Scallops are considered some of the best Michelin-star dishes in many five-star restaurants. They have a buttery texture and sweet flavor. In addition, they are also low-fat and high-protein, which makes them an excellent food choice for those looking for healthy options.
If you haven’t had a chance to try scallops, let’s look at this post to know about “What do scallops taste like?”
What Are Scallops?
Scallops Overall
Scallops are part of the mollusk family, which means they’re related to snails, clams, and octopuses. Unlike what you order in restaurants (small spherical meat), scallops originally sit inside two fan-shaped shells.
You can easily catch sight of scallops everywhere under the sea. These fast-swimming scallops can grow up to 9 inches and have around 50 or 100 eyes, depending on the type of scallop.
Importantly, scallops are a tasty seafood option that is healthy for your body. They have plenty of nutrients such as Omega 3s, Vitamin B12, and Magnesium, which maintain a good weight and promote heart health by decreasing the risk of high blood pressure or stroke.
Raw scallops
Scallop Types
Calico scallops, bay scallops, and sea scallops are the three main types of this shellfish. Among them, the sea scallop is the most common one in the market.
Different from the availability of sea scallops, bay scallops, known as “wild scallops,” can only be found near the coast from October to March. Many people consider bay scallops much more valuable due to their sweet and delicious taste compared to their siblings.
On the other hand, calico scallops are available from December to May along the Southern Atlantic coasts. They have beautiful shells, but their flavor is not as sweet as other types. The difficult part is opening these guys as the shells are sealed.
What Do Scallops Taste Like?
Raw scallops are known as “candies of the ocean” because of their mild and sweet flavor. The unique and nutty flavor of scallops like hazelnuts or almonds makes them an excellent ingredient in seafood scampi.
Imagine, when you cook it right, scallops have an interesting combination of sweet, buttery, and delicate flavors all at once. They are succulent and not overly fishy but do have a salty essence.
It is important to note that scallops have a similar taste to a crab because they both have a buttery, nutty, and sweet flavor reminiscent of almonds and hazelnuts. These flavors create an excellent combination when frying, steaming, baking, or even boiling.
Moreover, many people are likely to cool scallops with caviar due to their perfect flavor combination. What does caviar taste like? Why does it go with scallops? Caviar tastes a bit fishy and savory, similar to the ocean water, which is considered a great accompaniment to scallops.
What Do Bad Scallops Taste Like?
If you can smell ammonia or metallic taste, it means your scallops turned bad. It is best to throw them out before tasting and making you sick.
How To Tell If Scallops Are Bad?
There are four main ways to help you check it:
Check For The Freshness Of The Meat
The best way to tell when the scallops have gone bad is by checking their freshness. Fresh ones should be firm, with no brown discoloration or shredding in the flesh when touched. Females have a slight tint of orange, while males tend to look more white/beige-colored.
If you discover shredding on your scallop meats – which indicates poor handling throughout processing, then you should throw them away.
Smell The Scallops
As we mentioned earlier, a fresh shellfish will produce a light smell of seawater or seaweed when sniffed. If it smells fishy, discard the scallop since this may not be suitable for consumption anymore.
Check For The Expiration Date Of The Scallops In Packages
If you are planning on purchasing scallops, be sure to check the expiration date and other factors such as solidity and shininess. Additionally, you should avoid any packages containing large amounts of ice or moisture. In other words, they have not been kept at room temperature all day long, which can cause bacteria growth.
Be sure to check the expiration date
Check If They Are Alive
When you purchase live scallops, it is best to choose the ones that are still alive. The freshness of the meat is evident when tapping them. One more thing to note is that if the shells do not close after tapping them, and have breathed their last breath, discard these as they are not suitable to eat anymore.
Final Thoughts For Article What do scallops taste like?
The unique and nutty flavor of scallops like hazelnuts or almonds makes them an excellent ingredient in seafood. However, they can spoil quickly if not handled properly. That’s why it is important to know how to tell if scallops have gone bad before you cook them or eat them raw.
With the article on “what do scallops taste like?” we hope this blog post was informative and helped answer any questions you had! Try to eat delicious scallops in different ways!
