Perfectly seared scallops meal prep will guide you through the process of cooking delicious scallops. It's not hard-it just takes practice!
There's a reason why people overwhelmingly order seafood and fish when they go out to eat. More often than not, it's a protein that a lot of people aren't comfortable cooking at home. It's more expensive, and if you're not comfortable with cooking something that's more expensive, you're likely also worried you'll mess it up. So, people often just skip it altogether. (Plus, chefs can do wonderful things with seafood and fish, so there's also that very real factor.)
However, we don't need to be scared to cook fish or seafood. Scallops are so quick. You just need a few key things ahead of time, and one of them is really easy.
Perfectly Seared Scallops Meal Prep Ingredients
- Ultra hot pan. Check
- 1 tablespoon Butter. Check
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil. Check
- 8 oz SizzleFish Scallops. Check.
Here's how you do it.
Tips for Perfectly Seared Scallops
Add butter and olive oil to the pan and let the butter cook down. Once the melted fats start to smoke, that's the signal. You're ready to add the scallops.
You want to make sure that the scallops aren't crowded, so make sure there is about ½ inch between each of the pieces so the heat can escape the bottom of the scallop. Otherwise, you're steaming them, and that just makes them gummy.
Make sure you season before and after cooking the scallops. A pinch of salt and a dash of pepper is all you need, both times.
But first, gently add the scallops into the pan and PAY ATTENTION!
(Sends Snapchat and forgets to Salt and Pepper! D'oh!)
Ok, we're back. Whew.
Some people say to cook them for 60 seconds per side. Other people say cook them for 90 seconds per side. I say, cook them for 75 seconds per side if you really want to get the perfect sear. I totally understand that the cooking equipment could impact the cooking time, and so can the thickness of your scallops. But with the average stove and average (i.e., inexpensive and non-fancy) cookware, you can do this. You don't need fancy equipment.
Plus, saying these little succulent wonders take 75 seconds to cook kind of splits the difference and ensures they are cooked enough, but not overcooked. Altogether, cooking scallops takes less than 5 minutes. Insane, right? Why aren't we doing this more often? (Oh, that's because we're afraid to cook seafood!)
Scallops are, like lots of seafood, so easy to overcook. That's because they cook VERY QUICKLY. Makes it easy to mess it up. Don't walk away from the pan, or pick up your phone, or do anything else. We know it is so tempting. Overcooked seafood tastes rubbery and just kind of icky, for lack of a better word. You will be sad. Don't let dinner get you down.
Once they are done, don't forget to #humblebrag and send a pic to your friends. You'll be so proud that you'll probably make scallops again sometime soon, when the adventurous spirit hits you, or your bank account can accommodate it. (Because as we said, seafood ain't cheap!)
Perfectly seared scallops!
To complete the game-changing meal prep, I made some Lemon-Garlic Parmesan Asparagus and Black Rice. It sounds fancy, but it's not. Make your own favorite rice or try our cauliflower rice if you're low-carb.
And voila! Your Perfectly Seared Scallop Meal Prep on Fleek!
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