Smoked Scallops are cooked perfectly in the smoker. The delicious garlic butter sauce makes these a delicious appetizer or main dish recipe.
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If you love seafood recipes and using your smoker, make these Smoked Scallops. This is a great recipe to start with if you are new to using your smoker. You may also like these Smoker Recipes for Beginners.
If you are looking for more smoker appetizer recipes, check out these – Smoked Chicken Wings and Smoked Queso Recipe.
Table of Contents
Why This Recipe Works
- Quick and Easy – This scallops are quick prepare and easy to smoke.
- Flavorful – These scallops are loaded with savory flavor with the combination of the ingredients.
- Serve Anytime – Because these scallops only take about 30 minutes to smoke, you can serve for appetizer, dinner time or for a side dish.
Ingredients
Scroll to the bottom for the full recipe and ingredients in the recipe card.
Variations Ideas
- Seasoning – Feel free to change the seasoning to what you prefer. Use old bay seasoning blend, paprika, fresh herbs such as fresh parsley and chives.
- Wood Chips – You can use different types of wood chips to add flavor to the scallops. Cherry wood, hickory or citrus wood chips make these scallops taste amazing. I suggest using mild wood chips like apple or cherry to avoid overpowering the scallops’ delicate flavor.
- Skewers – These scallops would be delicious on a skewer to cook on the grill at 425 degrees for about 10 minutes.
- Orange – Feel free to swap the lemon orange with orange zest.
Step by Step Instructions
- Step 1 – Preheat the smoker to 225°F and prepare the wood chips for smoking.
- Step 2 – Rinse the scallops under cold running water and pat them dry with paper towels.
Step 3 – In a bowl, toss the dry scallops with olive oil and season them with salt and pepper to taste.
Step 4 – Place the scallops on a grill basket or skewers to prevent them from falling through the smoker grill grates. Place the scallops in the smoker and smoke for 20-30 minutes, or until they reach an internal temperature of 145°F.
Step 5 – While the scallops are smoking, prepare the lemon butter sauce. In a small saucepan, melt the unsalted butter over low heat. Add the lemon juice, minced garlic, chopped parsley, salt, and pepper to the melted butter. Stir to combine and keep the sauce warm over low heat.
Step 6 – Remove the scallops from the smoker and transfer them to a serving platter. Drizzle the warm lemon butter sauce over the smoked scallops.
Recipe Tips
- Scallops – For smoking scallops, choose large, fresh sea scallops for best results.
- Cooking Time – Be careful not to overcook the scallops, as they can quickly become tough and rubbery. You will know that the scallops are cooked when they are opaque and slightly firm to the touch. The sides of the scallops will be golden brown when cooked.
- Instant-Read Thermometer – We recommend using a meat thermometer to ensure the scallops are fully cooked.
Serving Suggestions
Scallops can easily served over pasta with the delicious garlic buttery sauce served over the top. Add a side of Smoked Asparagus for a complete meal idea.
We have even served over a garden salad for a light lunch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can easily cook these scallops on a cast iron skillet in oil. Make sure to preheat the pan to get a crispy texture on the scallop.
If your scallops are frozen, allow them to thaw overnight in the refrigerator overnight. You can also place scallops in a bowl of cold water and they will thaw in about 30 minutes.
Store the leftover scallops in the fridge in an airtight container. The scallops will last about 2-3 days and easy to reheat in the microwave in about 1-2 minutes.
More Easy Smoker Recipes
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Boneless Smoked Ham
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Smoked Pork Chops
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Smoked Scallops
Ingredients
- 1 pound sea scallops
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Lemon Butter Sauce:
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the smoker to 225°F and prepare the wood chips for smoking.
- Rinse the scallops under cold water and pat them dry with paper towels.
- In a bowl, toss the scallops with olive oil and season them with salt and pepper to taste.
- Place the scallops on a grill basket or skewers to prevent them from falling through the smoker grates.
- Place the scallops in the smoker and smoke for 20-30 minutes, or until they reach an internal
- temperature of 145°F. The scallops should be opaque and slightly firm to the touch.
- While the scallops are smoking, prepare the lemon butter sauce. In a small saucepan, melt the unsalted butter over low heat.
- Add the lemon juice, minced garlic, chopped parsley, salt, and pepper to the melted butter. Stir to combine and keep the sauce warm over low heat.
- Remove the scallops from the smoker and transfer them to a serving platter.
- Drizzle the warm lemon butter sauce over the smoked scallops.
