Cooking scallops on the grill may seem intimidating at first, but it’s actually the easiest way to make sure you don’t overcook this expensive ingredient. Grilling over high heat prevents the scallops from becoming overly chewy and adds a touch of desirable smoke to contrast to their natural sweetness.
Marinating the scallops first locks in flavor and helps to retain their desirable moisture and texture. We’ve shared a basic butter mixture above for a marinade, but you can make this more complex as desired. Some chefs will use other ingredients, such as honey, to increase the sweetness of the dish, or a spicy seasoning for a kick.
There are lots of varieties of scallops, but keep an eye out for types labeled sea scallops in your local grocery store. Other options, such as small bay scallops, will be slightly too small to grill.
How to Prepare Scallops for Grilling
If you’re wondering how you grill scallops, then the easiest way is to marinate them first. This step helps to lock in moisture and ensures you have the most flavorful final dish after grilling.
As in the recipe above, you can also reserve some of this sauce to pour over the top afterwards for even more flavor. It’s possible to quickly marinate scallops, but if you can set them aside for an hour you will get better results in your final dish.
Don’t leave them for longer than one hour, however, otherwise the scallops can start to get a little tough. Once you’re happy with the marinade, transfer them onto a skewer for grilling.
This means you can grill the scallops in batches and makes it easier when you need to turn them during cooking. And, if it’s no longer grilling season, then you can fry scallops in a skillet over high heat on the stove instead, if you want to make this dish during the colder months.
Plating Ideas for Fine Presentation
Grilled scallops look irresistibly inviting when freshly presented on a platter, still on the skewer, with lemon wheels scattered around the scallops. You can also garnish the scallops with torn fresh parsley to elevate the presentation.
If preferred, it’s possible to plate the scallops individually, and serve with a lemon wedge and a sprinkling of colorful herbs, for a more refined plate.
You should now be equipped with all the information you need to know how to grill scallops. If you’re keen to explore other cooking methods with this sweet seafood ingredient, take a look at our round-up of five irresistible scallops recipes.
From a simple recipe for scallops in tomato sauce to elevated scallops wrapped in pancetta, this is a powerhouse of an ingredient from the sea that can be used in a variety of tasty recipes.
