pre-prepare mussels

crisgal | 22:01 Sun 18th Sep 2011 | Food & Drink

24 Answers

i have washed and de-bearded some mussels for tomorrow's tea. Do i just leave them in the fridge as they are, or should they be submerged in water?

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Buenchico

Googling brings up countless websites which either make no reference to keeping mussels in water, or specifically state that you shouldn't do so - such as this one:
http://www.martins-seafresh.co.uk/Mussels.htm

However there are also loads of websites (including the BBC) which suggest that mussels should only be eaten on the day of purchase (unless you're really confident about their freshness):
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/mussel

Chris

crisgal

Question Author

that's really helpful chris. thank you x

boxtops

I buy them ready done from Aldi, garlic and white wine sauce, delish.

Haggis

I wouldn't buy mussels on a Sunday and eat them on a Monday, as Buenchico says, they should be eaten same day, and not many mussel farmers land on a Sunday anyway so they are probably from Friday!

crisgal

Question Author

oh dear! i bought them from morrisons this afternoon. Should we not eat them then?

Haggis

Depends, if they were packed in one of them air tight kinda packages might be ok, only way to tell is if they are all closed, or close when you tap them, then open when cooking. If they were loose I would be a bit cautious, can't see morrisons getting fresh deliveries on a sunday

Buenchico

Phone Morrisons tomorrow morning, ask to speak to the manager of their fish counter, and enquire about the freshness of their mussels. (I'll happily consume most foods a day or two after their 'use by' dates but seafood does have a particularly bad reputation when it comes to food poisoning!)

crisgal

Question Author

they were very tightly closed, lovely and shiny and smell of the sea. There were only one or two open, which i threw away.
They were in a net bag.
I have washed them and they are now in a bag (with some air holes) in the fridge.
What would you do?

crisgal

Question Author

that's a good idea chris. I might do that. i'd bought them for my little boy, who has been begging me for them, but then came home to find his nana had given him a very early tea :(
They weren't at all expensive, and i wouldn't want us to be ill!

Haggis

Which is highly possible with mussels, guess you wont know untill you cook them and see them starting to open, but I would take Buenchicos advice.

crisgal

Question Author

well, i don't think it's worth the risk.
i would go and get more tomorrow, but monday teatimes are a living hell!
In late at 5, quick tea, then cubs and other activities at 6 - which is why I'd prepared in advance!

redcrx

ive kept them a couple of days before in salted water and with a bit of oatmeal in the bucket. Ive found that not only do the mussels get a bit fatter but also they flush through and theres less grit in them.

been years since i did it though, and cant recall where i got the tip from.

ummmm

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall did what Red said on River Cottage Saturday.

redcrx

ah yeah, i gave him the same tip ;)

ummmm

Clever girl :-)

jomifl

Live mussels kept cool and moist will last for many days out of water, in fact they will last longer than in water that is of insufficient volume. If mussels are tightly closed they are ok to eat. If they are open they can often be revived by placing them in a tray of 2% salt water that is about 1" deep (with all the mussels covered) and kept in a cool place. Any that are still open after an hour of this treatment should be discarded. Ideally cleaning and de-bearding should be done just before you cook them.