How to Eat Mussels: Shells, Broth & Serving Etiquette
A bowl of cooked mussels is easiest to enjoy with a fork, bread for the broth and an empty bowl for shells. The edible portion is the meat inside the shell; do not eat the shell or the tough beard threads. For a home-cooked meal, start with live PEI mussels and cook them before serving.
Eating mussels at the table
- Choose an opened, cooked mussel and hold its shell securely.
- Use a small fork to detach the meat. A spoon is useful for broth.
- Place the empty shell in the discard bowl rather than back in the serving pot.
- Enjoy bread, rice or pasta alongside the sauce, keeping shell fragments out of the broth.
What should cooked mussels be like?
The meat has a tender bite and a savory, briny flavor. It can be orange, cream or pale in color; color alone is not a freshness test. Overcooking can make the texture chewy. Discard mussels that remain closed after cooking rather than forcing them open to eat.
Serving a group
Provide a shell bowl, napkins and serving utensils for each end of the table. Bring out manageable hot batches instead of leaving a large pot standing while everyone works through it. Shell-on pack weight includes the shells, so plan portions accordingly.
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What goes with mussels?
Crusty bread works well with garlic and wine broth; rice suits coconut sauces; pasta turns a smaller portion of mussels into a larger meal. A lightly dressed salad balances richer butter or cream sauces. See our mussel meal-planning guide.
Cooking them yourself
Follow the live mussel cleaning guide, then choose steamed garlic mussels or mussels pasta. Preparation directions for live mussels differ from those for canned or precooked frozen mussels.
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