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August 12, 2022 Seafood

Traeger Seared Scallops with Corn & Chorizo Sauce

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Scallops are a super delicious treat for dinner once in a while. When we have the chance to enjoy them, we love how using the Traeger Grill allows us to put together a unique and flavorful meal, with that hint of wood-fired flavor. Using fresh corn, which was briefly smoked on the Traeger, as part of this sauce connects the thread of wood-fired flavor throughout this dish. In just under 30 minutes, you can enjoy these scallops seared on the Traeger served with smoked corn and chorizo sauce. 

Seared scallops with corn and chorizo sauce
Seared scallops with corn and chorizo sauce

THREE GREAT INGREDIENTS IN ONE DISH

The three main ingredients in this dish– briny sea scallops, fresh-picked sweet corn and spicy chorizo– come together in a delicious way to create a memorable dish. A quick search of the internet finds many options where two of the three are combined in creative ways. For this dish, we decided to up the ante and create a recipe that combined all three in a cohesive experience.

The scallops are cooked simply– patted dry and salted before searing in a hot cast iron pan. The corn is smoked on the Traeger, then cut off the cob for this dish. The chorizo is cooked and then some of the oil from cooking it is used in cooking the corn for the sauce and for searing the scallops. It’s a recipe that provides big flavors in every bite, and one your family will ask for again. 

SEARING SCALLOPS ON THE TRAEGER

In my cookbook, Weeknight Smoking on Your Traeger Grill, I have a recipe for Mojo Scallops that are seared on the Traeger. When my book was created, Traeger grills didn’t offer a searing station by way of an induction burner like the new grill line includes. So, for detailed instructions on how to sear scallops on the Traeger without the induction, grab yourself a copy of my book. 

But you can definitely sear the scallops in your Traeger on a cast iron griddle, and my recommendation is to put a cast iron pan in the grill and let it heat up for at least 30 minutes. Be sure to put the scallops on the pan with space between them and let them cook on the first side until a hard sear is established. 

TRAEGER INDUCTION BURNER

In this recipe, we recommend using the Traeger induction burner on the new Timberline XL, because it makes cooking something so quick, like scallops, super easy. In addition to searing the scallops on the induction burner, we also cooked the chorizo on this feature and we were glad we did. Cooking chorizo in the skillet is a splattery mess, but doing it outside on the induction made it easy to clean up. 

PRIMARY INGREDIENTS

  • Sea Scallops (previously frozen)
  • Sweet corn on the cob
  • Uncooked chorizo
  • Yellow onion
  • Scallions
  • Butter
  • Half and half
  • Cilantro
  • Shishito peppers
Scallop dish ingredients
Scallop dish ingredients

WHY COOKING SCALLOPS ON THE TRAEGER WORKS 

Seafood on the Traeger is always a good idea. The delicate nature of scallops picks up flavors pretty easily, We like the fact that seafood picks up some of the wood-fired flavor from cooking on the Traeger, which adds a layer of complexity. Since these scallops were actually seared on the induction burner on our Traeger, we started the recipe by smoking the whole ears of corn for 20 minutes at 225* to give them some deep wood-fired flavor. 

Another option in this recipe is to smoke the scallops before searing, to give them another layer of flavor complexity. Smoke them for 10-15 minutes at a super low temperature (like 225*) to ensure you don’t cook the scallops through. You want to sear them to ensure tender finish result and that memorable hard sear on the outside. 

Scallops searing
Scallops searing

STEP-BY-STEP

  • Preheat your Traeger grill to 225* with the super smoke feature. 
  • Remove the husks from the ears of corn and place the corn on the grates of the grill. 
  • Close the lid and allow the corn to smoke for 20 minutes. 
  • While the corn smokes, prepare the remaining ingredients.
  • Remove the scallops from the packaging and place them on a paper-towel-lined plate. Pat dry all over. 
  • Chop the onion, slice the scallions and mince the cilantro. 
  • In a cast iron skillet, cook the chorizo.
  • Remove it from the heat, drain the crumbles on a paper towel and reserve some of the oil.
  • Once the corn has smoked, pull it from the grill and use a knife to cut the kernels from the cob. 
  • Use the back of the knife to scrape down the cob to collect the corn milk. Set the kernels and the milk aside. 
  • Using the same skillet used for the chorizo, preheat the pan to medium heat. ,
  • Saute the onion and scallions until soft. 
  • Then stir in the corn and juice and cook for about 5 minutes until the corn is tender. 
  • Stir in some of the reserved cooked chorizo. 
  • Add the butter to the corn and then remove the pan from the heat. 
  • Once off the heat, pour in the half and half and stir until well combined. 
  • Season the corn mixture to taste.
  • Then transfer to a bowl to hold until serving. 
  • Wipe the pan with a paper towel, then return the pan to the heat on medium-high. 
  • Place the shishitos in the hot pan and cook until blistered all over- about 5 minutes.
  • Transfer the shishitos to a bowl and toss with olive oil and salt. Set aside. 
  • Return the pan to the heat and add a bit of chorizo oil and olive oil to the pan. 
  • Return the pan to medium heat. 
  • Sear the scallops in two batches, until golden brown on each side.
  • To serve, nestle scallops in the corn sauce, sprinkle with cilantro and place blistered shishitos alongside. 
  • Serve and enjoy!
  • Sweet corn on the grill
    Sweet corn on the grill
  • Corn and chorizo sauce
    Corn and chorizo sauce

