in a solution of phosphates for the sole purpose of adding water weight. That water will evaporate when cooking which leaves the scallops dry, chewy, and less flavorful. Scallops should taste briny, just like the sea they came out of. If your fish market doesn’t know (which it should!) if their scallops are dry or wet a simple way to tell is the color. Wet scallops typically appear bright white whereas dry scallops have an orange or red hue.

  • Cook on day 1 or 2 – Don’t store scallops for very long after purchasing as they will dry out, It’s best to cook them the day you buy them or the very next.

  • Remove the tendons – This sounds harder than it is, all you need to do is peel away the small, rough-textured crescent-shaped tendon and discard.

  • Cook them last – As part of a meal, scallops should always be cooked last since they take a very short amount of time. Cook and plate your sides so once they are cooked you’re ready to eat.

That’s it, pretty simple!

Cooked scallops in pan with lemon

Making scallops for the first time? Be sure to tag @castiron_keto and @Delallofoods on Instagram with a photo of your masterpiece!

Also, be sure to check out the rest of their “How To” guides like How to Cook Asparagus!

how to cook scallops

How to Cook Scallops

This guide will show you how to easily cook scallops at home lending perfect results, every time.
5 from 1 vote
Print Rate Pin Recipe
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: how-to, seafood, seared scallops, tutorial
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories: 136kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1.5 lbs dry sea scallops
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Instructions

  • Place the scallops on a baking sheet lined with paper towels and allow to sit and dry at room temperature for 10 minutes. Blot the tops with a paper towel to remove excess moisture..
  • Season the scallops generously with salt and pepper.
  • Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a cast iron skillet over high heat just until smoking. Add scallops in a single layer and sear 1 ½ – 2 minutes until a golden brown crust forms.
  • Flip and sear another minute. Add in the butter and lemon slices, using a spoon to coat the scallops with the sauce. Serve immediately.

Video

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
How to Cook Scallops
Amount Per Serving
Calories 136 Calories from Fat 63
% Daily Value*
Fat 7g11%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Cholesterol 32mg11%
Sodium 445mg19%
Potassium 232mg7%
Carbohydrates 4g1%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 14g28%
Vitamin A 58IU1%
Calcium 7mg1%
Iron 1mg6%
*

Nutritional values are estimates only and do not include carbs from sugar alcohols.

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✨ Blueberry Hot Fudge Cake ✨ This 30-minute d ✨ Blueberry Hot Fudge Cake ✨  This 30-minute dessert is absolutely decadent while being totally plant-based, low-carb, and grain-free thanks to some of our go-to ingredients from Bob's Red Mill. Grab some ice cream and a spoon and dig in! Recipe can be found at castironketo.net, just search “blueberry cake.” 

#bakedwithbobs #keto #plantbased #veganrecipes
Two pasta recipes in two weeks?! #sorrynotsorry. W Two pasta recipes in two weeks?! #sorrynotsorry. We’re obsessed with @kaizenfoodco low-carb pasta and didn’t intend to post this Cajun “Chicken” Alfredo Pasta as a full-fledged recipe here on CIK but one bite in and we knew it was too good not to share! Grab the recipe link in our bio!⁠
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