Heck Yes, You Can (and Should) Grill Scallops!
Cooking sea scallops can seem tricky—they’re pricey, so right away you’re worried about ruining your precious bounty. You really want to do right by those milky-hued, stout and meaty cylinders, but the question is how? How best to cook them? While grilling scallops may sound crazy, it’s actually the perfect way to cook them! Quick, high heat is ideal for a food that you want to be certain not to overcook, and a light, quick kiss of char and smoke brings these gorgeous shellfish to life.
A Brief Scallop Lesson, For the Mollusk-Curious.
Think of this as your Scallops 101 CliffsNotes. Scallops—like oyster, clams and mussels—are bivalve mollusks, meaning they’re soft-bodied invertebrates that live inside of a two-part shell that hinges in the middle. Unlike its other bivalve counterparts, though, the part of the scallop we eat is the abductor muscle—the part of the scallop that opens and closes the shell. Globally, there are hundreds of species of scallop, and they can be found in all sorts of conditions—from shallow seabeds, to deep water. Thankfully, for this grilled scallop recipe, all you need to know is that you want to look for scallops labeled “sea scallops”, not the sweet but diminutive bay scallops, which are far too small to grill on skewers. As far as making a sustainable choice—always a consideration when it comes to seafood!—the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s wonderful Seafood Watch site says to buy farmed sea scallops and weathervane scallops caught in Alaska. Although inexpensive or bulk frozen scallops may seem like a deal, they’re often pumped full of salt-and-water preservative solutions that actually mean you’re getting a less-flavorful product and are also ultimately paying extra for the bulk that the addition of a preservative adds. When in doubt, go to a fishmonger you trust, and just buy the very best you’re able to afford.
The Greatest, Most Delicious, Best Grilled Scallops Marinade, Ever. In History. End of Story.
Alright, enough nerding out. Let’s get cooking! While we’d never want to overpower their sweet, delicate flavor, sea scallops can benefit from a quick marinade made from a few carefully chosen ingredients. Before these scallops hit the grill, we give them a quick marinade in a combination of:
- Olive oil
- Honey
- Lemon juice
- Garlic
- Pimentón (Spanish smoked paprika)
How To Grill Scallops
If the idea of grilling scallops calls to mind an image of standing over a hot fire while trying to keep 25 little individual sea scallops from falling between the grates of your grill, we’ve got one word for you: SKEWERS. There! Now you’re feeling more confident about this scallop recipe already, aren’t you? Here’s how to do it:
- Marinate the scallops for an hour in the fridge. Don’t let them marinate more than an hour—if you’ve got to err, err on the side of less than an hour rather than more.
- Skewer the scallops! 4-5 scallops per skewer. Work somewhat quickly—the scallops will be easier to grill if they’re still cold from the fridge.
- Grill the scallops! Brush the grill with oil first, then lay the skewered scallops on the grill. On a nice, hot grill, they will take 2-3 minutes per side. If you’re feeling unsure, you can always slice one open to check for doneness.
- Eat the scallops! The best part!
And Because We Cannot Live on Grilled Scallops Alone...
Wondering what to serve with grilled scallops? Here are our favorite starters and side dishes to serve with these luxurious, restaurant-worthy grilled scallop skewers:
Look At You And Your Fancy Scallops!
If you make this scallop recipe, we want to hear about it! Snap a photo of your grilled scallops, and maybe even a video of the beautiful people you feed it to. Tag us on Instagram using @themodernproper and #themodernproper. Happy eating!
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