CM thanks I hope to be able to pick more of these up at that price.Thanks for the Like I appreciate it
Richie
Scallops
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CM thanks I hope to be able to pick more of these up at that price.Thanks for the Like I appreciate it
Richie
Yes, the best looking scallops I can get this far inland is at Costco, and they are frozen. I've tried soaking and massaging them (anything I could think of) but still enough sand my wife is starting to tell me that she'd rather not have them.
Maybe I'll try the frozen scallops at Cash and Carry
Maybe I'll try the frozen scallops at Cash and Carry
Pete I have a ton of fresh sea food places in my area.Guess you can give CC a shot I do hope they are better and yous' will be able to enjoy them
Richie
When I want to splurge, I go to a local place that sells “dry” scallops, which means they’re not stored in brine. They’re really expensive but they weigh about two ounces apiece and they don’t shrink when cooked. Other than that, Fred Meyer, Costco, etc. all seem to have decent prices.
Rings Я Us
Smoking Guru
Dry scallops that's a new one on me. Most of what I buy is fresh. About the only seafood I ever bough dried was cod fish fillets.
Warren
Warren
Rings thanks they were Grape tomatoes 2 pints for the sauce.Thanks for the Like I appreciate it
Richie
dls1
Smoking Fanatic
The difference between "dry pack" and "wet pack" scallops generally starts with the type of fishing being done. Day boat fisherman, those that go out in the morning, usually only 3-4 miles from shore, catch and shuck their harvest, and return to the dock to transfer their catch off to the final processor are not concerned about their catch drying up, nor have a need for extended preservation, are the primary source of dry pack scallops. On the other hand, those boats that do go out for multiple days at a time do have those concerns and needs, and are the source for wet pack scallops.
The multi-day scallop fishermen treat their scallops with a solution of sodium tripolyphosphate, (STP), which acts as a preservative and also helps keep the scallop from drying out. Used properly before freezing, treatment with STP is not necessarily a bad thing. Unfortunately, when used in great quantity, as is often the case, a bath in STP causes scallops to absorb a lot of excess moisture, sometimes as much as 20%-30% of their natural weight. It's estimated that around 85% of the scallops sold in the U.S. are of the wet pack variety.
Both types of scallops should be labeled as to what they are, but that's not always the case, especially with the wet packed ones. As a practice, the purveyors of dry pack scallops want to showcase their product by name, and in many cases, the purveyors of wet packed scallops are simply silent about what they are. To tell the difference, dry packed scallops will retain their natural color which is a light tan or ivory color, and wet packed scallops will be a snowy white. To the touch, dry packed scallops will be a bit tacky, and wet packed will be...uh, wet. Taste wise, a dry pack scallop will retain it's natural sweetness and taste of the sea, and a wet pack will be, comparatively, bland, and occasionally, a little soapy.
For dishes, such as the great one presented by the OP, where the scallop is the leading actor with a complimentary cast, wet pack scallops are a fine choice. When the scallop is meant to be the solo star, dry pack is the way to go. Wet pack scallops are almost impossible to sear properly since their expelling so much water that was added unnaturally and all that you are doing is steaming them. Also, the end result usually ends up being shrunken and tougher than should be.
Not surprisingly, the cost difference between the two is substantial. I was shopping for scallops a couple weeks ago, specifically U10s, where I live (Chicago), and the price for wet packs was $19/lb. Dry packs were $32/lb.
The multi-day scallop fishermen treat their scallops with a solution of sodium tripolyphosphate, (STP), which acts as a preservative and also helps keep the scallop from drying out. Used properly before freezing, treatment with STP is not necessarily a bad thing. Unfortunately, when used in great quantity, as is often the case, a bath in STP causes scallops to absorb a lot of excess moisture, sometimes as much as 20%-30% of their natural weight. It's estimated that around 85% of the scallops sold in the U.S. are of the wet pack variety.
Both types of scallops should be labeled as to what they are, but that's not always the case, especially with the wet packed ones. As a practice, the purveyors of dry pack scallops want to showcase their product by name, and in many cases, the purveyors of wet packed scallops are simply silent about what they are. To tell the difference, dry packed scallops will retain their natural color which is a light tan or ivory color, and wet packed scallops will be a snowy white. To the touch, dry packed scallops will be a bit tacky, and wet packed will be...uh, wet. Taste wise, a dry pack scallop will retain it's natural sweetness and taste of the sea, and a wet pack will be, comparatively, bland, and occasionally, a little soapy.
For dishes, such as the great one presented by the OP, where the scallop is the leading actor with a complimentary cast, wet pack scallops are a fine choice. When the scallop is meant to be the solo star, dry pack is the way to go. Wet pack scallops are almost impossible to sear properly since their expelling so much water that was added unnaturally and all that you are doing is steaming them. Also, the end result usually ends up being shrunken and tougher than should be.
Not surprisingly, the cost difference between the two is substantial. I was shopping for scallops a couple weeks ago, specifically U10s, where I live (Chicago), and the price for wet packs was $19/lb. Dry packs were $32/lb.
I love this forum.
Interestingly enough, the prices you quoted for Chicago are exactly what I pay here in Idaho.
You can always easily see when scallops are treated with sodium tripolyphosphate - a pale bluish liquid is present, and will leach out for many hours.
Looking good Richie. Scallops are real pricey here too, so I don't get them that often. That sauce looks delicious too.
POINT
Gary
POINT
Gary
I always put wet scallops in the fridge on a plate with paper towels for that reason. In a weird twist of irony, I knew of dayboat scallops but had never heard the term dry scallops until I moved to landlocked Idaho!
I started doing that as well, but if I took them off the paper and back onto a plate, more blue water would come out after time. I also tried soaking the blue water out and then doing the paper towel trick, sometimes all day, which seems to help a bit.
Gary Thank You I think everyone agrees the price is crazy Thanks for the Point I appreciate it
Richie
Justin Thanks I like them better grilled,but I have no problem eating them this way.Thanks for the Like I appreciate it
Richie
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