For some it’s lobster, for others it’s langoustine or oysters, but for many, the ultimate seafood is the scallop. Cooked on a pellet grill, scallops are sensational but add bacon to the mix and you are in taste bud heaven. Bacon-wrapped scallops are uber-popular in restaurants everywhere but our bacon-wrapped scallops recipe is simple to do at home with just a little time and effort. They look up-market too. So if you want to impress your guests at a dinner party, keep reading, because we’re about to share the best way to cook bacon-wrapped scallops.
Table of Contents
How to Choose the Perfect Scallops
Generally, it’s a case of fresh rather than frozen, large rather than small, and wild rather than farm-raised. Frozen scallops are okay, in fact, scallops freeze rather well, but fresh is always going to win out (for texture especially) if you have the choice.
The size question is all about practicality. Have you ever tried to wrap bacon around a small scallop? In this case, bigger is better, and you don’t have to do as many either. Plus, a larger scallop is less likely to get overcooked should you get the timing wrong.
Farm-raised scallops can also be good but many have concerns about the environmental impact of farming seafood. So, if you have worries, go for the wild, though they will likely cost more. Wild scallops also tend to be a little more nutritious than their farmed counterparts.
There are a couple of things you probably need to do to the scallops before you cook them. First, you need to peel off the tendon – a long, thin piece of chewier meat. It’s easy to find and easy to remove. Second, pat them dry with a paper towel, particularly if they were frozen. Any moisture will reduce the chances of getting that oh-so-tasty crust on the outside of the scallops.
What You Need for Bacon-Wrapped Scallops: Equipment
You will need to get some bamboo skewers for a main course or cocktail sticks for individual starters – skewering keeps the bacon attached to the scallops. Apart from that you just need your pellet grill, some wood pellets, and the usual cooking utensils.
What You Need for Bacon-Wrapped Scallops: Ingredients
While a grocery store or supermarket might do the trick, the best quality scallops are likely to come from a seafood specialist. Good bacon is a must and not too thick or it’s difficult to wrap. You will be splitting the slices lengthways to fit the scallops so you will need half as many slices as you have scallops.
The only other ingredients you need are some butter, salt, freshly ground pepper, a little garlic, and some lemon wedges to serve.
What is the best type of oil for searing scallops?
You can use any oil for scallops, but it’s hard to beat a little garlic butter brushed on before you put the scallops on the grill. If that’s not an option, olive oil will give you great results.
Best Pellet Grills for Cooking Scallops
To grill bacon-wrapped scallops, you can’t get better than a Z Grills pellet smoker. In particular, the new Z Grills 700D3 pellet grill ticks all the boxes with its sophisticated temperature control, dual racks, and twin temperature probes – no wonder it gets so many 5-star reviews.
If you’re looking for something smaller, our Pioneer 450B pellet grill is a great starter grill (or for small spaces), but if you’re really space-challenged, our Cruiser 200A portable pellet grill will fit literally anywhere! All our grills offer precision heat control, easy mobility, and our easy clean-out system so you never waste pellets or get sub-par results.
We know there are those of you out there who always think bigger is better when it comes to grilling, and with the 11002B pellet grill with Wi-Fi, we certainly can’t disagree! This grill embodies everything the future of grilling should be, and is a great investment if you want to turn all your neighbors, friends, and family green with envy whenever you roll it out at social events.
Wood Pellets for Smoker: What pellets are best for scallops?
Oakwood pellets are a safe option for scallops and other kinds of seafood, but cherry wood pellets and Competition Blend grill pellets are both very suitable and will give subtly different flavors. To get the best results, make sure you use high-quality wood pellets free from fillers and binders. Z Grills prides itself on the standard of its U.S sourced pellets.
How to Season Bacon-Wrapped Scallops
To season, just a few grindings of black pepper and a dusting of kosher salt. Remember, the bacon brings its own saltiness to the scallops (and scallops are seafood) so don’t overdo it. It’s easy to add salt and impossible to take it away!
You might also want to add some minced garlic to the melted butter or oil to give another layer to the flavor.
How to Cook Smoked Bacon-Wrapped Scallops on a Pellet Grill
- Once the scallops are prepared, split the slices of bacon lengthways and wrap each scallop, securing with either a skewer or a toothpick. The trick is not to overlap the bacon too much, a ¼ inch is plenty. If the bacon is too long it is likely that the bacon won’t be cooked until the scallops are overdone.
- Preheat the grill to 450F.
- Melt some butter and add a minced clove of garlic, then brush over the prepared scallop and bacon combos.
- Place the scallops directly on the grill. Drop the temperature to 300F and cook for 10-15 minutes.
- Flip and cook for another 10-15 minutes.
- By this time, the internal temperature of the scallops should have reached 145F, the bacon has begun to crisp, and they will be perfectly done.
So simple, so stress-free, so tasty!
What to Serve with Bacon-Wrapped Scallops
We recommend sprinkling the finished bacon-wrapped scallops with some fresh finely chopped parsley and garnishing with some lemon wedges to squeeze over them once served.
Many sides go well with scallops:
- A fresh crisp salad
- Roasted cauliflower
- A sweet chili dipping sauce
- Some crusty bread for mopping up the delicious juices
What temperature should you cook bacon-wrapped scallops at on a pellet grill?
Set the grill to 450F to preheat. When the scallops go on, drop the temperature to 300F while they cook. The internal temperature needs to reach 145F.
How long should you grill bacon-wrapped scallops?
Around 30 minutes is about right, then test the internal temperature with a probe if you do not have internal probes or wifi probes.
If you haven’t tried bacon-wrapped scallops you really should. Succulence, flavor, texture – they have it all and are so easy to cook. As with so much, the wood pellet grill adds the final touch of class – an almost ethereal dimension that lifts your culinary efforts onto a higher plane.
If your grill is giving you lackluster results or you have yet to invest in a pellet grill, now is the time to buy a pellet grill that will give you delicious results every time. We aim to deliver top-tier grilling to our customers at direct-from-manufacturer pricing, so budget never has to be a barrier between you and delicious smoked food.
Easy Bacon-Wrapped Scallops Recipe
Equipment
- Z Grills Smoker Grill
- Z Grills Hickory Wood Pellets
Ingredients
- 16 large scallops
- 8 slices of thin-cut bacon, halved lengthwise
- ¼ cup of butter, melted
- 1 minced clove of garlic
- Kosher or sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Finely chopped parsley and lemon wedges to serve
Instructions
- Preheat the grill to 450F
- Wrap the scallops in the bacon and secure with a skewer (for a main) or individually with a toothpick. Note: soak the skewers before using to stop them burning on the grill
- Brush the scallops with the melted butter and garlic
- Sprinkle with a little (!) salt and some black pepper
- Place the prepared scallops directly on the grill grate, drop the temperature to 300F, and cook for 12-15 minutes
- Flip the skewers and give the scallops another 12-15 minutes
- At the end of the cooking time, the temperature probe should be showing 145F and the scallops cooked to perfection
- Serve!
