How Long To Cook Sea Scallops On The Grill

Simple, easy and delicious: the perfect recipe. Learn how to grill scallops for your new favorite summer dish that's as light and healthy as it is tasty.

When summer hits, we all feel compelled to use the grill as much as possible. After all, some of our favorite recipes get that extra boost from a good sear on the barbie. But there's more to grilling season than burgers, steak and salmon. This summer opt instead for a new protein: scallops.

Our Best Scallop Recipes

Scallops with Linguine

A buttery garlic sauce zips up a bowlful of linguine, bay scallops and veggies. Celebrate something special or toast the end of another workday with this dish that's perfectly sized for two. —Paula Jones, Brooksville, Florida

Curry Scallops and Rice

Buttery scallops, colorful pepper strips and a fast rice mix tinged with curry...what's not to love about this stress-free main dish? —Tina Bellows, Racine, Wisconsin

Bacon-Wrapped Scallops with Pineapple Quinoa

This is the first recipe I developed using quinoa as an ingredient. My husband thoroughly enjoyed helping me test this recipe­. This is a special dish that can be easily prepared in under 30 minutes.—Laura Greenberg, Lake Balboa, California

Spicy Mango Scallops

This sweet and spicy seafood combo gives off enough heat to make the whole family warm up to its great flavors! Be sure to buy the larger sea scallops for this recipe; cooking times would be off for the smaller bay scallops. —Nicole Filizetti, Jacksonville, Florida

Seafood Cakes with Herb Sauce

Living near the ocean, I have a wide variety of seafood available to experiment with in recipes. This one uses salmon and scallops, but shrimp, crab, lobster, or any firm white fish, such as halibut or even cod, would work equally as well. — Elizabeth Truesdell, Petaluma, California

White Seafood Lasagna

We make lasagna with shrimp and scallops as part of the traditional Italian Feast of the Seven Fishes. Every bite delivers a tasty "jewel" from the sea. —Joe Colamonico, North Charleston, South Carolina

Citrus Scallops

My husband and I like to eat seafood at least once a week. Oranges and lemon juice give scallops a refreshing burst of flavor. —Cheri Hawthorne, North Canton, Ohio

Thai Scallop Saute

Just open a bottle of Thai peanut sauce to give this seafood stir-fry some serious authenticity. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

Breaded Sea Scallops

I never liked seafood until my husband urged me to try scallops, and now I love them. He says my breaded version is the best he's ever had. A tip I learned was to put them on a paper-towel-topped plate to soak up excess oil. —Martina Preston, Willow Grove, Pennsylvania

Stir-Fried Scallops and Asparagus

Served over quick-cooking ramen noodles, this stir-fry is perfect for busy families on hurried weeknights. Not only do we love the taste, but it comes together in about half an hour. —Barbara Schindler, Napoleon, Ohio

Spicy Seafood Stew

The hardest part of this quick and easy recipe is peeling and dicing the potatoes—and you can even do that the night before. Just place the potatoes in water and store them in the refrigerator overnight to speed up assembly the next day. —Bonnie Marlow, Ottoville, Ohio

Sea Scallops and Fettuccine

This luscious and lemony pasta dish is so easy, it's become one of our weekly meal mainstays. But it's also elegant enough to serve to guests. —Donna Thompson, Laramie, Wyoming

Scallops with Wilted Spinach

Two of my favorite foods are bacon and seafood. In this dish, I get them together with white wine, shallots and baby spinach. Serve with bread to soak up the tasty broth. —Deborah Williams, Peoria, Arizona

Southwestern Scallops

"My saucy sea scallops are popular at dinner parties-plus, they're in my repertoire of easy weekday meals. The seasoning gives the sweet shellfish a pleasant kick." —Maggie Fontenot, The Woodlands, Texas

Scallops with Chipotle-Orange Sauce

Kindle cozy conversation with these tender scallops in a spicy sauce. It's a surefire recipe for warming up a twosome in no time! —Jan Justice, Catlettsburg, Kentucky

Special Seafood Casserole

I first sampled this casserole at a baby shower and founds myself going back for more!

Skillet Sea Scallops

You'll want to slip this recipe into the front of your last-minute guests file. Pasta and mixed greens nicely complement the tender, citrusy shellfish. —Margaret E. Lowenberg, Kingman, Arizona

Spicy Fresh Seafood Cioppino

Using prepared pasta sauce makes this hearty and hot one-pot dinner a cinch. —Doris Mancini, Port Orchard, Washington

Pan-Fried Scallops with White Wine Reduction

I learned the art of wine reduction from a cooking class...the flavor is fabulous! Despite the fancy title, pan-fried scallops are easy to prepare. —Katherine Robinson, Glenwood Springs, Colorado

Coquilles St. Jacques for 1

Buttery scallops in rich, creamy sauce would be tough to share. Good thing you don't have to. —Betsy Esley, Lake Alfred, Florida

