13
votes
Clams frozen before purging
There’s no way to make a dead clam purge sand etc.
You can always try to cook a few and see how gritty they really are, then decide. You may be lucky and find that they have a good mouthfeel, or you ...
- 58.7k
9
votes
After steaming for 5 mins, why are live PEI mussels shriveled, but PC's mussels plump?
The President's Choice mussels in sauce are (properly) fully cooked and then frozen in packages for your convenience. I can't find heating instructions for their products but, regardless of which ...
- 18.3k
7
votes
Accepted
Accidentally killed my mussels
In order:
No. It's possible, though not especially common, for a dead mussel to be stuck closed; they'll likely open with very little resistance.
Most likely yes. The main issue with eating dead ...
- 14.9k
6
votes
Does soaking in saltwater for 20 mins help cleanse mussels?
Where I come from (Portugal) it is quite common to see in most restaurants and establishments shellfish being soaked several hours to even days long before consumption, especially sand dwelling ...
- 2,178
6
votes
Accepted
How high do you stack mussels in the pot, and how much liquid if any?
Fill the pot. As long as the cover fits on the pot, you are good. No need for much liquid, just enough to get some steam going. They will release quite a bit of liquor. Wine is not necessary. Any ...
- 73.8k
5
votes
Accepted
Why roast mussels in an oven, rather than steam or stir fry in a stock pot?
I've been to Fore Street, and as the menu indicates, they have a number of menu items that are all cooked in the wood oven and over their wood grill.
They have an open kitchen, and their wood oven is ...
- 9,047
4
votes
What can be done with left over mussel shells?
The leftover shells of many different shellfish are excellent to use as cooking vessels. They clean up nicely and can be reused over and over if cared for properly. Bonus, they make a great ...
- 18.3k
3
votes
How can I judge if vacuum-packed mussels are fresh, when they're invisible behind the seal?
Unfortunately I don't think you have a good option. You can try to determine what you can through the small tight section at the top. You should also be prepared to take them back and ask for your ...
- 3,022
3
votes
Accepted
What kind of mussels are these?
I'm pretty sure those are Arc Clams. See this link, they look the same.
- 192
3
votes
Are my mussels bad?
Mussels close themself tight when out of the water. Once boiled they open.
If you have any mussels open when out of the water, discard them.
If you have any mussels tightly closed once boiled, ...
- 993
3
votes
What is the proportion of edible meat in whole live mussels?
I can't tell you about price since I was given a kilogram of blue Scottish mussels but I can tell you about the meat % of total.
I had guessed it would be about 20% but I was wrong.
I weighed the ...
- 31
2
votes
Accepted
Are my mussels bad?
The mussels are most likely fine.
If they are visibly alive, it means that they spent the drive in an environment which was not harmful enough for them to die.
Even if some of them died during the ...
- 424
2
votes
Liquid sloshing around in vacuum-packed mussels?
It's hard to see how much liquid is there. It could just be brine or seawater which would be ok, but considering the date of mid 2018 and the fact the the packet says "live" and "do not ...
- 528
2
votes
In Canada, must commercially sold mussels be purged and purified in UV filtered water for 42 hours?
From the regulatory standpoint, I don't see any such regulations in the inspection guidelines, not even the 42 hour UV treatment...that isn't to say they're wrong, but I can't in particular find where ...
- 524
2
votes
Accepted
Why running tap water over mussels not kill them, but soaking does?
Rinsing them doesn't kill them because a small amount of fresh water isn't toxic to them and, even if it were, the mussels aren't going to absorb much from a quick rinse. I've not seen this ...
- 16.5k
1
vote
Accepted
Soak store-bought mussels in fresh water without salt?
I tend to just buy a bag of mussels from the supermarket or fishmonger and put it in a bowl in the fridge.
When ready to eat, I get the mussels out of the fridge, quickly clean them up (wash and ...
- 20.5k
1
vote
Accepted
Debeard or purge mussels first?
Soak first, then debeard.
I'm not sure that there is any real difference but everyone I've worked with, from grandmother to chef, from fisherman to fireman has done it that way. And there is something ...
- 259
1
vote
Which is the best way to de-grit clams and mussels? Salt, cornmeal, or salt + cornmeal?
I think salty water is a given in purging, and the article you shared is no exception to this. Quoting directly
You need lots of water—about 1 gallon of water and 1/3 cup of kosher salt per 1 dozen ...
- 4,286
1
vote
In Canada, must commercially sold mussels be purged and purified in UV filtered water for 42 hours?
In regards to the first of the two questions you asked, " [does] the quote beneath from Mussel Myths & FAQs - The Cornish Mussel Shack holds true for Canada too?"
Do I need to soak my mussels ...
- 852
1
vote
How much salt, add to tap water to purge bivalvia?
If you want to simulate seawater, you need 35g per 965g (more or less 1 liter) of fresh water.
- 20.5k
1
vote
After purge mussels 6 time in salt water 20 mins each, why they still exude much grime?
If your mussels are really that dirty, scrub them well first, then soak them in fresh water + salt (about 35g per litre) - or sea water - and add a scant handful of ground oats. The oats are supposed ...
- 4,804
1
vote
What does flushing mussels in water with flour do?
Apparently, the flour is supposed to help flush the sand out. It supposedly works by having the mussels take in the flour so it spits out the sand. I found this on an old blog post in Dutch, which ...
- 554
1
vote
What does flushing mussels in water with flour do?
I think you are confusing Meunière (mostly for pan fried fish) and Marinière which is one way to prepare mussels.
Cornmeal is often used to clean mussels; it is supposed to help remove grits and dirt ...
- 20.5k
1
vote
After steaming for 5 mins, why are live PEI mussels shriveled, but PC's mussels plump?
If you want the mussels to not shiver, and they were not preprocessed, I don't recommend steaming them. I would cook em in liquid slowly and take them as soon as they open.
- 271
1
vote
Are frozen mussels/clams supposed to be slightly open?
You are right to be concerned. The main reasons for frozen bivalves to be slightly open:
They were steamed before freezing. This is common, and fine. You should be able to verify this by thawing ...
- 61.4k
1
vote
How can I judge if vacuum-packed mussels are fresh, when they're invisible behind the seal?
If you can see any of the mussel's tissue (the flesh) and it looks more grey, I wouldn't consider getting it! The raw flesh/meat should be somewhat translucent and almost fleshy in color. Like this: ...
1
vote
How do I determine if my mussels are fresh?
Mushy is not fresh - smell it and see if it has a rancid odor after its cooked. it should be chewy.
The floaters are not necessarily dead. I had 20 floaters and as they opened to purge then they ...
- 11
1
vote
What is the proportion of edible meat in whole live mussels?
Toronto, Canada: 2#/908g PEI rope-grown blue mussels (per tag, packed 25 Sept, best by 9 Oct), Ca$4.49 which has been the local "on sale" price for about the last year. Cooked today.
Shells ...
- 11
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