How to Grill Scallops

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: April 30, 2020 References Tested

Scallops are a popular summer seafood because they are quick and easy to grill. They don’t require a lot of seasoning besides salt and pepper and can be enjoyed all by themselves or served on a bed of salad or pasta. Grill them on skewers or in a foil pouch. If you want to add some extra flavor to your scallops, try adding a finishing glaze or a squeeze of lime juice.

Ingredients

Skewer Grilled Scallops

20 large or 12 jumbo dry-packed sea scallops
Canola or grapeseed oil for the grill
5-8 skewers
Salt and pepper

Makes 4 servings

Grilled Scallops in Foil

10 sea scallops
1 cup (125 g) frozen corn, thawed
2 handfuls of cherry tomatoes, halved
1 small shallot, thinly sliced
1/3 cup basil, chopped into thin strips
6 tablespoons (89 ml) of dry white wine
2 tablespoons (30 ml) of olive oil
1 tablespoon (14 g) of unsalted butter, chopped into small pieces
Salt and pepper

Makes 2 servings

Ruby Red Grapefruit and Chili Glaze

²⁄₃ cup (160 ml) grapefruit juice (about 2 grapefruits)
2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
2 tablespoons (30 ml) agave
1 teaspoon (4.9 ml) champagne vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon (2.7 g) chili powder

Makes 4 servings

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Making Skewer Grilled Scallops

1
Clean the scallops and refrigerate them until you’re ready to grill. Clean your scallops and cut off the small crescent-shaped tendon (sometimes called the foot) from the side of each scallop. This muscle is chewy no matter how you cook the scallops, so it’s best to just cut it off and discard it. Pat the scallops dry with a paper towel. Place them on a baking rack sitting on top of a baking sheet and put them in the refrigerator until you are ready to grill.^{[1]
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- Keeping your scallops as dry and cold as you can before you put them on the hot grill will prevent them from sticking.^{[2]
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2
Dampen a paper towel with oil and rub it on the grill to prevent sticking. Take a piece of paper towel and liberally dab grapeseed or canola oil onto it. Use a pair of tongs to grab the towel and rub it along the grates after you have heated the grill. Repeat the process 3 or 4 times so the grill has a thick coating of oil. Your scallops will be less likely to stick to a well-oiled grill.
- You can also spray canola oil onto a cold grill before you heat it up.
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3
Spear 3-4 scallops on each skewer and season with salt and pepper. Stick the scallops onto the skewers, adding several scallops to each one. Leave about ¹⁄₂ inch (1.3 cm) free on each end of the skewer. Arrange the skewered scallops so the broad, flat sides will lie on the grill. Sprinkle a pinch of salt and pepper on both sides of the scallops.^{[3]
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4
Grill the scallops on medium-high heat for 4 minutes. Place the skewers at an angle on the grill to get diagonal grill marks. Cook the scallops for about 4 minutes on the first side.
- If you are using smaller bay scallops, cook them for 2 minutes on the first side.
5
Flip the scallops to the other side with a spatula. Slide a spatula under all the scallops on the skewer. Carefully flip them onto the other side. Using tongs to flip the scallops could damage them.^{[4]
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- You can also grab the end of a skewer and gently roll the scallops onto the other side. Wear heat-resistant gloves if the skewers are too hot to handle. Rearrange the skewers with the spatula so they are lying at an angle to make diagonal grill marks on this side as well.
6
Cook the scallops on the other side for 2 minutes. The second side of the scallops will need less time to cook than the first side. Keep them on the grill for about 2 minutes until they turn opaque in the middle. Remove the scallops from the grill by sliding a spatula under each skewer and lifting it carefully onto a clean plate.
- If you aren’t sure if the middle of the scallops have turned opaque, cut one open to check.^{[5]
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- If you are grilling bay scallops, cook them on the second side for 1 minute.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Making Grilled Scallops in Foil

1
Cut off 2 pieces of aluminum foil and fold the sides up to form a pouch. Each piece of foil should be big enough to hold five of your scallops. Fold each side up to form a 2 in (5.1 cm) lip. Place the foil pouches on a clean, flat work surface.^{[6]
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2
Fill each foil packet with wine, olive oil, butter, and chopped shallots. Add 3 tablespoons (44 ml) wine, 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil, ½ tbsp (7 g) butter, and ½ of the sliced shallot to each foil packets. Check to make sure the liquid ingredients don’t leak out. Increase the size of the pouch lips if necessary.^{[7]
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- You can also make the sides of the pouches more sturdy by folding each lip down again to make double-layered sides.
3
Add the scallops, tomatoes, corn, and basil and seal the pouches. Add the remaining ingredients into the foil packets. Finish by sprinkling a pinch of salt and pepper into each packet. Bring the sides of the foil to meet in the middle and roll them down once or twice to seal the ingredients inside.^{[8]
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4
Grill the packets on medium-high heat for 10 minutes. Place the foil packets on the grill and cook over medium-high heat. They will inflate with steam and you will hear the juices inside boiling.^{[9]
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- Leaving the packets on the grill for more than 10 minutes will over cook the scallops.
5
Remove the packets from the grill and open them carefully before serving. Unroll the foil at the top and separate the foil slowly to let the steam escape. Transfer the ingredients of each packet into a shallow soup bowl and serve immediately.^{[10]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Adding Ruby Red Grapefruit and Chili Glaze

1
Apply a finishing glaze to the scallops during the last minute of cooking. Marinades can easily overpower a scallop with too much flavor. Instead of marinating the scallops before cooking, drizzle a little glaze over them at the last minute. You can also add a bit more glaze on the plate when you serve them.^{[11]
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2
Make a grapefruit glaze to add a kick to your grilled scallops. Bring ²⁄₃ cup (160 ml) grapefruit juice, 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil, 2 tablespoons (30 ml) agave, 1 teaspoon (4.9 ml) champagne vinegar, and 1 clove minced garlic to a simmer in a saucepan over medium heat. Simmer for 3-4 minutes until the mixture has thickened slightly into a glaze. Then, stir in 1 teaspoon (2.7 g) chili powder.
- Serve the grapefruit glazed scallops on top of a bed of arugula.^{[12]
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3
Create a balsamic syrup for a fast and easy sweet glaze. Bring ¹⁄₂ cup (120 ml) balsamic vinegar to boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook for several minutes until the vinegar reduces and begins to look syrupy. Remove from heat and drizzle over grilled scallops before serving.^{[13]
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- Serve balsamic glazed scallops over a bed of pasta. Drizzle some extra balsamic syrup over the pasta.
4
Add a squeeze of lime to your scallops for a simple kick of flavor. Scallops don’t need thick or heavy sauces. To enhance the taste of your scallops, simply squeeze some lime over them just before you serve them.
- Try grilled scallops with lime juice over a fresh mixed salad or baked root vegetables.

Things You'll Need

Grilling Scallops on Skewers

Grill
Spatula
Grilling tongs

Grilling Scallops in Foil

Grill
Aluminum foil

Adding Finishing Glazes

Saucepan

Warnings

An overcooked scallop will be very chewy because too much moisture has been lost. It’s better to take the scallop off the grill just before it looks done.^{[16]
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