“Before you make those delicious\u00a0pan-seared scallops, you need to\u00a0buy\u00a0the scallops. Unfortunately, that’s not always so simple.<\/p>\n
Like shrimp, fresh scallops can be sold under a bewildering array of names \u2014 such as “bay” scallops, “sea” scallops and “jumbo” scallops \u2014 that don’t necessarily indicate a specific size or weight. And then there’s the mysterious “diver” scallop. What do all these descriptions mean?<\/p>\n
Scallops Sizes<\/em> You may also see size designations that look like “U\/15” or “U\/10.” In these cases, the “U” stands for “under,” indicating that it would take fewer than 10 (or 15) of these to make up a pound. U\/10 scallops would be the biggest ones available.<\/p>\n Bay Scallops Alternate names: Sea Scallops<\/strong> Alternate names: Diver Scallops<\/strong> Aficionados say diver scallops are more ecological because the divers only pick the bigger, more mature scallops, while leaving the younger ones, which allows the population to replenish; whereas dragging with chains is indiscriminate and sweeps up other shellfish besides just scallops.<\/p>\n Fresh vs. Frozen Scallops<\/strong> Wet vs. Dry Packed Scallops<\/strong> Also, that phosphate solution is a common ingredient in soaps and detergents, and, not surprisingly, has a distinctly soap-like flavor. When you cook these scallops, all that extra liquid drains out and into the pan, so instead of searing them, you end up steaming them in something closely resembling soapy water. Source:<\/strong>\u00a0 wwwthespruce,\u00a0by Danilo Alfaro<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" “Before you make those delicious\u00a0pan-seared scallops, you need to\u00a0buy\u00a0the scallops. Unfortunately, that’s not always so simple. Like shrimp, fresh scallops can be sold under a bewildering array of names \u2014 such as “bay” scallops, “sea” scallops and “jumbo” scallops \u2014 that don’t necessarily indicate a specific size or weight. And then there’s the mysterious “diver” … Continue reading “Scallops – More Than You Ever Wanted to Know”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[21,112],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5413","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-entree-seafood","category-miscellaneous-information"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/margie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5413","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/margie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/margie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/margie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/margie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5413"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/margie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5413\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5420,"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/margie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5413\/revisions\/5420"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/margie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5413"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/margie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5413"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/margie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5413"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nRetailers should describe scallop sizes by a range of numbers indicating how many of them there would be in a pound. Designating scallops as “20\/30” would mean that it would take between 20 and 30 of them to make up a pound. The smaller the number is, the larger (by weight) the scallops are.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Bay scallops are among the smallest of the scallops, corresponding to 70\/120 using the numerical scale described above \u2014 meaning that there would be between 70 and 120 meats per pound of scallops. Bay scallops are particularly sweet and delicate, but not well suited for pan searing.<\/p>\n
\nCape scallops
\nNantucket scallops
\nChina scallops
\nCalico scallops
\nQueen scallops<\/p>\n
\nAt the opposite end of the size spectrum, sea scallops are the big boys \u2014 in the range of 10\/40 per pound or even bigger (U\/15 or U\/10, for instance). Reaching 1\u00bd to 2 inches in diameter, they can be pan seared much like a\u00a0filet mignon\u00a0\u2014 with high heat producing a\u00a0crispy outer crust, while leaving the center tender and medium to medium-rare.<\/p>\n
\nKing scallops
\nGreat scallops
\nDiver scallops
\nAlaskan scallops
\nJumbo scallops<\/p>\n
\nMost scallops are harvested by boats dragging chain nets across the ocean floor. Diver scallops are harvested by divers who jump into the water and collect them by hand. The term “diver” does not itself imply a size, but these divers generally pick the largest scallops they can find, so diver scallops tend to be in the 10\/30 range.<\/p>\n
\nJust because a scallop has never been frozen is no guarantee that it’s been properly handled on its journey from fishing boat to supermarket. Choosing between frozen and fresh depends on what’s available. If you live near the coast and have a reputable seafood purveyor, and plan to use the scallops the same day you buy them, fresh might be best. But a good IQF (individually quick frozen) scallop might be superior to a “fresh” supermarket scallop that’s five days old.
\nThaw frozen scallops overnight in the fridge. Don’t use a microwave and don’t thaw them at room temperature. In a pinch, you can defrost frozen scallops by sealing them in a plastic zipper bag and running cold (not warm or hot) water over them.<\/p>\n
\nScallops are often soaked in a phosphate solution that whitens them and makes them absorb more liquid, increasing their weight by as much as 30 percent. So you’re paying $15 to $20 (or more) per pound for\u00a0water.<\/p>\n
\nIf you want to avoid all that, look for scallops labeled “chemical free” or “dry packed.”<\/p>\n