How to choose the right mussels?

Mussels can be sold in different forms. Most often, these seafood is sold frozen, but sometimes you can also see live shellfish on sale. The shape of different types of mussels is not too different, despite the fact that there are quite a lot of them.

On the shelves of shops, as a rule, you can see mussels of one of three varieties:

• “Black Sea” variety (mussels live in the Black Sea, which is the reason for their name);
• mussels “Gray” (caught from the waters of the Sea of ​​Japan);
• mussels “edible” (live in the Atlantic Ocean).

The shell of a mussel can reach a size of up to 20 cm, and its surface is usually always dark (different shades of black, dark gray or dark brown are acceptable). Shape, size, color, and other visual cues are not critical and do not greatly affect the flavor profile of the molluscs. It is much more important when buying them to determine the degree of freshness and the level of quality of the product.

How to choose mussels

The selection process for mussels depends on the species in which they are sold. Frozen shellfish must be judged according to one rule, live shellfish according to others. Some nuances are considered common, regardless of the type of seafood.

Which mussels are better to buy:

• the surface of the mussel shell should be flat, not damaged or cracked;
• the shell of fresh and high quality mussels is always closed;
• the mussel shell should open with a characteristic click (if the flaps open too easily, then the seafood cannot be called fresh and of high quality);
• frozen mussels should not stick together (regardless of whether they are sold in packages or by weight);
• the color of the mollusk itself can be white or pinkish (other shades are not allowed);
• the size of the mussel affects only the amount of shellfish meat (the taste characteristics of mussels of different sizes are not too different);
• fresh (live) mussels should respond to knocking (if no reaction occurs, then the shellfish is dead and it is dangerous to eat such seafood);
• mussels always smell like the sea (other smells should alert buyers);
• there should be no ice on frozen mussels, but the exception is seafood sold in ice glaze (in this case, ice plays the role of “packing”);
• if mussels are bought in the form of preserves, then the brine should be absolutely transparent.

What mussels should not be bought:

• too heavy mussels may be filled with sand inside (the weight of the clam should be natural and not surprising);
• mussels with damaged shells should not be bought or eaten;
• mussels with open shells should be immediately put aside and not try to cook them (there should not even be a gap between the valves);
• if the mussel is too light, then the mollusk died in it long ago and may already be spoiled;
• if frozen mussels stick together, then this is a sign of repeated defrosting of seafood (you cannot buy them);
• poor quality mussels will be bitter, and after cooking they will acquire a slippery or liquid consistency;
• if there is a large amount of ice, snow or yellowish coating on frozen mussels, then such seafood has been repeatedly frozen and thawed (you cannot buy them);
• any plaque on the mussel shell that seems unnatural should be a reason for refusing to buy;
• fresh (live) mussels with dead shellfish can neither be bought nor eaten;
• you should not buy mussels with excessive pollution on the shells (these mollusks live only in clean water bodies, so there can be no pollution on them, only a small amount of sand in the form of a small plaque on the shell is permissible);
• you should not buy mussels in packages that do not allow you to inspect seafood (the manufacturer will never hide the appearance of quality products);
• mussels should not differ in extraneous odors (if the mollusks smell like mud, dampness, mold or other unpleasant odors, then it is better to refuse them even if they are alive);
• mussels in the form of preserves with cloudy brine are not worth buying.

If mussels are bought in a package, then you should also pay attention to it. There should be no damage or tears to packages and boxes. The presence of double price tags should be a reason for refusing to buy. If the shelf life of seafood expires “the other day” or has already expired, then you can not buy such shellfish in any case.