Tips for Preparing Mussels

Earlier this week I shared Chef Mark Brown’s recipe for Steamed Mussels in Coconut Milk (from the Sustainable Seafood class at Relish Cooking Studio). Today, instead of sharing the next recipe in the series, I thought it would be a good idea to share some tips with you that I learned at the class. These tips will help to ensure your safety when enjoying mussels.

Mussels are quickly becoming a dinner-time favourite in our home. Seafood and fish are among my favourite foods, and, as Chef Mark Brown pointed out in the class, mussels are one of the least expensive seafoods to buy at the moment. On top of that, they are very versatile and there are many ways to enjoy mussels with your dinner. Such as…

• Steamed Mussels in Coconut Milk
• Steamed Mussels Trieste Style (from Lidia’s Italy)
• Mussels in Apple Cider (from Nami Nami)
• Spicy Buttery Steamed Mussels (from A Cozy Kitchen)
• Mussels Steamed in White Wine (from The Reluctant Gourmet)
• Mussels and Fries (from Illustrated Bites)
• 15-Minute Mussels with Marinara Sauce (from A Tasty Kitchen)
• Beer Steamed Mussels (from Rasa Malaysia)

So, how do you recognize whether a mussel is safe to eat? You evaluate them at each step of the process!

Before cooking

• Scrub and de-beard each of the mussels (of they will already be de-bearded) to remove sand.
• Discard any mussels that have broken shells.
• Discard any mussels whose shells are opened (they are already dead and not safe to eat).

During and after cooking

• Sort through the cooked mussels and discard any that did not open during the cooking process.
• Warn your guests not to eat any mussels whose shells did not open during cooking and advise they discard the mussel.
• When in doubt, it’s best to discard the mussel rather than risk making yourself sick!

Posted by Amber on June 13, 2012

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