Nothing says “flavor” like bacon and the smokey saltiness really accents the sweet flavor of sea scallops. Ask for “dry” scallops at the seafood counter and really thin bacon sliced by the butcher.
I made these beautiful, tasty little suckers before Christmas and am only just now recovering from the bliss so I can tell you about them. I’ve always loved bacon-wrapped scallops, but for some reason this batch was so miraculously miraculous. Maybe it was just that I was filled with Christmas cheer and this made everything taste better. Or maybe that it was that the scallops were especially scallopy or that the bacon was exceptionally bacony.
Or maybe it was that I drizzled the whole thing in melted chili butter, which made me faint and eat four thousand of them.
Or maybe I just love food and become hyperbolic in its presence.
In any event, these things are yummy.
The Cast of Characters: Scallops, bacon, butter, chili powder, and cayenne pepper.
I…love…scallops. Please tell me you do, too. And you’ll notice that these are nice, big suckers. That’s what you want. Because the scallops are big, I’m using thick-cut bacon. But if you’re using some slightly smaller scallops, or if you want your bacon to really cook down, you should use thin bacon instead. The world is your oyster!
Huh huh. Get it?
Cut the bacon pieces in half or thirds (depending on the size of your scallops) and wrap them around the outside of each scallop. While holding the bacon somewhat tautly around the scallop, secure a long toothpick (also known as a short skewer) through the bacon and the scallop to secure it.
And yes. “Tautly” is a word. And the reason I know that is that I just looked it up four seconds ago.
Repeat until all the scallops are done, then you can cook them in either of the following ways:
1. On a roasting pan (one with a drip tray) in a 425-degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the bacon is sizzling. (You can let it cook as much as you’d like; I kinda like my bacon chewy and not crisp.)
2. On a roasting pan under the broiler for 15 minutes or so, until the bacon is sizzling.
3. Or on the grill, for as long as they take to get to the doneness you want.
Usually, in the time it takes for the bacon to cook, the scallops cook, too. As I said, I like my bacon a little on the chewy side. Feel free to cook yours longer if you’re a normal person.
Note that if you do the broiler or the grill, your skewers will have a tendency to turn black. You can mitigate this if you soak the skewers in water for at least an hour before using them.
But I’m not organized enough to mitigate anything.
I forgot to take a photo of the butter I made, because it was four days before Christmas when I made these and Scotch tape (the purple package, not the green one) was holding my brain together. But here’s what I heated together in a saucepan:
Butter
Plenty of chili powder
Dash of cayenne pepper for heat
Heat it up until it’s all mixed together, the spoon it over the top of the scallops just after removing them from the heat.
These are delish, guys. Perfect for a weekend dinner served with rice or pasta (drizzle a little extra chili butter over the rice/pasta, then sprinkle the whole thing with sliced green onions. Yum) or as an appetizer. Super Bowl scallops, anyone?
Here’s the handy dandy printable!
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Large Scallops
- 1/2 pound Bacon, Cut Into Thirds Or Halves
- 1 stick Butter
- 2 teaspoons Chili Powder
- Dash Of Cayenne
Preparation Instructions
Wrap bacon pieces around the outside of the scallops, then attach with a wooden skewer.
Cook in a 425 degree oven (on a drip pan) for 20 minutes, or until bacon is sizzling and brown
OR
Cook under the broiler for 15 minutes, or until bacon is sizzling and brown
OR
Grill until bacon is sizzling and brown.
Melt butter and stir in chili powder and cayenne. Drizzle over scallops before serving.
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