How to prepare and cook mussels

Mussels are one of the cheapest, quickest and most sustainable things you can cook at home, and they take about five minutes on the stove. The part people get stuck on is what happens before that: how to clean them, and how to tell which ones to throw away.

We filmed chef Alfie doing exactly that on the quayside in Brixham, with a bag of mussels that had come in that morning.

How to prepare mussels

1. Purge them in cold water

Tip the mussels into a bowl of cold water and leave them in the fridge for a few minutes. This draws out grit and sand. Alfie's rule is to do this with mussels from anywhere, not just ours, because a little grit is normal and it is much better in the bowl than in the pan.

2. Pull off the beards

The beard is the stringy membrane hanging from the shell. It is what the mussel uses to grip onto the rope or the rock it grew on, so it is a sign of a healthy mussel rather than a problem. Grab it, pull firmly towards the hinge, and discard.

3. Tap test anything that is open

Sort through the bowl as you go. If a mussel is sitting open, tap it firmly on the side of the bowl. A live mussel will close up, or at least start to. If it stays open, it has died and should be thrown away. The same goes for any shell that is cracked or badly damaged.

4. Expect a few to be dead

You will almost always find a couple of dead ones in any bag of mussels, from any supplier. Shells get knocked about on the boat and on the way in, and a damaged shell means a dead mussel. It is completely normal. Pick them out, carry on, and cook the rest.

Where our mussels come from

We buy offshore rope grown mussels whenever the weather lets the boats out to them. When it is too rough, we switch to Brixham Sea Farms, who grow theirs just around the corner from our Brixham restaurant in the cove. Rope grown mussels sit in the water column rather than on the seabed, so they carry less grit and need no dredging.

How to cook mussels

This is the simplest version, and the one worth knowing by heart. It serves two as a main course.

You will need: 1kg mussels, prepared as above; a knob of butter or a splash of olive oil; one shallot or half an onion, finely diced; two cloves of garlic, sliced; a glass of white wine (about 150ml); a handful of parsley; crusty bread to serve.

1. Put a large, deep pan on a medium high heat with the butter or oil. Add the shallot and garlic and soften for two minutes without colouring.
2. Turn the heat up, tip in the mussels and pour over the wine. You want roughly 150ml to 250ml of liquid per kilo, no more. The mussels release plenty of their own.
3. Put the lid on and steam for four to five minutes, giving the pan a shake halfway through.
4. The mussels are done when the shells have opened. Discard any that stay firmly shut.
5. Stir through the chopped parsley and spoon straight into warm bowls with the cooking liquor poured over.

Serve with bread to mop up the liquor, and a glass of whatever you cooked them in.

Cook them the way Alfie does

Alfie's full recipe takes the same method further, with a richer base and a few things worth doing to the liquor. See the full recipe here.

Common questions about mussels

My mussels arrived open. Are they off?

Not necessarily. Mussels relax and gape when they are cold or have been sitting still. Tap the shell firmly. If it closes, the mussel is alive and fine to cook. If it stays open, discard it.

Why are some of my mussels dead on arrival?

A small number of dead mussels in any bag is normal and unavoidable. Shells get damaged in transit, and a cracked shell means the mussel cannot survive. Sort them out during prep and cook the rest as usual.

Do I need to purge mussels before cooking?

A few minutes in cold water in the fridge is enough. You do not need to soak them for hours, and you should not soak them in fresh water for long periods, which will kill them.

Should I throw away mussels that do not open when cooked?

Yes. If a mussel has stayed shut after four or five minutes of steaming, discard it rather than forcing it open.

How long do mussels keep?

Cook them the day they arrive if you can, and within two days at the outside. Keep them in the fridge in a bowl covered with a damp cloth, never sealed in a bag or sitting in water.

Buy mussels online

We send rope grown mussels out from the Online Seafood Market in 1kg bags, packed cold and delivered next day. Order mussels here, or browse the rest of our shellfish.