Why don't my scallops sear properly?

[GB]

Attie, wet scallops have had a liquid injected into them. It makes them moist and adds weight so they get more money for less product.

Dry pack scallops do not have liquid injected so they are a higher quality scallop. They are more expensive then the wet ones because of this.

dmb88886, something you can try is broiling your scallops. That way the heat source is above the scallops so you are not trying to brown the side in the liquid if there is any.

[attie]

Thanks GB, Wikipedia tells us that they are treated with sodium tripolyphosphate to help preserve and gain weight so obviously we have only dry scallops here locally and 99% come with the roe on. To me the roe is the best part

[BreezyCooking]

Regardless of the pan heat, if you're getting a LOT of liquid out of your scallops, & they were reasonably priced, you most likely did not get "dry-pack" scallops. No amount of patting with paper towels are going to save them. Been there, done that. Plus, since the chemicals involved are basically a preservative & whitener (to make them look nicer in the display case), you really have no idea how long those scallops have been sitting there. This is yet another reason why dry-pack scallops cost more - there's no disguising their freshness.

I never buy anything other than dry-pack scallops anymore. Not only do I not like chemicals in my food (as much as I can avoid them), but I don't like the fact that I'm paying extra for them just so those scallops can look pristinely white & fresh & weigh more because of said chemicals. Yuck.

Next time, try to come across true dry-packs & try your recipe again. I'm sure you'll be pleasantly pleased & surprised at how nicely & quickly they sear up.

[DramaQueen]

Originally Posted by attie

Thanks GB, Wikipedia tells us that they are treated with sodium tripolyphosphate to help preserve and gain weight so obviously we have only dry scallops here locally and 99% come with the roe on. To me the roe is the best part

Scallop Roe?? I never heard of this before. I didn't know scallops had roe. I learned something today. Look at this: The red stuff is the roe.

[pugger]

Originally Posted by dmb88886

Hi, i'm new to this forum, first post.

I made scallops last night, and for the 2nd time this happened to me. I go to sear it (used a stainless steel pan) on a pretty high temperature and they started out searing nicely on the first side, and I flipped them over, and next thing you know all this juice comes out of the scallops and there is a ton of juice in the bottom of the pan and can no longer be seared. All I did was toss the scallops with olive oil, kosher salt and pepper. I also did pat them dry after rinsing them.

I remember last time I tried cooking scallops the same thing happeend.

Anybody have a clue as to why?

I don't know about the 'why' & apologize if already answered but I would use 2 pans, you've got good success on 1 side so an extra pan ready to go gets the other side, just a thought

[DramaQueen]

I think i mentioned this before in an earlier post. Instead of agonizing over it why not just drain the liquid as it accumulates? Pretty soon there is no more liquid and your scallops will brown beatifully. Just be sure not to overcook them.

[ChefJune]

Originally Posted by Caslon

Melting a pat of butter at the end will sear them.

No, that won't sear anything. Searing takes place when the item first hit the pan, if it's going to happen at all. You need to have your product dry, and you need to have the pan hot enough that you hear a definits "sssssssssh" as you put each piece into the hot pan. The second side often doesn't sear, but doesn't really have to, as long as your top is beautifully browned.

If your unwrap your scallops and they are sitting in any kind of pool of liquid, they were treated, no matter what the market tells you about them being "dry" or "day-boat" or any such. Chemically treated scallops will always give off liquid in the pan, no matter how hard you try to dry them before cooking, and they will (at best) always have the faint but discernible taste of soapsuds.

[ChefJune]

Originally Posted by attie

Thanks GB, Wikipedia tells us that they are treated with sodium tripolyphosphate to help preserve and gain weight so obviously we have only dry scallops here locally and 99% come with the roe on. To me the roe is the best part

I quite agree, Wayne! If only we could get them in their shells with the roe! Sometimes restaurants can get those, but only "in season," and still, only sometimes.

[DramaQueen]

[quote=ChefJune;663572]No, that won't sear anything. Searing takes place when the item first hit the pan, if it's going to happen at all.

I respect your opinions ChefJune but I gotta argue the point about searing. I do this all the time and I get gorgeous, golden brown scallops. Wonder why it works for me and not for you.

[jennyema]

[quote=DramaQueen;663623]

Originally Posted by ChefJune

No, that won't sear anything. Searing takes place when the item first hit the pan, if it's going to happen at all.

I respect your opinions ChefJune but I gotta argue the point about searing. I do this all the time and I get gorgeous, golden brown scallops. Wonder why it works for me and not for you.

Chef June was disagreeing with the comment that adding butter at the end of cooking will sear the scallops.

She's right. The butter doesn't sear the scallops. The hot pan does.
You can sear scallops using butter, for sure, but it's not the butter that does the searing.