Usually, they are steamed until they pop open and that is easiest, however, to open them raw isn't that hard, use a thin old table knife, insert it where the mussel's beard comes out, and slice downwards towards the round end, cutting the big muscle that holds them closed, then gently open them and cut the other little muscles, that hold the mussel to the shell. I'm not sure there is a video of it, try youtube.
prawn_whiskas,
Feb 13, 5:28pm
How to Shuck a mussel (edit! they are cheating! steaming them open first LOL)
There doesn't appear to be anything on any of the Video Channels though sorry.
buzzy110,
Feb 13, 5:40pm
shucking raw mussels is a piece of cake once you have the right knife for the job but I would like to advise against doing this if I may. Mind you it all depends on how you want to do your mussels once they are shucked. If you just want to eat them raw, or do other raw things to them, then find out how to shuck them and do so.
From my experience of shucking and cooking mussels I have to say that cooking them in their shells gives you a better tasting end product by far. I like them raw and only shuck them if I am going to eat them raw, otherwise I ALWAYS start the cooking process in the shell. Even just slightly steaming till the shells become ajar and you can easily open them, creates a much nicer finished product than cooking the unshelled mussel from raw.
This is just my personal opinion and anyone can dispute it if they like but I was raised on seafood and still eat a lot of it to this day.
beaker59,
Feb 13, 6:32pm
I would dissagree Buzzy about the taste I almost always shuck raw as think the flavour is so much better it takes some practise and I would struggle to describe it as well as Dezzie does above. Raw mussels are the only way to go in Mussel fritters I also sometimes like the whole raw mussels quickly fryed in butter. There are some generally Maori run Fish and Chip shops who only do deep fried mussels from raw and the difference is spectacular.
The lazy way which I never do is freeze then thaw they then pop open on thier own not as good as shucked live but still better than steamed open.
peter148,
Feb 13, 6:44pm
If you buy live mussels from the supermarket they need to be properly cooked because they can have a high bacterial count, well above Health Dept guidelines. Just pop your mussels in the microwave, and they will open up.Throw away all the water that comes out.
beaker59,
Feb 13, 6:55pm
I'd like to know where you get that information from Peter because it conflicts with everything I know. A live shop mussel will generally be more hygenic than a wild gathered one unless you scrup the outside of the shell at point of removing from the sea llike the commercial guys do or consume then and there. Mussels are very sensitive marine creatures and are actually used as live pollution monitors in Europe if its live its safe for human consumption end of story.
buzzy110,
Feb 13, 7:25pm
Ha. I've never thought to do mussel fritters and battered mussels. You may just be right about that style of preparation beaker. My bad.
beaker59,
Feb 13, 8:03pm
No bad about it Buzzy just sharing ideas, I also steam mussels open when I feel like just having them in vinegar or eat straight from shell.
Another interesting tip for buying mussels check the broken ones in the bin for fatness this time of year generally they are good but soon they will spawn and the mussels will become thin and bitter. Look inside the shell of the broken ones when fat they are rich white or pinky red and fill the shell when thin they are clear nearly transparent and empty in the shell. When thin I generally eat something else though if craving a feed I will get them and just steam open then soak in vinegar. Right now they are very good. Not sure why they even bother harvesting them sometimes maybe the supermarkets just demand them. Maybe if we got fussy the farmers will start holding inferior stock until they fatten up.
grannypam,
Feb 13, 8:16pm
I always open raw mussels if I am making fritters..
theres just no comparison in taste..if you steam them first you end up double cooking them and thats when they are inclined to be rubbery..lol I just open and drain well then put in a batterwith whatever other bits you want for added flavour..
peter148,
Feb 13, 8:20pm
As a microbiology lab tech I've tested total bacterial counts in store mussels compared to live mussels in the Heathcote estaury, and Lyttleton harbour close to the yacht marina.The results were that live mussels from the supermarket have bacterial levels an order of magnitude greater than wild mussels.
mwood,
Feb 13, 8:26pm
Rib the beard off live mussels, open with a knife, remove the tongue and trim of the skirt - the edge piece - batter them and deep fry. you will now have a product tasting more like an oyster than a mussel - we cal these Moysters around here. Give the cat the trimmings or save and mince for fritters.
beaker59,
Feb 13, 9:28pm
Surely Peter if it was dangerous bacteria at dangerous levels then people would be getting sick or the mussels themselves dieing all wild foods have bacteria of some sort in them afterall.
