Sea Scallops vs. Bay Scallops: Which To Choose For Your Recipe

Having scallops for dinner is a splurge over the usual Monday night meatloaf. Scallops can turn a pot of herbed rice into a dish worthy of a celebration, and a platter of simply seasoned, seared scallops may bring back delicious memories of your last beach vacation. Scallops are bivalve mollusks, and inside their shells is sweet, tender meat. When buying scallops to recreate your favorite restaurant dish, you’ll learn that there are more than a few types. You’ll likely see sea scallops and bay scallops in the seafood case, but how do you know which to buy? From harvesting to size, here are the differences between sea scallops and bay scallops, and which to choose for your recipe.

What’s the Difference?

Putting aside the obvious size difference—three times larger than bay scallops, to be exact—sea scallops have a chewier texture as well. These mollusks are caught in waters up to 200 meters deep off the East Coast year round, though are most readily available in the fall and winter.

The petite bay scallops live in the seagrass beds of estuaries, bays, and harbors along Atlantic coastal waters, from New Jersey to the Gulf of Mexico. You can also dive for these sweeter mollusks from July through early October in Northwest Florida and harvest a few bags for a seafood feast.

How to Buy Scallops

Both bay and sea scallops are sold by the pound, so don’t panic when you see labels like “U-10” or "U-30/40.” These merely signify the number of scallops it takes to make a pound. With U-10 scallops, for instance, you’d get around 10 scallops to a pound (most likely sea scallops, if they’re that large!), whereas U-30/40 means it takes 30-40 scallops to make a pound. Bay scallops can get as small as 60-100 per pound.

Other labels you may encounter in your fish market research are “wet packed” and “dry packed” scallops. “Wet packed” means the scallops come pre-brined in a preservative solution to extend shelf life and add water weight. Dry packed is a much fresher product, but if you can only find the former, give them a thorough rinse before cooking.

Where to Dive for Your Own Scallops

Ensure the freshest scallops by diving for your own, a popular activity in Port St. Joe, Steinhatchee, and Crystal River, Florida. Just purchase a saltwater fishing license (only $38 for 7-day nonresident) and harvest whole bay scallops by hand or dip net.

Keep your wits about you while harvesting—scallops, unlike oysters and clams, can swim. And don’t be surprised if your dinner seems to stare back at you: scallops have up to 60 bright blue eyes lining their mantle!

How to Cook with Scallops

Deciding which scallops to buy depends on how you will eat them. To serve scallops as the main course, opt for the larger sea scallops. They are substantial enough to sear, and you can round out the meal with your favorite sides.

Bay scallops are a less expensive option that can be used as an ingredient in salads or pastas. Just pay attention—bay scallops cook quickly because they are so small, so keep an eye on the pan to avoid a rubbery texture. They tend to overcook and work best for broiling or sautéing.

For the best seared scallops, choose large, dry-packed scallops. Pat them dry, season them, and cook them in a skillet with a little butter at high heat for 1 ½ to 2 minutes per side. They will stick to the pan, and then release when they have seared. Use seared scallops in Creamy Rice with Scallops or Seared Scallops with Fresh Tomato-Basil Sauce and Orzo.

Fun Facts

• Sea scallop meats can turn orange colored through the maturation process, promoting nicknames such as “salmon scallops” in the north and “pumpkins" in the south.
• Bay scallops are the official state shell of New York.