How to Pull Mussels From the Shell
Mussels have become increasingly popular in seafood dishes and often are added to pastas, soups or boiled in a wine or broth. Mussels, which are low in calories, are harvested from farms or in the wild and contain high amounts of Omega-3. There are several varieties of mussels but the two most popular are blue mussels and green-lipped mussels. Mussels often are cooked whole as their shell opens during the heating process but other dishes require the mussel to be removed from the shell before cooking. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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1
Place mussels in the freezer for an hour. This will make it easier to open the shells.
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2
Remove mussels from the freezer and place them in a colander in the sink.
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3
Turn on a steady stream of cold water and scrub the mussel shells with a stiff kitchen brush to remove any debris and the beard, which is the fibrous mass on the side. You also can remove the beard with your fingers by pulling it towards the hinge on the bottom of the mussel.
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4
Pick up a mussel using a towel in your non-dominant hand and hold it over a bowl. The towel will protect your hand from any missteps with the knife and the bowl will catch any liquid from the mussels as you open them.
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Insert a clam knife into the mussel between the two shells with your dominant hand. Maneuver the knife towards the hinge of the mussel, cutting through it.
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Open the shell. Place the knife between the mussel and the shell and separate the mussel.
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Tips & Warnings
If you harvested the mussels yourself, prior to pulling them from the shell, soak them overnight in a bucket of salt water mixed with cornmeal in order to purge them of sand. This is not necessary for mussels bought from a market.
If you do not plan on cooking the mussels immediately after shucking, they can be stored in their liquid or water and covered for up two days in the refrigerator
If you do not have a clam knife, use a short knife that is thin and dull. Do not use a sharp knife.
Only use fresh mussels, usually within four days of harvesting. If the mussel shell is open and does not close when tapped, it is bad and needs to be thrown away.
References
Resources
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