Beer Brined Scallops over Smokey Corn Puree and Stout Molasses Sauce
While flavor may be a great go-to reason to cook with beer, don’t overlook the more practical applications of beer cooking. One of the cornerstones of Practical Beer Cooking is the inherent meat tenderizing properties of beer, making it the perfect brining liquid. While infusing the meat with flavor and uping the juiciness factor, beer also lends it’s powers to giving you extra tender meat. While land dwelling meat is often the target of brining, most scallops need a good long soak in a hoppy brine.
Scallops are a deceptive beast. For the most part, these sweet and mild little sea treats look simple to prepare. But a few minor issues could be robbing you of that restaurant quality greatness. The first, and most damaging issue is that the majority of grocery store scallops will come soaked in a phosphate solution that, while whitening and preserving, infuses the scallop with a soapy taste. This phosphate solution also permeates the meat, leaking out during cooking and preventing you from getting a good sear. So, really, you need to flush the beast to get a great meal out of it. The phosphate soaked scallops are generally referred to as "wet" scallops and those that are not soaked in anything are referred to as "dry" scallops. While dry scallops are still available, they are harder to come by, more expensive, and much more rare the farther you get from the water. If your scallop is white and sitting in a pool of milky liquid, it’s a wet guy. If it isn’t labeled "dry packed" you can bet your dinner that your new found culinary delight has been hanging out in phosphates for a while.
The cure to this is really simple, and relying on those meat tenderizing properties of beer will give you a great wash to get your scallop back to a dry pack quality. Allowing the scallops to brine will work the phosphates out, giving you the ability to sear those beautiful scallops without that nasty milky liquid seeping out in the pan, ruining that beautiful sear you want. Make sure to allow them to dry really well before searing to get that great golden crust that always drives us crazy.
For this recipe I used a smokey stout for the sauce (the Sauce of Dreams, that I sort of want to take a bath in), the slight notes of smoke are really beautiful and add a bit of a Texas Barbecue flavor to these nicely seared scallops. I used Still Life by Beachwood Brewing, a really nice stout, with beautifully layered flavors. Look for a stout or a porter (both dark beers that are interchangeable when cooking) that have notes of smoke or espresso.
Beer Brined Scallops over Smokey Corn Puree and Stout Molasses Sauce
Ingredients
For the Scallops:
- 12 ounces pale ale
- 2 tbs salt
- 1 cup water
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 12 jumbo scallops
- 2 tbs unsalted butter
- 2 tbs olive oil
For the Corn Puree
- 4 ears of corn
- 5 tbs butter
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 cup cream or half and half
For the Sauce
- 1 cup stout
- 1 tbs molasses don't use Blackstrap
- 3 tbs balsamic
- 1 tbs soy
Instructions
- In a large bowl stir together the pale ale, salt, water and lemon juice.
- Add the scallops, cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- While the scallops brine, make the puree. Cut the kernels off the corn cob, set aside.
- In a saucepan over medium high heat, melt the butter. Add the kernels, salt, pepper, smoked paprika and cream. Allow to simmer until corn has softened, about 8 minutes. Add to a blender or food process and process until smooth, about 5 minutes. Pass through a fine mesh strainer or chinois (this will remove any fibers and give you a really creamy puree).
- Make the sauce: Add the stout, molasses, balsamic and soy to a sauce pan over high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to maintain a strong simmer, cooking until reduced and slightly thickened, about 10 minutes (should easily coat a spoon). Sauce can be made three days ahead of time and stored in the fridge, but with thicken as it cools. Heat slightly to thin.
- Remove the scallops from fridge and place on top of a stack of 4-5 paper towels. Add another layer of paper towels and allow to drain and dry for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with pepper on both sides.
- Add the butter and olive oil to a pan over high heat. Allow the butter to melt and get very hot, nearly smoking.
- Add the scallops, flat side down, and allow to cook until a dark golden brown crust forms on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook until seared on the opposite side. Remove from pan when a slight hint of translucent pink still remains at the center, don’t over cook.
Comments
Sandi Graham August 9, 2013 um 5:22 am
Scallops- yum! Corn – yum! Beer- yum! I cannot wait to try
Tieghan August 9, 2013 um 5:50 am
What a gorgeous and elegant meal! I cannot get my family to eat scallops, but maybe with this brine it might work and especially if I present the way you have! The smokey corn puree and especially the stout molasses sound incredible! Why have I never thought to make a sauce out of molasses? I bet it is so good!
