How to Cook Scallops by Julie

I love ordering scallops at restaurants, don’t you? But did you know how easy they are to make in your own kitchen?

So many people don’t make scallops at home because they think they are too difficult to prepare. It’s so not true! It’s super simple and they cook really fast, too.

Let me show you how!

 
 

I like to buy dry-packed scallops. There’s nothing added to them and they work great in many recipes. If you can only find wet-packed scallops, those will work fine too. And if you can buy fresh sea scallops, that’s awesome! And you can skip the first step of defrosting them.

I like to keep a bag of frozen scallops in my freezer just in case I crave them. (I even like to add them to this fried rice recipe!)

I never make the entire bag so I remove just what I need to cook and place those in a resealable plastic bag.

 
 

Place the bag in a bowl with cold water to defrost. It takes less than 15 minutes. Flip the bag over halfway through.

If you want to defrost the scallops for a longer period of time, make sure you place the bowl in the refrigerator.

 
 

Once defrosted (or just straight away if fresh), place the scallops on a plate with clean paper towels. Use the paper towels to pat them dry. You want the scallops as dry as possible to get a nice sear on them, otherwise they’ll just steam in the pan.

Season both sides of the scallops with salt and pepper.

 
 

Heat a cast iron skillet for 5 minutes on medium high. In the last minute, add ½ tablespoon butter to the skillet.

Once the butter melts, add the scallops to the skillet and cook for one minute on each side. Don’t overcook them!

 
 

See the nice sear? Cook the scallops on each side for 60 to 90 seconds.

 
 

Remove the scallops and add another tablespoon of butter to the skillet. Melt it and add fresh lemon juice. Mix together.

 
 

Pour the lemon butter sauce into a bowl for serving.

 
 

Serve the lemon butter sauce on top the scallops. Squeeze additional fresh lemon juice on top if you want more.

 
 

I like to eat scallops with broccoli. You can serve it with pasta or rice, too.

Have you made scallops before? What’s your favorite way to enjoy them? I’d love to hear the flavors you use!