Kitchen Tips How To How To Put the Perfect Sear on Sea Scallops Because where delicious sea scallops are concerned, it's crust or bust. By Carl Hanson Carl Hanson Carl Hanson is a Senior Editor at Allrecipes who has been writing about food and wine for nearly 20 years. He enjoys creating content that informs, entertains, and assists busy home cooks get nourishing meals on the table for their families. Allrecipes' editorial guidelines Updated on February 2, 2021 Share Tweet Pin Email The key to amazing sea scallops is to develop a crust on the outside while preserving a tender but firm middle. Chef John nails the crust on his sea scallops every time with this simple technique. Here's how he does it in four simple steps. To see him in action, be sure to watch the video above. 1. Choose Dry-Pack Scallops If you can find them, choose dry-pack scallops (a.k.a., day-boat scallops) instead of wet-pack scallops. The key, though, is to dry them thoroughly. You don't want the scallops cooking in their juices; to get the beautiful brown, you want them searing in the oil. Photo by Chef John. 2. Lightly Season Your Scallops Season the scallops with sea salt and pepper. (Chef John likes a little cayenne pepper.) Photo by Chef John. 3. Sear Them in Oil with a High Smoke Point Fry them in flavorless cooking oil with a high smoke point. Chef John is using grapeseed oil. Canola oil, safflower oil, and peanut oil are other options. But not olive oil, because it's a Smoky Joe. And the key here: use high heat. And don't add the scallops until the pan is super-hot. Photo by Chef John. 4. Create the Crust Depending on the size of your scallops, sear them for 2-to-4 minutes per side. (If they start cooking in their own juices, they were not dry. Drain the juice from the pan, pour in a little more oil, and start again. No worries.) Get Chef John's recipe for Seared Scallops with Jalapeño Vinaigrette. By the way, it's easy to make those gorgeous orange segments. Chef John will show how it's done. And once again, here's that searing technique in a nut, er, scallop shell: Perfectly seared scallops. Now try your searing technique on some 5-star scallop recipes: Screaming Martini Scallops Seared Scallops with Corn Cream Coquilles Saint-Jacques Spicy Bacon-Wrapped Scallops More Scallop Recipes Get tips on how to buy, clean, and cook scallops. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit