fake scallops????

[MustangA1X]

Just got back from lunch in the big city (Coos Bay).
My wife a shrimp and scallop dish and the scallops didn't seem right. They were silver dollar size and perfectly flat top and bottom. They seemed to be not as firm as scallops that we remember and there was a meat like grain to them. They tasted fine though. I remember stories about using a cookie cutter on shark fillets to make fake scallops and was wondering if this might be the case?

[jpwillbros]

I don't know but somebody once told me that scallops were punched from a sting ray. Is that true?

[StickFish]

Real scallops are a bivalve like a clam. Fake Scallops can be cut from rays and other fish.

Nothing like sushi grade scallops - Yum

[Fish_N_Russ]

I work in seafood at Freddys and yeah there is fake scallops.....cut out like a cookie from other firm white fish. Real scallops will have a grain to them that runs up and down.

[adobe wall]

The half dollar- silver dollar sized sea scallops we've had lately did in fact have grain running top to bottom on them. I also wonder if they are real or cut from some other fish.

My wife got the same type scallops at City Grille, though, so I'm thinking they must be real. Darn sight bigger than any scallop I've ever handled though. Figure the scallop you are eating is actually just the adductor muscle, not the whole critter- so 2" diameter seems like something you'd see on a geoduck, not a scallop.

Funny thing this topic just came up as I've been thinking I needed to surf the web a bit to try to find the answer. One thing I have noticed is the big ones are always called "sea scallops".

regards, aw

[Liquid Asset]

Several seafood companies make fake scallops with Surimi (imitation crabmeat). Of course, they add scallop flavoring!!!!

Gotta love it...

LA

[thistledew]

Could be that it is` skate you're eating

[fishbait]

Raw dry pack scallops, OMG

Stickfish got it right

[butwhymalemodels]

Originally Posted by adobe wall

My wife got the same type scallops at City Grille, though, so I'm thinking they must be real. Darn sight bigger than any scallop I've ever handled though. Figure the scallop you are eating is actually just the adductor muscle, not the whole critter- so 2" diameter seems like something you'd see on a geoduck, not a scallop
regards, aw

Which City Grille?

[fishin' is livin']

"fake scallops" are quite common, if the price is reasonable or close, there usually imitation (Seafood Reps seem the like that terminology better). The larger sized portions are almost always imitation, cut out of rays , to get the texture that you see. unfortunately, most establishments don't mention that fact when they are featured on the menu.

[Fast Water]

eeewwww.

[fishkisser]

Mmmmm ... Pass the Bat Ray would you please ...

[Gus Orviston]

Nothing like sushi grade scallops - Yum

I can only look forward to my next trip to japan for these.. wow.. they are awesome.. my favorite by this much

gus

[feisty's wife]

Originally Posted by Fast Water

eeewwww.

Ray is delicious, had it many time's, those critter's FIGHT!!!

[Threemuch]

I have heard the skate and bat ray thing many times. I even tried to do it with a big bat ray. It isn't possible. There is cartilidge in the middle of the wing, and skin on both sides. It is hard to get the meat off the skin and cartilidge, and if you cut it off with a knife, the meat just falls apart. It isn't bad eats. Bat rays eat mostly shellfish. But it isn't scallops.

I am betting most fake scallops are surimi. Fish paste, flavored with scallop processing drippings.

Good surimi isn't bad eats, it's just not the real thing. But I am not a fan of the huge factory processors that make the stuff.

Real scallops can be from lots of different animals. The best are this guy:
Rock scallops, right out of the pacific ocean. But I don't think there is any commercial fishing for these in the US. You have to get them yourself.

[fishin' is livin']

Originally Posted by Threemuch

I have heard the skate and bat ray thing many times. I even tried to do it with a big bat ray. It isn't possible. There is cartilidge in the middle of the wing, and skin on both sides. It is hard to get the meat off the skin and cartilidge, and if you cut it off with a knife, the meat just falls apart. It isn't bad eats. Bat rays eat mostly shellfish. But it isn't scallops.

I am betting most fake scallops are surimi. Fish paste, flavored with scallop processing drippings.

Good surimi isn't bad eats, it's just not the real thing. But I am not a fan of the huge factory processors that make the stuff.

Real scallops can be from lots of different animals. The best are this guy:
Rock scallops, right out of the pacific ocean. But I don't think there is any commercial fishing for these in the US. You have to get them yourself.

Just tellin' you what I know

[rew]

When I lived on the gulf coast in Texas, I worked at a seafood shack. The rays (not sure of species... about 24" in diameter) were skinned and punched into "sea scallops". I saw it done. There wasn't any cartilage problem... they actually tasted pretty good too

[Fast Water]

Originally Posted by feisty

Ray is delicious, had it many time's, those critter's FIGHT!!!

No issue with the ray. The eeew was for marketing ray as scallop.

[rew]

Originally Posted by feisty

Ray is delicious, had it many time's, those critter's FIGHT!!!

I know, I caught one a few years ago and thought I had snagged an anchor or something it felt so heavy!! I got it up to the surface and couldn't believe what it was... took forever to get worn out too, before I could pull him out.

[G23c]

Hi, new to the forum. if the "scallops" are not actually scallops, shouldn't they let you know and call it "imitation scallop", like they do with imitation crab? if not, then call a CZ a diamond.

[Artwo]

Originally Posted by G23c

Hi, new to the forum. if the "scallops" are not actually scallops, shouldn't they let you know and call it "imitation scallop", like they do with imitation crab? if not, then call a CZ a diamond.

Arn't they called "Skallops" like "Krab"....................

[cptdarel]

Originally Posted by Fish_N_Russ

I work in seafood at Freddys and yeah there is fake scallops.....cut out like a cookie from other firm white fish. Real scallops will have a grain to them that runs up and down.

fish_N_Russ is right
I don't know if I'm goofy or those that claim it's made from bat ray to skate wings...............If you put a Scallop and a cookie cutter ray side by side, it's like night and day or hot dog to hamberger, bat and skates grain is wide and gelantinus.......... maybe Surimi at times, or white fish, if you can't tell the difference................don't order it.

[fishin' is livin']

They might come packaged like this.....


Free "sample" from vendor, I can also get fresh skate wing at 4.29 a lb, or REAL scallops for 12.59 a lb....choose wisely at the seafood restaurants, price usually dictates the "scallop" you get.