OTHER RECIPES FEATURING THESE THREE INGREDIENTS

There are several recipes that include these three distinct ingredients, which might provide some inspiration:

  • Check out the Mojo Scallop recipe in my cookbook, which you can get here. 
  • Chorizo and sweet potato tacos
  • Scallops in Old Fashioned Sauce
  • Korean Corn Cheese

Products used in this cook:

  • Traeger Timberline XL 
  • Lodge Cast Iron Skillet
  • Messermeister knives
  • Lobster Anywhere scallops
  • Olathe Sweet Corn

Did you make this recipe?
I’d love to know how it turned out!
Leave a review below or snap a photo,
share it on Instagram and tag me at @ThisJewCanQue

Seared scallops with corn and chorizo sauce

Traeger Seared Scallops with Corn and Chorizo Sauce

thisjewcanque
Highlighting more fresh seasonal produce, this recipe turns sweet corn into a rich and slightly spicy relish/sauce with chorizo, onions and cream. Topped with seared scallops and blistered shishitos, it’s a terrific summer meal.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 30 minutes mins
Total Time 40 minutes mins
Course main, Seafood
Cuisine American
Servings 4

Equipment

  • Traeger grill
  • Cast iron skillet
  • Wooden spatula
  • Fish spatula
  • Knife and cutting board

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound Sea Scallops previously frozen
  • 4 ears sweet corn on the cob
  • ½ cup uncooked chorizo
  • ½ a yellow onion
  • 3 scallions
  • 4 tbsp butter
  • 1 cup Half and half
  • 4 tbsp cilantro
  • 8 shishito peppers

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your Traeger grill to 225* with the super smoke feature.
  • Remove the husks from the ears of corn and place the corn on the grates of the grill.
  • Close the lid and allow the corn to smoke for 20 minutes.
  • While the corn smokes, prepare the remaining ingredients.
  • Remove the scallops from the packaging and place them on a paper-towel lined plate. Pat dry all over.
  • Chop the onion, slice the scallions and mince the cilantro.
  • In a cast iron skillet, cook the chorizo.
  • Remove it from the heat, drain the crumbles on a paper towel and reserve some of the oil.
  • Once the corn has smoked, pull it from the grill and use a knife to cut the kernels from the cob.
  • Use the back of the knife to scrape down the cob to collect the corn milk. Set the kernels and the milk aside.
  • Using the same skillet used for the chorizo, preheat the pan to medium heat. ,
  • Saute the onion and scallions until soft.
  • Then stir in the corn and juice and cook about 5 minutes until the corn is tender.
  • Stir in some of the reserved cooked chorizo.
  • Add the butter to the corn and then remove the pan from the heat.
  • Once off the heat, pour in the half and half and stir until well combined.
  • Season the corn mixture to taste.
  • Then transfer to a bowl to hold until serving.
  • Wipe the pan with a paper towel, then return the pan to the heat on medium-high.
  • Place the shishitos in the hot pan and cook until blistered all over, about 5 minutes.
  • Transfer the shishitos to a bowl and toss with olive oil and salt. Set aside.
  • Return the pan to the heat and add a bit of chorizo oil and olive oil to the pan.
  • Return the pan to medium heat.
  • Sear the scallops in two batches, until golden brown on each side.
  • To serve, nestle scallops in the corn sauce, sprinkle with cilantro and place blistered shishtos alongside.
  • Serve and enjoy!
Keyword corn and chorizo, seared scallops

Categories: Seafood Tags: grilled scallops, scallops and corn, seared scallops

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