Scallops are undeniably delicious, especially when pan-seared. Though, if you have leftovers it can be tempting to just toss them, as you might be uncertain if they’ll be good a second time.
Well, think twice. You don’t have to let your scallops go to waste, they can be reheated after chilling without them turning into nasty balls of rubber or dried-out husks.
How to store leftover scallops
The first thing you’ll need to do for your scallops is to properly store them.
They can be safely stored in an air-tight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. In the fridge, this time is reduced to a maximum of 2 days. Seafood doesn’t last very long and is prone to swift spoilage and bacteria growth.
How to reheat leftover scallops
Microwave
Believe it or not, the microwave is a fantastic way to reheat scallops – frozen or thawed. The important key here is to use a lower power setting and short blasting intervals. This will keep your shallots from receiving an uneven cook, or getting blasted into dry or rubbery seafood balls.
- Place the scallops and any sauce into a microwave-safe dish. If there’s no sauce, add a tiny bit of water
- Cover with the lid to the container, or a damp paper towel
- Set your power to low and blast for 20 seconds. If you have a lot of scallops in the dish, or a lot of sauce, start with 30 seconds.
- Check the temperature, you should see a bit of steam. If not, stir and heat for an additional 15 seconds.
- Keep going in 15-second intervals until fully heated
Oven
Most conventional wisdom states that the best way to reheat just about anything is with a conventional oven. However, you do have to let your scallops sit out for a while with this method, which in general is not recommended. Making this method less preferred.
- Remove the scallops from the fridge and let them reach room temperature – about 2 hours on the counter should do the trick.
- While this is getting ready, preheat your oven to 275 F
- Place the scallops into an oven-safe pan or baking sheet
- Add sauce or juices/water to the scallops and tightly cover the pan with foil or a lid
- Heat for 10 minutes. If not thoroughly heated, warm for an additional 5 minutes.
- Remove and serve immediately.
Stove
This is a good method to employ if you don’t have a microwave, and want a quicker method than the oven.
With sauce:
- Remove the scallops from the sauce
- Add the sauce to a sauce pan and heat on medium-low until it’s warm
- Add the scallops and cook for another 2-5 minutes until they’re heated fully. More time for more scallops
Without sauce:
- Spray a non-stick pan with cooking spray
- Place your scallops into the pan and heat on low/medium-low
- Cover the pan and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
- Flip the scallops and cook for an additional 2 minutes, or until they’ve reached your desired temperature.
Final thoughts
There’s not a whole lot to keep in mind with freezing or reheating scallops. They lend themselves quite well to being frozen and last at maximum quality for up to 3 months.
They’re very easy to thaw and even easier to reheat without losing any of that scrumptious taste or texture that makes them such a fan favorite seafood choice.
The most important takeaway here is the moisture. That’s key to ensure the scallops don’t dry out or even burn. With a quick 5 minutes and your preferred reheating method, you’ll be enjoying those leftover scallops for another day.
