A scallop is a mollusk with top and bottom "scalloped" shells that are hinged together, according to WH Foods. Scallops aren't edible as they come naturally from the water. They need to be trimmed to reach the edible portion inside. The whitish-colored muscle, or the "nut" inside a scallop is the treasured morsel. It's not hard to trim a scallop, but there is a certain way to do it that makes the task the easiest.
Fill the bottom of the chest with a thick layer of ice. Dump the scallops in on top of the ice. Close the lid and allow the scallops to get cold awhile. You'll know when they are ready to trim because their shells won't be tightly closed. And, the shells will feel good and cold.
Place a bucket between your knees to hold the scraps. Hold the scallop over the bucket in one hand with its dark side facing up. The hinge of the shell should be away from you.
Insert the knife blade in between the top and bottom shells on the left side of the hinge to trim a scallop. Work the knife around and scrape underneath the top shell approximately halfway in to cut the scallop's muscle loose from the shell. Pull the top shell off and throw it away.
Start at the hinge and scrape towards you until the dark membrane comes over the muscle (the whitish knob) to trim a scallop. Grab the membrane, pull it out and toss it in the bucket.
Slide the knife blade under the base of the muscle and cut it out. Place the muscle in a clean container. Toss the bottom shell of the scallop into the bucket.