Soy-Glazed Scallops

Two thumbs-ups for scallops—an amazing dinner option and an excellent source of vitamin B-12 and heart-healthy minerals such as magnesium. —April Korando, Ava, Illinois

Seafood Pasta Delight

My friends thought it was a little strange that I packed a wok when I came to visit them. That was, until I prepared this wonderful shrimp and scallop pasta. It makes supper with those I care about a special occasion now. —Debbie Campbell, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia

Scallops in Shells

For a formal dinner, try my elegant scallop recipe as a first course. The buttery scallops are served in a rich, creamy sauce. —Jane Rossen, Binghamton, New York

Bacon-Wrapped Scallops with Pear Sauce

I enjoy cooking for my parents, and my bacon-wrapped scallops recipe is one of their favorites. If you prefer, replace the pear preserves with preserves or jam of a different flavor. —Ethan Hall, King, North Carolina

Sauteed Scallops & Shrimp Pasta

I created this tempting seafood pasta for my wife. It's a terrific meal served with crusty sourdough. If you don't like spice, skip the red pepper flakes. —George Levinthal, Goleta, California

Cedar Plank Scallops

The fishmonger at our local farmers market inspired me to try my hand at scallops cooked on a cedar plank. After a little experimenting, I was proud to serve this dish to friends. —Robert Halpert, Newburyport, Massachusetts

Seared Scallops with Citrus Herb Sauce

Be sure to pat the scallops with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture. This helps create that perfectly browned and flavorful scallop your better half will love. —April Lane, Greeneville, Tennessee

Caprese Scallop Stacks

Scallops and zucchini put a creative and tasty twist on the traditional caprese recipe. The red and green colors make it perfect for the Christmas season. —Roxanne Chan, Albany, California

Special Scallop Salad

What an easy way to fix a special and delicious meal. The balsamic, tarragon and honey blend beautifully. —Mary E. Relyea, Canastota, New York

Learning how to grill scallops will help you add another quick, versatile dish to your repertoire, perfect as an alternative to your go-to burger or as an accompaniment to a fruity summer cocktail. And it turns out that grilling scallops isn't too difficult to master. Here's what you need to know to grill them.

Go big

When shopping for scallops, keep your eyes out for ones on the larger side. These are more forgiving, while their smaller siblings risk becoming rubbery too quickly. Not sure about sizes? The big ones, also known as sea scallops, will amount to about 10 to 20 scallops per pound and will naturally be sweeter. Looking to get creative once when you start cooking? We're obsessed with these Cajun shrimp-and-scallop skewers.

Be selective

To prepare the perfect scallop, you have to be selective—not all scallops are created equal. When shopping, look for "dry" or "natural" scallops, or those that are unprocessed and have nothing added to them after harvest.

On the other hand, "wet" scallops are processed with a chemical called tripolyphosphate, which helps with preservation and water absorption to increase mass. However, these won't cook as well, won't caramelize, and are less flavorful. A good way to tell what you're dealing with? If there's a milk-like fluid in the seafood case, the scallops are most likely wet.

Also keep an eye out if the scallops are fresh or frozen. While frozen may be less expensive, they also won't be packed with as much taste as their fresh counterparts. Be sure to consume your scallops within three days of purchasing. But with recipes like these spicy mango scallops, you won't have any trouble finishing them in time.

Prep them right

To make sure scallops don't stick to the grill and flavor is maximized, keep the seafood as dry and cold as possible. Blot them with a dish towel to absorb excess moisture and keep them in the refrigerator until ready to cook. Meanwhile, make sure your grill is cleaned, coated with an oil with a high smoke point, like canola or grapeseed, and thoroughly heated before you put on the scallops. This will ensure they don't fall apart when you flip them and will develop that succulent golden crust.

Before you sear your scallops on the grill, though, you can season them with a bit of salt and pepper or whatever your recipe calls for (this scallop recipe uses a nice, bright seasoning blend). Just leave the marinades to your other grilled favorites—scallops will take on too much moisture if you marinate them. If you choose to apply a glaze instead of using dry spices, be sure to wait until the last possible second so they scallops don't absorb too much.

Cook them quickly

When your scallops are finally ready, again, be sure your grill is coated with oil so they do not stick. Then place them on your grate and grill over direct heat for 2 to 3 minutes per side. Don't go over 7 minutes—they'll become rubbery. In the case of scallops, it's best to err on the side of caution and undercook them. You can always toss them back on the grill for another minute.

When they've reached that perfect level of doneness, you can pull them off the grill. Be sure to serve them right away. Your guests won't be able to wait another minute!

Psst: Seafood is delish, but it has tons of health benefits, too. Read all about 'em here.

How Long To Cook Sea Scallops On The Grill

Source: https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/how-to-grill-scallops/

Posted by: jacksonforded.blogspot.com

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