How to Cook Prawns and Scallops Without Making Them Rubbery

Eliane Muskus
Jul 29
3 min read

Simple tips and a quick prawn recipe to help you master seafood cooking at home—no more rubbery textures, just tender, juicy results.

Ever bitten into a rubbery prawn or chewy scallop and wondered what went wrong? You're not alone—and the fix is easier than you think.

Cooking seafood can feel intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. The key to perfectly cooked prawns, scallops, and other delicate treasures from the sea lies in timing and temperature. Overcooking is the #1 culprit of rubbery textures—and sadly, it happens in seconds. In this post, you’ll learn simple chef tips to avoid common mistakes and try a quick, foolproof prawn recipe that’s bursting with flavor and ready in under 15 minutes.

🧑‍🍳 Chef Tip: Avoid Overcooking Seafood

Here’s how to prevent rubbery seafood every time:

✅️ Pat dry before cooking – moisture causes steaming, not searing.

✅️ Preheat your pan – seafood needs a hot surface to cook quickly and evenly.

✅️ Cook by size – smaller seafood cooks faster. A prawn needs only about 1–2 minutes per side. Scallops take 1.5–2 minutes per side for a golden sear.

✅️ Look for the signs – prawns should turn pink and curl into a loose “C”. A tight “O” means it’s overdone. Scallops should feel springy but not firm.

🍤 Quick Garlic-Lemon Prawns (Serves 2)

Ingredients:

300g (10 oz) raw prawns, peeled and deveined
1 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
Juice of ½ lemon
Zest of ½ lemon
Pinch of chili flakes (optional)
Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
Fresh parsley, finely chopped (for garnish)

Instructions:

1. Pat the prawns dry with paper towel.

2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking.

3. Add the garlic and sauté for 20 seconds.

4. Toss in the prawns and cook for 1–2 minutes per side, until they turn pink and opaque.

5. Add lemon juice, zest, and chili flakes (if using).

6. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with parsley and serve immediately.

👩‍🍳 Serving Tip:

Delicious with a crisp white wine, crusty bread, or a fresh arugula salad.

❗️Safe Storage of Seafood

Fresh Raw Prawns on Ice – How to Store Seafood Safely at Home

Why it matters: Improper storage can cause spoilage, food poisoning, or affect texture and flavor—even before cooking.

✅️ Always store seafood in the coldest part of the fridge, ideally at 0–2°C (32–36°F).

✅️ Use crushed ice in a bowl with a rack on top for fresh fish or shellfish, covered with plastic wrap or foil.

✅️ Consume within 1–2 days of purchase or freeze immediately.

✅️ For frozen seafood: defrost in the fridge overnight or under cold running water—not on the counter.

✅️ Never refreeze seafood once thawed unless it was cooked first.

❗️ Choosing Quality Seafood

✅️ Why it matters: Starting with poor-quality or previously frozen seafood that has been thawed improperly will always result in disappointing texture.

✅️ Smell it: fresh seafood should smell like the ocean, not fishy.

✅️ Look for firm flesh, shiny skin (for fish), and tightly closed shells (for live shellfish).

✅️ Avoid seafood with milky liquid, mushy texture, or dull color.