These grilled bacon-wrapped scallops are basted in a flavorful teriyaki sauce. The pineapple adds a brightness and sweetness to the dish.
Skewered foods on the grill just scream SUMMER!
Once the weather heats up, it's time to fire up the grill and make some Filipino Pork BBQ Skewers, Grilled Honey Garlic Chicken Skewers, or Greek Chicken Souvlaki Skewers. Or, these amazing Grilled Bacon-Wrapped Scallops!
Grilled scallops cook quickly, making them great to make for any busy weeknight dinner as well as any summer gathering with friends & family. The salty bacon with sweet scallops are basted with a simple teriyaki sauce. Thread some pineapple chunks in-between each bacon-wrapped scallop for added tropical flavor and sweetness.
Such a fast, yummy summer dish!
Ingredients for this recipe
You just need a few ingredients to make these yummy summery skewers!
Scallops - Use sea scallops, which are nice and large enough to stay securely on the skewers.
Bacon - I love the smokiness that applewood smoked bacon adds to this dish. But you can use your favorite bacon. Just make sure you choose a bacon that is long enough to cut in half and wrap each half around each scallop. If your bacon is on the shorter side, you may need to cut single pieces out of each slice in order to have a bacon slice that completely wraps around the scallops.
Pineapple - Use fresh, chopped pineapple if you can. Canned pineapple chunks also work.
Teriyaki Sauce - Use your favorite teriyaki sauce as the base for the basting sauce.
Garlic & Ginger - you can either mince or grate the ginger and garlic into the sauce.
Brown Sugar - I love the richness and sweetness that brown sugar adds to the sauce. But since sugar burns on the grill, make sure you watch the food very carefully. It works in this grilling recipe because we only use ¼ cup of brown sugar, and because the scallops and bacon cook quickly.
How to make bacon-wrapped scallops on the grill
Step 1: Make the Sauce
In a medium bowl, whisk together the teriyaki sauce, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, salt, and pepper. Pour half of the mixture into a separate bowl and set both bowls of sauce aside. One will be used to baste the ingredients before grilling; the other will be used to baste the cooked skewers before serving.
Step 2 - Thread the Ingredients onto Skewers
Wrap each piece of scallop with one half of a bacon slice. Thread the bacon-wrapped scallop onto a skewer so that the skewer helps hold the bacon in place. Then thread one piece of pineapple. Repeat the process again, so that you have two sets of bacon-wrapped scallops plus pineapple on each skewer.
Step 3: Baste the Ingredients
With a pastry brush using sauce from one of the bowls, baste both sides of the skewered bacon-wrapped scallops and pineapples. Wash and dry the pastry brush and put the remaining teriyaki sauce from that bowl away.
Step 4: Grill the scallops
Grill the skewers, uncovered, on medium-high for 3 to 4 minutes per side. When the skewers are done cooking, use the teriyaki sauce from the other, remaining bowl of sauce (NOT the one you used to baste the raw scallops!) and baste both sides of the cooked skewers with a nice thick layer of sauce.
Cooking Tips
GRILL TEMP: When grilling medium-high heat, your grill should be between 375°F and 450°F. I like to do one test skewer first in order to adjust and set the right temperature. Remember that every grill is a little different, so a test skewer can help ensure even cooking for the remaining skewers.
SKEWERS: You can use stainless steel skewers or bamboo skewers. If using bamboo skewers, be sure to soak them in water for at least 30 minutes before adding the ingredients to them. use thread the ingredients onto two skewers. This helps keep the scallops from spinning around when you're flipping them on the grill.
SCALLOPS: Make sure you use sea scallops and not bay scallops. Bay scallops are too small to cook on skewers.
BACON: choose bacon that comes in wide slices and be sure to stretch each half as much as possible to wrap around each scallop.
Recipe FAQs
Scallops will be a deeper white color and no longer be translucent when they are fully cooked.
Make sure that after you rinse the scallops, you dry them thoroughly. Scallops that are too wet will not brown properly.
Scallops cook very quickly, so watch them carefully when cooking. Cook them over high heat quickly. This helps create that beautiful browning on the outside and helps prevent them from drying out.
More summer recipes
- Grilled Shrimp Pineapple Skewers
- Filipino Pork BBQ Skewers
- Grilled Honey Garlic Chicken Skewers
- Low Country Boil Foil Packets
- Dinner Ideas for Hot Summer Nights
Grilled Teriyaki Bacon-Wrapped Scallop Skewers
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound sea scallops
- 8 slices bacon, cut in half
- ½ cup teriyaki sauce
- ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon ginger, minced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup fresh pineapple, cut into 1-inch cubes
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the teriyaki sauce, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, salt, and pepper. Pour half of the mixture into a separate bowl and set both bowls of sauce aside. One will be used to baste the ingredients before grilling; the other will be used to baste the cooked skewers before serving.
- Wrap each piece of scallop with one half of a bacon slice. Thread the bacon-wrapped scallop onto a skewer so that the skewer helps hold the bacon in place. Then thread one piece of pineapple. Repeat the process again, so that you have two sets of bacon-wrapped scallops plus pineapple on each skewer.
- With a pastry brush, baste both sides of the skewered bacon-wrapped scallops and pineapples with teriyaki sauce from one of the bowls. Wash and dry the pastry brush and put the remaining teriyaki sauce from that bowl away.
- Grill the skewers, uncovered, on medium-high for 3 to 4 minutes per side. When the skewers are done cooking, use the remaining bowl of teriyaki sauce and baste both sides of the cooked skewers with a nice thick layer of sauce.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is a general estimate. Actual nutrition details may vary depending on the exact foods & brands you use to make this recipe. It does not take into account any substitutions, toppings, or optional ingredients.
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Pam says
This is my husband's favorite thing to order in a restaurant. Until I found your great recipe I was afraid to try it at home, but it turned out great. He loved it!
Marlynn Jayme Schotland says
So glad he loved it, Pam!
Beth says
Such an easy delicious summer meal with no cleanup. We loved this!
Marlynn Jayme Schotland says
Glad you loved it, Beth!
Jacque Hastert says
I am loving these! I can't wait to fire up the grill and get these on there. I am running to the store right now.
Marlynn Jayme Schotland says
Hope you love it, Jacque!
Tawnie Kroll says
Anything wrapped in bacon and I'm in! I made these as appetizers over the weekend and everyone raved about the recipe! Thank you, will be making again!
Marlynn Jayme Schotland says
That's great to hear! Thanks, Tawnie!
Dionne says
I just had these in a restaurant, and they were amazing. Can't wait to try them at home now!