Cooking mussels in a pan creates a rich, aromatic broth into which you can dip either the mussels or some nice crusty bread. If mussels are the main course, add steamed mussels to a tomato- or olive oil-based sauce and serve over pasta. However you serve them, they are a good-for-you food that are low in calories and rich in vitamins and minerals. One 85 g serving of mussels, or roughly 3 oz. of meat, contains only 146 calories 20 g of protein and less than 4 g of fat.
Preparing Mussels
Step 1
Scrape any barnacles attached to the mussels off with a small, sharp knife.
Step 2
Remove the beards from the mussels if still attached either by tearing them off from the tops or cutting them off with a knife. The beard is a strand of fibers, called byssel fibers, which allow a mussel to attach itself to a rock or other formation.
Step 3
Scrub the mussels with a stiff brush under cold, running water.
Steaming Mussels
Step 1
Add 1/4 to 1 cup of water to a wide saute or chef's pan depending on the amount of mussels you plan to cook and the size of the pan. One full cup of water will cook anywhere from 1 1/2 to 4 1/2 lbs. of mussels. Turn the heat to high and bring the water to a boil.
Step 2
Add the prepared mussels to the pan and cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid. Reduce the heat to medium to bring the liquid to a simmer. Try to add only enough mussels so that they form a single layer in the pan. If necessary, cook them in batches, starting out with less water and adding more with each batch. Make sure to bring the water back to a boil between each batch of mussels.
Step 3
Remove the lid and check the mussels when you see steam start to escape from the pan. Remove any mussels with opened shells and set aside.
Step 4
Continue to cook the remaining mussels until all of the shells open. Check the mussels at 1-minute intervals and remove the ones that open their shells. The entire cooking process can take anywhere from 3 to 10 minutes.
Step 5
Discard any mussels with unopened shells.
Tips and Warnings
- Use the widest pan you have to allow for more even cooking of the mussels. If they do not fit neatly into the pan in one layer, make sure to shake the pot occasionally during the cooking process. Instead of plain water, use beer, dry white wine or clam juice, some garlic and fresh parsley to steam the mussels, giving them and the resulting broth a richer flavor.
- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration advises that you ensure that your shellfish are alive when you cook them, as the meat tends to deteriorate quickly. Discard any mussels with cracked or broken shells. If any of the mussel shells are open before cooking, give the shell a light tap. If it does not close immediately, discard the mussel. Make sure to remove the mussels from the pan as soon as their shells open, as overcooking will result in very tough meat.
Things You'll Need
- Sharp knife
- Stiff brush
- Large saute or chef's pan with tight-fitting lid
- Mussels
References
- Discover: A Mussel's Tough "Beard" and a Larva's Sticky Silk May Inspire New Medical Gear
- Epicurious: How To Clean and Steam Mussels
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Fresh and Frozen Seafood: Selecting and Serving it Safely
- Mussel Industry Council: Nutritional breakdown of Fresh Blue Cultured Mussels Grown in Atlantic Canada
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