Sous Vide Scallops?

Lowcountrygamecock

I always seem to overcook scallops.  I bought some to cook this week and think I'm going to go with the sous vide and then finish them in a hot cast iron pan.  The recipes I've looked at range from 20 to 30 minutes but the temps are all over the place.  Anybody have a good recommendation? 

Photo Egg

Are you starting with frozen scallops?
Are you wrapping with bacon or Prosciutto?

Wolfpack

IMHO I’m not sure the sous vide step is necessary- scallops cook so quickly in a hot pan as is.

But give it a rip and let us know- would be curious on a side by side comparison. 

JohnInCarolina

Wolfpack said:

IMHO I’m not sure the sous vide step is necessary- scallops cook so quickly in a hot pan as is.

They do, which is why it’s easy to overcook them.

I have a SV scallop recipe somewhere at home.  I’ll see if I can’t dig it out tonight.

Photo Egg

I normally buy the flash frozen ones from Sams Club.
I thaw them in a lightly salted water to room temp.
Pat dry, season and grill. Normally on a little cast iron skillet.
Quick check with instant read temp gauge and pull at your liking.
I normally pull just past 125 depending on how big they are.
The water bath thaw only takes 15-20 minutes in a stainless bowl.
Just cook them like a small steak.

buzd504

Thing about scallops is they really aren't bad raw, so you can't really undercook quality scallops.  Like @Photo Egg said, quick sear in the pan with some S&P - just a little carmelization on each side is usually sufficient.  About one min per side in a heated pan, if that.

Lowcountrygamecock

These have been thawed. 

nolaegghead

Take one scallop from your batch and do a test cook.  Depending on how thick it is, try a minute and a half on each side and adjust based on how the inside looks (let it rest a few minutes before cutting in to it.

Problem with scallops is with how much water they release - the water cools down the pan and they can steam if the pan cools down too much. 

The soaking in salt seems like a good idea.  SV might be, never tried it, but it seems like a lot of extra work for something that can be fine-tuned on a hot pan.

The number 1 problem people make with scallop searing is overloading the pan.  Too many on a pan and you're doomed before you finish - there is no recovering from a cooled pan.

Carolina Q

There are two types of scallops, wet and dry. Wet scallops are quite white in color and are difficult to sear for a nice color because they are brined in sodium tripolyphosphate which causes them to "sweat" when cooking. Wet things don't sear well. Dry scallops are more cream colored, are not brined and sear nicely.

https://www.bonappetit.com/test-kitchen/tools-test-kitchen/article/scallops?verso=true

Check out YouTube for "cooking scallops". Lots of stuff there. IMO, if you SV them, they'll be overcooked by the time you sear them since the searing process alone sufficiently cooks them.

nolaegghead

Carolina Q said:

There are two types of scallops, wet and dry. Wet scallops are quite white in color and are difficult to sear for a nice color because they are brined in sodium tripolyphosphate which causes them to "sweat" when cooking. Wet things don't sear well. Dry scallops are more cream colored, are not brined and sear nicely.

https://www.bonappetit.com/test-kitchen/tools-test-kitchen/article/scallops?verso=true

Check out YouTube for "cooking scallops". Lots of stuff there. IMO, if you SV them, they'll be overcooked by the time you sear them since the searing process alone sufficiently cooks them.

You mean two types of preservation techniques.  Either way, although the STPP preserved has more water (and less taste), it will still sear.  Even less on a pan for them.

Talking types:

Types of Scallops

There are three kinds of scallops that are consumed in the United States””sea scallops, bay scallops and calico scallops.

