Fresh vs. Frozen Sea Scallops - I'm planning to buy the fresh tomorrow - both are on sale, but was

M

meryl

Well-known member
wondering if there's a big difference in taste and texture between the two. I'm going to pan sear them after coating them in a spice/flour mixture.

 
I'd ask if the fresh scallops were previously frozen--if they are, I'd go with the frozen and

defrost them myself in the fridge.

 
Actually, I just realized I wasn't totally clear about what they're selling at the store:

They have sea scallops that come into the store already frozen, (don't know where they're from, but they're from the U.S.), which they display thawed (maybe they have more in the back that are still frozen?)
and they have sea scallops from Maine that they claim are fresh, and they sell for much more, although the sale price makes them only $2.00 more per lb than the "prefrozen."
Now that I've done some research, I realize that all scallops come in frozen, no? Unless they're caught in waters very nearby, and are still in their shells?

 
Avoid scallops packed in a milky white solution which is a chemical preservative. You can smell it

and it makes the scallops irreversably watery. Look for fresh or dry-packed scallops. And if you can find diver scallops, those are the best. (Hand-harvested by scuba divers, not trawlers that dredge the bottom of the sea bed.)

 
Do you think scallops are really scallops? Or are most sold on the market stamped out of another...

sea creature "flesh"?

 
I haven't seen any of that, but have for a long time heard the rumors. Most of the scallops I ...

purchase have that little stringy piece that held it to the shell. That's a sure sign it is indeed a scallop.

 
I just watched a BBC food show with a chinese chef up in Scotland (ya, I know..) Anyway, she

used fresh scallops that first had to opened and cleaned.

They were only about 1/2 high and the ones I bought--already shelled--from Whole Foods were TWICE that thick. In fact, I sliced them crosswise to stretch out the presentation because, at $21.99 a POUND, I only bought 8 of them.

Noticing the English version were so much thinner, I wondered if there are different types of scallops. I also immediately became suspicious since I've heard the story about cookie cutter scallops. I know there are bay and sea, but can "sea" versions be that much different??

 
I was told at a very well respected seafood market in the Key's that most

sea scallops in the market are stamped out of Skate.

 
I bought a frozen batch from Maine from a local fishmonger and they were terrible. Ruined the entire

entree. Luckily, I had made the Roman gnocchi as a side dish and everyone ate those instead.

 
but skate has a texture that is so recognizable with pronounced striations-don't know how they'd get

away with it.

If you are worried, look for that little side piece that attaches the foot to the shell.

 
The problem is that most have been treated in some way.

Some may not show it as much as the ones that have the 'milky' liquid because there are several newer ways to treat them and plump them. When you start to cook, the added water will come out and that is why you have a hard time getting the beautiful brown crust on them.

Dry pack scallops are the premium scallops.

 
Publix sells excellent frozen sea scallops under their brand. They come in

a 1.5 lb sack and go on sale for $about $18 a sack ever so often. The ingredient list is just scallops and I've never had liquid come out of them. Some have that "foot" mentioned above. IMO, they're delicious.

 
Landlocked State

Coming from a land locked state, I hesitate to buy seafood unless I can travel to a coast. However I have found that most of the flash frozen items are the best I can get here and tend to be pretty good. I have never found a scallop that I wasn't able to recognize the little foot and never seen any liquid.

 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top