A scallop is a type of shellfish belonging to the mollusk family. It is considered a luxurious delicacy all over the world due to its delicate taste and health benefits. Let us know about “Why Are Scallops So Expensive?”
Why Are Scallops So Expensive?
Every country in the world possesses unique techniques for cooking scallops. Some prefer fresh scallops, while others opt for the frozen kind. These high-in-demand shellfish are individually selected by licensed divers by hand diving or harvested at shellfish farms.
Both processes are risky and difficult, so the harvested scallops are sold at high prices in the market. The pandemic only made the prices soar further as the catch decreased immensely.
What Are The Different Types Of Scallops?
Scallops come from different waters and thus vary in size. Some of them are listed below:
Sea Scallops – These large scallops are commonly found in deep ocean waters and are also known as jumbo scallops or king scallops.
Bay Scallops – They are found in the shallow waters of the bays and estuaries on the East Coast; they are the smallest type of scallop available
Diver Scallops – Slightly large scallops that are hand-picked from the ocean floor by skilled divers
Day Boat Scallops – These scallops are harvested traditionally using day boats, which have chain drag nets that bring up scallops from the seabed
Among these, diver scallops and day boat scallops are more expensive due to the manual labor involved.
Where Do You Get Scallops From?
Scallops are found in all the oceans of the world. They are also harvested from farms where they are grown with suspended systems and in bottom cultures. Scallops are usually found during the summer months but can also be harvested up to early fall.
The leading exporters of scallops by way of order are:
UK
Canada
Japan
USA
South Korea
Fresh scallops can be bought from coastal towns, while processed scallops are imported from China and Mexico.
Scallops have three parts to them:
The adductor muscle, which is the white and fleshy “meat”
A bright reddish-orange “coral” or “roe”
A frilly outer membrane, which is the shell
Most US markets sell scallops with only the meat remaining in the shell, while markets in the UK and other countries sell scallops with and without its coral. Scallop shells, on the other hand, are commonly found on beaches by beachcombers.
How Do You Cook Scallops?
Scallops have a sweet and buttery taste to them. The most commonly used scallops are Bay scallops, which are smaller, sweeter, and more succulent.
Before cooking, scallops need to be prepared as follows:
Rinse the scallops
Pat-dry them with paper towels.
Soak them in milk in order to remove the fishy taste and odor
Season the scallops
Cook them for 4 to 5 minutes, no more nor less
In the case of using frozen scallops, they need to be thawed in the refrigerator rather than letting them sit at room temperature.
Scallops are usually pan seared in a cast iron pan with light oil that has a high smoking point like:
Canola oil
Vegetable oil
Grape seed oil
They usually get overcooked when other oils like extra virgin olive oil are used. Scallops, once cooked, can be served with:
- Pasta
- Rice
- Greens
- Vegetables like potatoes, beans, peas, etc.
Raw scallops can also be consumed as long as they are rinsed and dried before consumption.
Are Scallops healthy?
Scallops are said to be rich sources of protein and other nutrients like vitamin B12 that are known to promote heart and brain health. But there are instances where scallops can prove to be harmful:
Scallops contain some heavy metals like lead, mercury, and cadmium, which can prove to be harmful if consumed in large quantities
Some parts of a scallop shell and meat can contain toxins that can lead to paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP)
Vibrio infections can occur in people who consume raw or undercooked scallops that were harvested from contaminated water
Conclusion
Now we have learnt “Why Are Scallops So Expensive?”, Scallops are thus a rich and nutritious protein that is well-loved by people all over the world. Since the pandemic, the supply of scallops has greatly decreased, but the demand for the food is constantly rising. In spite of its high price, food lovers still prefer this delectable seafood over other fare.
FAQs
1. Are sea or bay scallops better?
Most restaurants offer sea scallops, which are a little tough. On the other hand, bay scallops are sweeter and tenderer in terms of texture.
2. Do scallops feel pain while being caught?
Because the shellfish lacks a brain, it cannot experience pain in the same way that humans do. They do not react or struggle when being caught either. But vegans believe that they can feel pain.
3. How many scallops can you eat at a time?
A serving usually consists of three large scallops, but some people might prefer two.
4. Which is better: dry or wet scallops?
Dry scallops have fewer chemical additives in them when compared to wet scallops. Hence, it is better to purchase dry scallops.