How To Cook Fresh Mussels

The prime mussels season is from October to March so it will always be better to consume them fresh in these months. They should have wet and shiny shells and you need to check for the harvest location and the expiry dates in the the packed mussels. 

Make sure you do not cook the mussels that have been stored for a long time. Cook those that smell fresh and briny after storage. Blue mussels have the greatest taste of other mussels so if possible try to prepare them for a better flavor.

While choosing the mussels, choose those with fewer beards, or even if they have large beards then make sure you trim them. 

Do not choose mussels with wide open, discolored, or cracked shells. The mussels shouldn't taste fishy or salty. 

Preparing Mussels for Cooking 

The mussels might look like a difficult food to be cooked but its looks don't justify the cooking method of mussels. They can be prepared in the simplest way possible. The first thing that you need to be aware of is to clean the mussels. If there is sand or any debris then make sure you clean them all. 

Make sure to chop the mussels in small sizes for uniformity in cooking. Cooking the mussels in aromatic liquids such as wine and tomato sauce adds more flavor to the dish. So, it is always better to be prepared with some additional seasoning and liquids before cooking any food item.

The light flavor of mussels makes them easy to cook following different methods. They can be prepared in different ways where some methods require fewer ingredients and cooking instructions whereas some may require more ingredients. The cooking time also depends upon the nature of the cooking.

So, different methods should be adopted based on the time availability and the cooking preferences of the people. Some of the common cooking methods along with the different required ingredients have been highlighted in this section. 

1. Steaming 

Steaming is the most common and the quickest method of cooking mussels. To cook the mussels, the main thing to be taken into consideration is opening up the shell.

It is the process that mainly opens the mussel shells. Soaking them in water before steaming can be a good idea to coom them properly. The main ingredients and instructions to steam mussels are listed here. 

Ingredients 

• Mussels: 4 lbs
• Olive oil: 2 tablespoon 
• Shallot: 1 (minced)
• Garlic: 2 cloves 
• White wine: 1/2 cup
• Chicken broth: 1 cup 
• Lemon juice: 1 tablespoon

Steps

1. Gather all the ingredients in the right quantity as mentioned above. 
2. Pour the mussels and spices into the large pot. 
3. Saute one minced shallot, garlic, and olive oil in a separate pan for 2-3 minutes. 
4. Add the sauteed ingredients to the pot. 
5. Add the mussels to the liquid and leave them to steam in medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes. 
6. Steam them until most of the shells are opened up. If any wheels are not opened then take them out of the pot. 
7. Now, strain and reserve the liquid of the mussels. 
8. Your food is now ready to serve. 
9. Serve mussels with a lemon wedge and add the liquid of your interest. 

2. Grilling 

Grilling is another simple method of cooking mussels as the mussels have to be opened up in any method. This method of cooking makes the tastiest mussels of all the other methods.

The simple recipe enhances the natural flavor of mussels. The grilled mussels can be best served with the wine which perfectly complements the dish. 

Ingredients 

• Mussels: 3 lbs 
• Unsalted butter: 1/4 cup
• Chopped Parsley: 3 tablespoon
• Lemons: 2 halved cut
• Black pepper: 1/2 tablespoon (optional)

Steps

1. Collect all the ingredients for making grilled mussels.
2. Clean and heat the grill over medium-high heat. 
3. Use some olive oil and butter on the grill. 
4. Melt the butter and set the butter and parsley aside the grill.
5. Fill the mussels in the grill. Make sure the mussels are not kept in more than the required amount. 
6. Now, keep the two half-cut and oiled lemons on the grill. 
7. Grill the mussels for 5 minutes until they are cooked properly.
8. Check for the doneness in between. 
9. Your delicious grilled mussels are ready to be served. 

3. Roasting 

Roasting the mussels makes the mussels crispy and gives a different flavor to the dish. The mussels don't necessarily have to be steamed as they can open up in the hot pan in the oven. You might have to cook the mussels in batches while roasting depending on the size of the mussels.

Roasted mussels can also be served as snacks with wine and other drinks. 

Ingredients 

• Fresh blue mussels: 2 lbs 
• Almonds: 2 pieces
• Unsalted butter: 1/2 tablespoon
• Minced shallots: 1/2 tablespoon
• Garlic cloves: 2 (minced)
• White wine: 6 tablespoon
• Lemin: 1 tablespoon
• Chopped parsley: 1/2 tablespoon
• Chopped thyme leaves: 1/4 teaspoon 

Steps

1. Collect all the required ingredients and preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. 
2. Roast the almonds until they are fragrant for about 5 minutes. 
3. Let the almonds cool down and chop them into pieces. 
4. Cook butter in the pan until they are melted and add the shallots, garlic and chopped almonds. 
5. Add lemon juice, wine, and other liquids of your choice. 
6. Bring those liquids to a boil. 
7. Add the herbs and almonds to the pan and increase the temperature. 
8. Arrange the mussels to the roasting pan and add the desired butter. 
9. Roast the mussels until they have opened up. 
10. Your roasted crunchy and yummy mussels are ready to be served. 

4. Sauteing 

Sauteed mussels are one of the tastiest dishes that can be served as a starter or as a main course. This method of cooking is also very easy and less time-consuming.

