Mussels are one of the most affordable seafood available and they are a delicious treat! Very easy to cook, they can be paired with a wide variety of flavours. They are great served with chunky chips or french fries or simply crusty bread!
How to choose fresh mussels
Mussels should be tightly shut and smell briny, like the ocean. If you see that a lot of the shells are open or cracked this could mean that the mussels are old or have been poorly handled.
How to store fresh mussels
Many people tend to forget that mussels are still alive when you buy them from your favourite fishmonger. They are best cooked as soon as possible but they can be stored in your fridge for a few days. Place mussels in a container big enough to hold them all and cover with a damp tea or paper towel. Do not store them in an air-tight container as the mussels will need to breathe.
How to cook fresh mussels
Before cooking your fresh mussels, rinse and check that all your mussels are still alive. The shells should be closed. If you see an open shell, tap it against a surface: if the shell doesn’t close, it means that the mussel has died and should be discarded.
If necessary, debeard the mussels. If your mussels have short brown strings you will need to remove them, using tweezers for example. Our fresh mussels come already cleaned so you don’t have to do this step.
The best way to cook mussels is to steam them with a bit of liquid. You can flavour the broth in any way you want, simply add the liquid and cover with a lid. The mussels should only need 5 minutes or a bit more to cook. Make sure you stir the mussels from time to time.
The mussels will be done when their shells have opened. If there are any that didn’t open during cooking, discard them.
Need some inspiration to cook fresh mussels? Check out our recipes!
