# Sea Scallop Halves--Why would my store have these? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 13, 2016, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sea-scallop-halves-why-would-my-store-have-these/754721 "2016-05-13T22:12:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2016, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sea-scallop-halves-why-would-my-store-have-these/754721/1 "2016-05-13T22:12:46Z")
I like scallops. I know the difference between “dry” scallops and wet scallops. While shopping at my local grocer a few weeks ago, I noticed they had “dry sea scallop halves” for $6.99/lb. This is a ridiculously low price for dry sea scallops. Whole dry sea scallops are usually $20/lb. What would account for them having “halves?” I bought them and indeed they were dry. Seared up great. I found the same a few weeks later. Same price. Good eats. So, my question is–are they just pieces that occur in normal harvesting and cant be sold as whole sea scallops or something else? BTW, I sear in clarified butter. Do you prefer olive oil? Other? ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2016, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sea-scallop-halves-why-would-my-store-have-these/754721/2 "2016-05-13T23:19:16Z")
I don’t have a answer to your question, but I use olive oil after seasoning with salt & pepper. ---
**Author:** ![quiltguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e47774/32.png) [@quiltguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quiltguy)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2016, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sea-scallop-halves-why-would-my-store-have-these/754721/3 "2016-05-14T14:04:42Z")
Well, when you can punch 'em out of the bodies of manta rays, you can charge less. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2016, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sea-scallop-halves-why-would-my-store-have-these/754721/4 "2016-05-14T15:37:38Z")
They could be culls, scallops that were damaged or not well shaped. You’d also have to check the packaging carefully, there are ‘scallop products’ out there, not whole scallops but processed and reformed scallop meat. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2016, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sea-scallop-halves-why-would-my-store-have-these/754721/5 "2016-05-14T17:06:09Z")
> [@quiltguy](#): > > Well, when you can punch 'em out of the bodies of manta rays, you can charge less. 😉 Urban legend. ---
**Author:** ![DonLogan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/51bf81/32.png) [@DonLogan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DonLogan)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2016, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sea-scallop-halves-why-would-my-store-have-these/754721/6 "2016-05-14T21:25:15Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > So, my question is–are they just pieces that occur in normal harvesting and cant be sold as whole sea scallops Yes. Same idea as cashew halves vs whole cashews. They’re broken scallops. ---
**Author:** ![GreedySmurf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a698b9/32.png) [@GreedySmurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreedySmurf)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2016, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sea-scallop-halves-why-would-my-store-have-these/754721/7 "2016-05-14T22:12:50Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > I like scallops. I know the difference between “dry” scallops and wet scallops. > > While shopping at my local grocer a few weeks ago, I noticed they had “dry sea scallop halves” for $6.99/lb. This is a ridiculously low price for dry sea scallops. Whole dry sea scallops are usually $20/lb. What would account for them having “halves?” I bought them and indeed they were dry. Seared up great. I found the same a few weeks later. Same price. Good eats. > > So, my question is–are they just pieces that occur in normal harvesting and cant be sold as whole sea scallops or something else? > > BTW, I sear in clarified butter. Do you prefer olive oil? Other? You’ll have to let me know what the difference is between a wet scallop and a dry scallop? ---
**Author:** ![quiltguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e47774/32.png) [@quiltguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quiltguy)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2016, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sea-scallop-halves-why-would-my-store-have-these/754721/8 "2016-05-14T22:16:23Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > Urban legend. True, and hence the wink. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2016, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sea-scallop-halves-why-would-my-store-have-these/754721/9 "2016-05-14T23:17:01Z")
> [@GreedySmurf](#): > > You’ll have to let me know what the difference is between a wet scallop and a dry scallop? Wet scallops have been soaked in liquid containing phosphates. It makes them very white in color but they shrink a lot when you cook them, don’t brown well, and just don’t taste as good. Dry scallops haven’t been treated. Just get Dry, there’s no point to the wet scallops. ---
**Author:** ![GreedySmurf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a698b9/32.png) [@GreedySmurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreedySmurf)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2016, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sea-scallop-halves-why-would-my-store-have-these/754721/10 "2016-05-15T12:37:46Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Wet scallops have been soaked in liquid containing phosphates. It makes them very white in color but they shrink a lot when you cook them, don’t brown well, and just don’t taste as good. Dry scallops haven’t been treated. Just get Dry, there’s no point to the wet scallops. :eek: Thankfully, it would appear I’ve never run across wet scallops before. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2016, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sea-scallop-halves-why-would-my-store-have-these/754721/11 "2016-05-15T12:51:45Z")
> [@GreedySmurf](#): > > :eek: Thankfully, it would appear I’ve never run across wet scallops before. Here In the US, unless they’re advertised as “dry pack,” they are almost certainly wet pack. That’s the default here, and there’s a huge price difference. Wet pack can be $10/lb, dry $20.