Ingredients 

• Small mussels: 3 lbs
• Cloves garlic: 5 minced
• Olive oil: 2 tablespoon
• Chopped mint: 2 oz.
• Basil: 2 oz.
• Red bell pepper: 1 diced
• Canola oil: 1 tablespoon
• Sugar: 1 tablespoon

Steps

1. Gather your ingredients mentioned above. 
2. Wash and scrub the mussels. Trim the beard if any. 
3. Drain the mussels properly after washing and cut them into pieces. 
4. Now, mix the sauce, sugar, and peppercorns. 
5. Saute the minced garlic and other spices in the large skillet for 3 to 4 minutes.
6. Add the mussels to the skillet and stir-fry them over high heat for 3 to 5 minutes. 
7. Continue cooking until all the mussels open up and add the sauce of your interest. 
8. Add the mint, basil, and other seasonings and stir-fry them for a few minutes.
9. Your mussel is ready, Serve them with rice or consume it when felt necessary. 

5. Baking 

The baking method of cooking mussels is everyone's favorite. This recipe of cooking mussels combines different textures and flavors. This method only requires a few ingredients and is a great appetizer for date nights. This is a great summer dish. The baked mussels are not fishy at all instead they slightly taste sweet. 

Ingredients 

• Mussels: 2 pounds in a vacuum bag.
• Breadcrumbs: 1/2 cup
• Parsley: 1/3 cup
• Garlic: 1 tablespoon
• White pepper: 1/4 tablespoon
• Salt Kosher: 1/2 tablespoon
• Olive oil: 1 tablespoon
• Lemon: 1 (cut in wedges)

Steps

1. Collect all the ingredients in the right quantity. Make sure the seasonings and vegetables are fresh. 
2. Heat the oven to 450°F.
3. Prepare the mussels and remove water from the bag. 
4. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl except for mussels.
5. Arrange them on a baking sheet covered with foil. 
6. Drizzle a little olive oil and make sure the foods are arranged uniformly. 
7. Cook the mussels in the oven for 15 minutes and then broil them for 5 to 10 minutes. 
8. Remove from the oven and arrange on the serving plate. 
9. Your mussel is ready to serve. Serve with your favorite seasonings.

Mussels are a tasty shellfish that can be prepared in different ways. They taste great on their own but the different methods of cooking make them more tastier. The preparation time taken to cook the normal mussels is 20 to 30 minutes.

However, there are different cooking times for different methods. 

• Steaming: This is the easiest method of cooking mussels and steaming does not require much time for preparation. The spices are to be cooked separately in a pan for 2 to 3 minutes and the overall cooking time of steaming mussels is 6 to 8 minutes. Steaming easily opens up the mussel's shells and makes them edible in a short time.
• Grilling: It might take more time to prepare the grills but the cooking time of mussels is less than that of the steaming method. The preparation time is 10 minutes and the cooking time is only 3 minutes which makes it a total of 13 minutes to cook mussels under this method of grilling. 
• Roasting: The roasted mussels can be completely ready in 20 minutes where the mussels need to be cooked for 3 to 4 minutes and the rest is the preparation time. So, the roasting and grilling methods of cooking mussels are very time-saving. 
• Sauteing: The mussels should be cooked on medium-high heat for 7 to 9 minutes. They should be stirred properly in between to make sure that the mussels are cooked evenly. If needed the spices and other seasoning can be sauteed for an additional 2 to 3 minutes. 
• Baking: The mussels should be cooked in a high temperature at 450°F. It should be cooked for 15 minutes in the oven and then you can switch to broil for 5 to 10 minutes which makes a total cooking time of 20 to 25 minutes.

Even though mussels are one of the easiest and least time-consuming seafood, the additional suggestions can make the cooking better and effortless. Here are some of the important tips to make mussel an easy and convenient recipe. 

• Do not overcook: Yes, never overcook the mussels. Overcooking the mussels will reduce the authentic taste of the mussels and are less flavorful. Once the shells open up, the mussels are done. So, immediately take the mussels out of heat and serve them.
• Use big pots: Make sure to use your widest cooking pot. This allows the cooking liquids to reach the mussels easily but do not forget to shake the pot whenever you redistribute the layers. For cooking more than 2 pounds of mussels you can use an 11-inch big bowl or pot to cook them properly. Even while grilling, put the mussels in the big grill pan.  
• Check the shells: Stop cooking as soon as the shells open. Even though the shells may open at different times, make sure they are cooked evenly at the same time. For that, you can check the doneness of shells with the help of a spoon or bamboo tong.
• Discard mussels that don't open: If the mussels do not open it means that the mussels have been stored for a long time. So, make sure you remove those mussels that do not open up. Better to throw them out and enjoy your delicious opened shells. 
• Be careful with seasonings: It is better to choose the matching seasoning for your food. Do not try unique seasonings to have different flavors. Instead of adding flavor to the dish it may deteriorate the taste. Here, adding agave in the shell may not give the desired taste.

This amazingly delicious easy-cooked mussels can be served with varieties of items. They can be served with rice as a main course or even as broth or other snack items. Some of the serving suggestions for mussels have been highlighted here. 

Mussels with Pasta 

Pasta can go well with most of the dishes but it adds more taste to the mouth when eaten with mussels. Pastas can be deliciously creamy and tangy and the inclusion of mussels adds a better taste.

You can serve this dish with wine and enjoy your breakfast or dinner with your family. You can also add the seasonings of your desired interest and increase the flavor. 

Mussels Salad 

Mussels can very well complement the green salad as the salads are fresh and healthy. This seafood adds a different aroma and taste to the dish. The mussels are usually steamed in white wine for making salads. Avocado mussel salads and parsley mussel salads are some of the common salads.