• Sea scallops are relatively large, often as many as 1½”-2″ in diameter, and are often presented in beautifully seared platings of two or three.
• Bay scallops are much smaller, although some aficionados find them to be sweeter than sea scallops.  Because of their small size, bay scallops are not the ideal scallop for searing but are wonderful in stir-fries and even cooked as scampi to be served as a light pasta sauce.
• Calico scallops are harvested off of the US Gulf and Southern Atlantic coasts.  Unlike sea and bay scallops, their shells are tightly closed, and they must be steamed open before further preparation.  Although similar in shape, size and color to bay scallops, they are less sweet than their Northern cousins.

fishlessman

shoot for undercooked, they finish up on the plate and undercooked is way better than overcooked.  dont buy those wet scollops, they taste horrible

fishlessman

this was from a few years ago, when you flip for the second time whatch the sides, it will turn white, you want to see the middle side slightly translucent , thats when they are done.

preheat pan, dry off the scollops with paper towels (this is important for a good sear), salt and sear immediately, dont wait til the center turns hard white(just slightly translucent in the middle, they will finish cooking off the egg). i sear in oil and i want it shimmering hot, maybe 450. i also started doing pan sauces with them a few years back, remove cooked scallops, add diced shallots and brown, add a 1/4 cup white wine, a dash worcestershire, a squirt dijon, a tbls butter and reduce. im priced out of scallops, 22 bucks the other day a pound, thats crazy

JohnInCarolina

OK, the recipe I have is for sea scallops.  It calls for 30 minutes at 122F.

Mikeymise

Try and find the dry packed scallops. It’s worth the search. The end result is like no other scallops. I’m lucky to be on the east coast. 
Zero need to SV. They really cook perfectly in (I’m guessing) 3+ minutes.   

OhioEgger

Costco is usually a great place to find big scallops at a fairly decent price.

buzd504

fishlessman said:

 22 bucks the other day a pound, thats crazy

Saw them for $30/lb at our local grocery this evening.  They looked nice, though.

Got prime porkchops instead.  Swimming in the sous vide now.

Mattman3969

If you gotta SV go 125° for 30 mins.  Then sear in hot cast iron with ghee. 

Or just dry them and go hot cast iron for 2 mins each side till they hit 135°

Lowcountrygamecock

I got these at costco for $15.99 a pound.  Same price as our local seafood market and the ones from costco looked better.  

Photo Egg

Lowcountrygamecock said:

I got these at costco for $15.99 a pound.  Same price as our local seafood market and the ones from costco looked better.  

I get mine from Sam's Club but they come flash frozen in 2 pound bags not thawed. But they are really good.

Mikeymise

So you’re so, you’re say I the Costco scallops you cook end up as well browned as mine?  Are they fresh?

Photo Egg

Mikeymise said:

So you’re so, you’re say I the Costco scallops you cook end up as well browned as mine?  Are they fresh?

These were frozen from Sam's Club. No issues getting a crust in the past but I sautéd these in butter and EVOO this time but still had some crust. Are they as good as fresh, I'm sure they are not. But also so much easier just to pull a few out of the freezer anytime I want them.

fishlessman

most dry scallops are flash frozen.  im on the coast of maine, day scallops come off the smaller boats daily. if you want unfrozen you need to find DAY scallops.  its seasonal, winter months. theres nothing wrong with frozen dry scallops but if you find day scallops its at another level. just dont buy wet scallops

Mikeymise

Scallop boats out of Barnegat Light, NJ, do six day trips in the Del/MD/VA grounds.  Any scallops hauled on the final day of fishing can be labeled 'day boat'.  Here on Cape Cod, our scallops aren't frozen.  $22-24lb is the going rate.  Oh, nice job browning in the cast iron.  I've never seen frozen scallops looking that good.

fishlessman

Mikeymise said:

Scallop boats out of Barnegat Light, NJ, do six day trips in the Del/MD/VA grounds.  Any scallops hauled on the final day of fishing can be labeled 'day boat'.  Here on Cape Cod, our scallops aren't frozen.  $22-24lb is the going rate.  Oh, nice job browning in the cast iron.  I've never seen frozen scallops looking that good.

maines a little different i guess, the trips are short, mid winter, less than a day, the scallops never touch melting ice

fishlessman

for those that never seen scallops swim,  kinda blew me away when i first saw them do this while on a dive

https://youtu.be/kw6wGwKEdT8

Photo Egg

fishlessman said:

for those that never seen scallops swim,  kinda blew me away when i first saw them do this while on a dive

https://youtu.be/kw6wGwKEdT8

That is very cool....Thanks

Lowcountrygamecock

I went with the Sous vide at 122F for 30 minutes and finished with a quick sear in a hot pan until they were 130 degrees internal. Turned out perfect.