7 Warning Signs That Your “Dry” Scallops Are Actually Soaked

The vision is always the same: You are standing at the stove on New Year’s Eve, a glass of champagne nearby, ready to sear a batch of pristine sea scallops. You imagine a golden-brown crust, a sweet, caramelized aroma, and a center that melts like butter. But all too often, the reality is a gray, watery disappointment. Instead of searing, the scallops steam in a milky puddle. The crust never forms. The texture is rubbery. And the flavor? faintly soapy.

The culprit is not your cooking technique—it is likely your ingredients. A significant portion of scallops sold in supermarkets are treated with sodium tripolyphosphate (STP), an industrial additive that forces the muscle to absorb excess water. In the industry, these are known as “wet” scallops. To the consumer, they are simply a ruined dinner waiting to happen.

For a luxurious holiday meal, you want “dry” scallops—natural mollusks that have never touched a chemical bath. But labeling can be deceptive, and the term “fresh” often just means “never frozen,” not “chemical-free.” Before you invest in your New Year’s feast, look for these seven warning signs that your scallops are swimming in more than just their natural juices.

1. The Milky Pool

The first clue often appears before you even leave the store. If you are buying scallops from a seafood counter, look closely at the tray or container they are sitting in. Dry scallops are somewhat sticky and relatively matte; they do not leak moisture spontaneously. If the scallops are sitting in a pool of milky, white liquid, they are almost certainly “wet” or treated. That liquid is the STP solution seeping out as the scallop’s cellular structure degrades. A high-quality dry scallop should sit on the ice or in the tray looking tacky and firm, not swimming in a bath.

2. The “Bleached” White Appearance

We have been conditioned to think that bright white seafood means cleanliness, but in the world of scallops, it usually indicates chemical intervention. A natural, dry sea scallop has a distinct color variance. They range from creamy beige to ivory, and occasionally even have a pinkish or slightly orange hue (often from female scallops, which are prized for their sweetness). Treated scallops, on the other hand, are stark, opaque white. They look bleached because, effectively, they have been. If every scallop in the case looks identical and unnaturally bright, proceed with caution.

3. The Fine Print on the Label

If you are buying pre-packaged scallops, the evidence is often legally required to be there, though it is usually hidden in tiny font. Scan the ingredients list for “Sodium Tripolyphosphate,” “STP,” or the phrase “Water Added.” Sometimes the package will explicitly say “Wet Scallops,” though this is rare. Be wary of generic terms like “scallop product,” which can be a loophole for treated items. A true dry scallop has one ingredient: scallops.

4. The Rubber Ball Texture

If you have the opportunity to touch the scallop (or if you have already brought them home), check the texture. A dry scallop is pliable and soft; it relaxes when it sits on the counter. A treated scallop feels tense, bouncy, and artificially firm, much like a wet rubber ball. This is because the cells are bursting with forced water weight. When you press on a dry scallop, it should leave a slight indentation or feel like raw meat; a wet scallop will spring back immediately.

5. The Pan Flood

This is the most heartbreaking sign because it happens when it is too late to turn back. You heat your pan until the oil shimmers, you carefully place the scallops inside, and you wait for that sizzle. With wet scallops, the sizzle is quickly replaced by a hiss as they release copious amounts of liquid. Instead of searing, the temperature of your pan plummets, and the scallops begin to boil in their own chemical brine. If you see white foam bubbling up around the edges of the scallop within seconds of hitting the heat, you are cooking STP-treated seafood.

6. The Incredible Shrinking Scallop

STP treatment can increase the weight of a scallop by up to 30%. Since scallops are sold by the pound, you are essentially paying luxury prices for water. When that water cooks out, the scallop collapses. If your dinner looks significantly smaller on the plate than it did in the pan—shriveled, tight, and sad—it is because the artificial water weight has evaporated. Dry scallops will retain their shape and stature much better during the cooking process.

7. The Soapy Aftertaste

Finally, the proof is in the palate. Dry scallops taste of the ocean: sweet, nutty, and buttery. They are rich in natural glycine, which gives them that candy-like savoriness. Treated scallops often have a bitter, metallic, or slightly soapy finish. This is the residual taste of the phosphate salts. If you find yourself needing to drown the scallops in heavy lemon butter just to make them palatable, you are likely covering up the taste of the chemical bath.

How to Source and Sear the Real Deal

To ensure your New Year’s Eve dinner is a success, go to a reputable fishmonger and ask specifically for “Day Boat” or “Dry” scallops. Do not be afraid to ask: “Have these been treated with any solutions?” A good fishmonger will know the answer immediately and will be proud of their untreated product.

Once you have secured the goods, treat them with respect. Even dry scallops have some surface moisture. Pat them thoroughly dry with paper towels; surface moisture is the enemy of the Maillard reaction. Season them generously with salt just before cooking.

Use a stainless steel or cast-iron pan and get it hot—smoking hot. Use an oil with a high smoke point, like grapeseed or avocado oil. Place the scallops in the pan giving them plenty of breathing room; if they touch, they steam. Then, do the hardest thing in the kitchen: Do nothing. Let them sear undisturbed for at least two minutes until a deep, mahogany crust forms. Flip, kiss the other side with heat for a minute, and serve immediately. When you start with the right ingredient, perfection is the only option.