How to Eat Mussels: How to Prepare Cooked Mussels

A mussel is a general term for many families of bivalve molluscs (or bivalve mollusks), animals that live in both freshwater and saltwater habitats. A mussel has a hinge that closes its shell, keeping the two pieces together. Mussels, which are filter feeders, have hard outer shells. Other mollusks include clams, oysters, and scallops.

The only edible part of a mussel is the mussel meat inside its shell—the shell is inedible, and any foreign particles it contains are not for consumption. Chefs use both freshwater mussels and saltwater mussels for culinary purposes, but consuming freshwater mussels poses some health risks.

Generally, you can safely consume fish, shellfish, and mollusks as long as the food is fresh and comes from a safe environment. However, vulnerable groups of people at greater risk for adverse effects or individuals who wish to be extra cautious might choose to avoid eating mussels. Here are four things to consider before you consume raw or cooked mussels:

1. 1. Preexisting conditions: Doctors regularly advise pregnant women to avoid eating raw seafood, shellfish, or mollusks, including raw oysters, clams, and mussels. There is a diminished risk with consuming thoroughly cooked mussels; however, it’s advisable to always check with your doctor first. This recommendation extends beyond pregnant women to also include any person with a condition that weakens the immune system or impacts their digestion.
2. 2. Shell condition: Only live, fresh mussels are edible, and the shells of such mussels must be intact (no cracks or dents) and fully closed. Shells can crack or sustain damage during transportation, but to be on the safe side, you should always discard damaged mussels. Additionally, an open shell signals the mussel is dead and not fit for consumption—discard any mussels fitting this description, too.
3. 3. Smell: Fresh mussels smell faintly of the sea or other water source from which they come. If they smell like sewage, either before or after you cook them, discard the mussel immediately. Mussels have a short shelf life, and bacteria grows in them quickly—especially once the mussel dies. To prevent food poisoning and shellfish poisoning, discard any off-smelling mussels.
4. 4. Time of year: A piece of conventional wisdom advises eating mussels only in months whose names contain the letter “R”; however, experts debate the legitimacy of this as a strict rule. The rule first applied only to oysters but then eventually encompassed clams and mussels, too. This presumption originated because red tides—high concentrations of a highly toxic algae shellfish and mollusks consume—occur during the summer months. In light of this and other concerns, the seafood industry has adopted many protocols for monitoring, regulating, and inspecting mussels; however, those who wish to remain extra vigilant might still choose to take the axiom to heart.

After you determine consuming mussels poses no health risks to you, there is a proper way to clean, prepare, and eat the mollusks.

1. 1. Clean the mussels. Always eat the mollusks within two days of purchasing mussels. Store them in the refrigerator if you don’t plan to eat them right away. When it’s time to prepare the mussels, begin by cleaning them thoroughly. To clean mussels, hold each one under running water and remove any barnacles or dirt from the shell with a firm bristle brush. Next, remove the beard—a hairy, bristly material near the hinge of the shell. Use napkins or paper towels to better grip the beard and pull it away. It’s imperative you discard any damaged or open mussels, as they are unsafe to eat.
2. 2. Decide on a dish. Some mussel recipes call for steaming mussels, still in their shells, in white wine or broth—for example, the French dish moules marinières. Others call for mixing the meat into a sauce or soup, such as a seafood pasta. Review the recipe you plan to follow so you understand the proper preparation.
3. 3. Cook the mussels. Following a specific recipe, steam, bake, grill, or sauté the mussels. Most recipes call for steaming since it’s a gentle cooking method that allows the mussels to cook slowly and open their shells gradually. Regardless of how you choose to cook mussels, any method that results in open shells will work. At the end of the cooking period, discard any unopened mussels—an indication of dead mussels, which are unsafe to consume.
4. 4. Remove the mussel meat. If your recipe calls for just the mussel meat sans shell, use your fingers or a small utensil to pry open one of the mussel shells fully. With a small spoon, scoop out the mussel meat. For the remaining mussels, you can use one of the empty mussel shells to continue prying and scooping.
5. 5. Eat the mussels. For the classic French dish moules marinières, serve your mussels in a bowl with broth. Alternatively, toss the mollusks with pasta and other seafood ingredients; add them to a chowder; or fill the empty shells with mussel meat and toasted breadcrumbs for a spin on a dish of mussels on the half shell.

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