If it was that dangerous then there would be warnings etc. I have eaten a dozen raw mussels from my supermarket every week for years and have never been sick from it.
sunnypatch,
Feb 13, 11:11pm
Thanks for the posts everyone. I will try and shuck as has been described. Shame there is not a how to do video on youtube or similar.
pussy01,
Feb 14, 2:25am
one word...bullshit
peter148,
Feb 14, 5:00am
I eat mussels every week too, they're one of my favourite foods. I tested for total bacterial counts, most of those bacteria are probably harmless.I didn't test for known toxic bacteria.
The fact is though that supermarket mussels had bacterial counts up to 100 times more than some wild mussels.
goldgurl,
Feb 14, 12:51pm
well maybe even at 100 times more than wild mussels, it still isn't enough to make a song and dance about then, cos these live mussel stands are the only way we buy our mussels, have had them raw cooked, semi cooked, any which way you can and have never been sick...
But thanks for the info :)
72gto,
Feb 14, 3:53pm
To open a mussel, hold the mussel with the narrow end pointing away from you and the flatter of sides facing upwards. You will need a small knife. Pull out the beard (if there is one) and then run the blade of knife downwards along the inside of the shell cutting through the adductor muscle.If you are wanting them in a half shell just pull off the shell you have just cut, or if you are just wanting the meat repeat the cutting process on other shell as well and your meat will just fall out..its easy once you get the hang of it, the most I have done is 24,500 in an 8 hour shift. I also prefer them steamed first but thats just my preference
buzzy110,
Feb 14, 4:37pm
peter, don't worry about us. I think beaker has made comment, not so long ago, about hysterical medical professionals and their warning about listeria and the huge and evergrowing list of foods that pregnant women and feeding mothers shouldn't be eating. I totally agreed with him. Whilst not calling you hysterical, because I am certain you aren't, there does seem to be a growing body of professionals who have become harbingers of doom when it comes to food. We should probably remember that the human body, itself, carries up to 500, or more, microbes of various sorts in the digestive system alone. Who knows how many more are on our skin? The relationship is totally symbiotic and our body's ability to deal with bacteria is how we have managed to survive and thrive through millions of years of evolution.
The information you have given is very interesting though and something we should all perhaps bear in mind, Just to be on the safe side maybe we should be more careful about washing our mussels before beginning any mussel preparation.
margyr,
Feb 14, 4:53pm
Just make sure you use the knife pointing away from you. I use a small pointy stiff bladed one, hold mussel in left hand, stick the point of knife in about where the beard is and then shuffle it forward towards the wall until you feel you have cut the mussel inside the shell at the top of the round bit, then just pull the shells apart and take out beard and any crabs. Badlly cut my hand years ago opening an oyster had the knife pointed towards me and it slipped and cut me, ended up on anti-biotics. But seafood is definetly worth opening raw.
psy-trading,
Feb 14, 8:28pm
I'm tuff! I eat raw supermarket mussels.
peter148,
Feb 14, 8:49pm
My family owns a mussel farm so eat as many as you like. I certainly do.
Thanks for the comment Buzzy110, and yeah without the bacteria inside us and in our soil we would not survive for very long.
Personal I would draw the line at raw animal milk, unless you actually enjoy sucking down coliforms, mastitis, listeria and even Tb.
Remember that before pasteurisation became popular that Tb was the biggest cause of death in Europe, and even now it still kills more people globally than any other type of micro-organism.I would take the mussels over the milk anyday.
sunnypatch,
Feb 15, 11:24pm
Thank you everyone for your posts
mouse_y,
Apr 26, 1:07pm
i always check supermarket mussels first (look for one with broken shell and prise open to see if it has a nice fat layer)
i shuck em at home always , never nuke hold em in hand straight side up and rock a none too sharp knife in thru the rounded end and the bubble gum tendon thing open wide and run knife down along top edge a thru tendon thing then flip over to other 1/2 shell and repeat .. drop mussell into bowl grab beard and lightly push knife blade against and pull ., discard this .. then repeat usual story ., practise makes perfect
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