Fresh cultured blue mussels are easy to cook as well as being a healthy and easy meal option. They’re quick and tasty and can be eaten right out of the pot or used in a variety of recipes. Before you start cooking, you should always give your mussels a quick rinse. Cultured blue mussels are pre-cleaned so that’s really all you need to do. The fresh water will cause the mussels to close. If there are any that don’t close give them a quick tap, if they still don’t close at least partially, simply discard them.

Ingredients

Mussels
water

Procedure

Let’s Get Cooking

Fresh blue mussels are cooked by steaming.

Place a little bit of water in a pot, just one cup is often enough to provide the steam.

Turn on the heat to high.

Add the mussels to the pot and put on the lid.

When the steam is coming out from under the lid, peek and if the mussels are open they are done!

This will take 5 to 10 minutes depending on how much liquid you use, the strength of heat, the weight of the pot and the amount of mussels you have.

Tip the contents into a bowl and serve with some fresh crusty bread for soaking up the tasty broth – it’s that simple!

Variation

Mussel Tips

In place of water, you can also use wine or beer or other liquids to steam the mussels and add some unique flavour. Throw in some chopped garlic or onions to add more flavour.

It’s best if the pot heats up very quickly so use maximum heat. This allows the mussel meat to release better so it’s easily removed from the shell.

Be careful not to overcook mussels and definitely do not boil them covered in water like a potato or pasta as they will not open. Mussels need to steam not boil.

The broth left in the pot after steaming is delicious. Serve it with the mussels and use bread to dip.

Fresh blue mussels are a perfect choice for any occasion from a family meal, to an informal gathering, to a party. They’re always a tasty and easy way to serve up great food.