Happy Valley Chow August 9, 2013 um 6:43 am
Holy guacamole that looks ridiculously good! Fantastic recipe, very creative 🙂
Happy Blogging!
Happy Valley Chow
julie August 9, 2013 um 7:31 am
How much smoked paprika did you use?
Jackie August 9, 2013 um 8:45 am
1/4 teaspoon. Thanks!
Ashley – Baker by Nature August 9, 2013 um 10:45 am
This is such a classy looking dish, Jackie! I am in love with scallops this Summer, and we’ve been getting them from the farmer’s market fish stand almost every saturday… I think I know how I’m cooking them this time!
Jen @ Savory Simple August 9, 2013 um 1:33 pm
I am wishing that I had a scratch and sniff (taste) screen right now. I want that corn puree immediately.
Lisa U August 11, 2013 um 12:45 pm
Jackie, this looks delicious! What an unusual and yummy sounding combination.
I’ve never heard of this "wet" vs "dry" scallop thing, so thanks for edifying. We try to be responsible about where our food comes from, and for fish & seafood we adhere to the Sustainable Fish Watch List. We’re fortunate to live close to a working fishing port so we buy much of our fish right from the fishermen, but living in California we don’t have access to scallops — usually I purchase scallops from New England.
I’ll have to do some more research, but do you know if this practice of soaking in phosphate solution is used across the entire fish industry (including the more responsible sources), or is it more likely to be used by the more industrial Asian sources? Either way it’s totally yucky sounding! And we have definitely had this issue while cooking scallops.
Thanks again! Love your blog.
Jackie August 11, 2013 um 12:59 pm
It’s pretty common with scallops no matter where they come from. It works to whiten and preserve the scallops. and If someone is shipping seafood from Alaska to Kansas, I completely understand why that would be a concern. It’s often easier to buy dry scallops that are frozen, rather than fresh because fisheries use the cold as a preservative rather than the phosphates.
Josh August 12, 2013 um 7:03 am
First of all, my recipe book is filling up with all of these. I make one of your recipes a week, and have loved all of them. Thank you for keeping this blog up and running.
Secondly, I have a question out of ignorance. I have been using blackstrap and Grandma’s molasses as equals. Based on this recipe, I’m left to ask, why specifically to avoid blackstrap? Thanks!
Jackie August 12, 2013 um 8:01 am
Thank you! And great question. Blackstrap is what’s left when almost all the sugar has been removed, making it really bitter with almost no sweetness. Grandmas isn’t blackstrap, it’s a traditional molasses, having a fairly high sugar content.
Josh August 12, 2013 um 8:24 am
Thanks! It looks like it’ll be moved to the back of shelf till i find a better purpose then.
Jessie August 12, 2013 um 8:53 am
I made the scallops! Turned out perfect, best i’ve ever made at home. Thank you!
NOT YOUR RECIPE August 13, 2013 um 12:20 am
Oh my gosh hahaha I’m so happy it’s the same person! It is one of my biggest pet peeves so I am thrilled no one is stealing your recipes but you 😉
Jackie August 13, 2013 um 12:23 am
Very sweet of you to look out for other people’s content!
Casey Campbell May 3, 2014 um 3:17 pm
I can’t believe I’ve never come across your blog before. I, too, have a fondness for craft beer and I’m so excited to check out more of your recipes!
Michele May 15, 2015 um 3:15 pm
Making this tonight! If the sauce and corn puree are any indication we are in for an amazing dinner! Thanks for the recipe!
Cathleen March 20, 2020 um 6:20 pm
How would you adapt this recipe for Patagonian scallops (super small ones)?
Jackie March 21, 2020 um 11:36 am
I’d just adjust the cooking time, and obviously buy more than 12! Everything else should translate well.
Audrey Dean November 17, 2020 um 6:43 pm
So this time of year I can’t get my hands on fresh corn. Is there any way to use frozen kernels or am I doomed to have to wait (not so patiently) for warmer weather to try this mouth watering recipe?
Jackie November 18, 2020 um 8:47 am
I think that would work fine! Just try to find high quality frozen and it should work just fine.