The Reason Your Scallops Aren't Browning Is An Easy Fix

If you've ever ordered a dish with sea scallops at a restaurant, it's likely that they arrived at your table with a beautiful, brown, crispy crust that contrasted with their creamy, tender centers. But like many restaurant techniques, this browning effect can be difficult to replicate at home. Thankfully, there's a simple reason your scallops aren't browning when you cook them at home: They're too wet when you cook them.

When cooked properly, sea scallops have the most amazingly buttery texture that should almost melt in your mouth. It's no secret that searing is the best method for cooking sea scallops. Unlike their tiny counterparts known as bay scallops, sea scallops are much larger and have a bigger surface area that is perfect for searing directly in a hot pan. Regardless of which type they are, scallops are notoriously easy to overcook, and a short cooking time in a very hot pan is essential to achieving a nice crust. But no matter how hot your pan is, the key to getting a gorgeous brown crust is starting with a dry scallop.

There are so many common mistakes to avoid when cooking scallops, but starting with wet scallops might be the biggest offender. Scallops benefit from the same process as salting vegetables that contain a lot of moisture before cooking. Remove them from the refrigerator and line a plate or a small sheet tray with paper towels. Take the scallops out of their packaging, making sure their tough abductor muscles have been removed, and place each of them on the paper towel-lined tray without overlapping. 

Pat the scallops dry with another paper towel, then sprinkle them all over with salt. The salt not only seasons the scallops for more depth of flavor, but will also draw the excess moisture out of them, especially from the surface, which is exactly what you need to achieve a perfectly brown crust. From here, return the uncovered scallops to the refrigerator and let them sit for at least 10 minutes, or even overnight. 

When you're ready to cook the scallops, remove them from the refrigerator and pat the scallops all over again with a paper towel to absorb as much moisture as possible. From there, you can confidently move on to cooking them, knowing that you've set yourself up for success with the driest scallops possible. Try out this simple but effective method the next time you make one of our best scallop recipes for seafood lovers.