How to store mussels at home

All types of mussels have their own expiration date. When planning to store mussels in shells at home, you first need to choose them correctly, and then follow all the important recommendations regarding the preservation of these shellfish.

Rules for choosing mussels

When buying live mussels, you need to pay attention to whether the mollusk is dead in the middle of the valves. A living creature, after lightly tapping the shell, will quickly close it.

If the mussel is of high quality, then its surface should be shiny and without damage. Fully opened valves indicate that there is a dead mollusk inside, that is, it is not suitable for consumption. Dead individuals can also be found in closed shells if they are clogged with sand or silt.

Some consumers shake the shell when buying mussels, they are sure that when there is a living creature inside, then there should be no sound. But experts recommend not trusting this verification method.

It’s right to smell the mussels: fresh ones give off a faint marine aroma, but the smell of already standing shellfish is sharp and unpleasant.

How to store mussels fresh

The optimal storage temperature for such seafood is considered to be a thermometer reading not exceeding +7 °C. It cannot be stored for more than 3 days. During this time, the mussels can easily die. The most correct decision would be to use them immediately after purchase: after all, it is impossible to know for sure where, how many and under what conditions they were stored before purchase.

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If the mussels were removed from the freezer and left in the refrigerator, they also need to be stored for no longer than 3 days. If you want to extend the shelf life of such seafood by a maximum of another 2 days, you need to place it on ice shards and sprinkle the mussels on top with them. It is best to leave them in a colander placed in a deep bowl. Then the mussels will not be in the thawed water.

When inspecting chilled mussels daily, it is necessary to calculate whether there are any dead specimens; such seafood should be thrown away immediately so that the rest do not spoil.

It is also allowed to store (no longer than a day) live mussels in cold water. But this method is not as reliable as the previous one.

How to store mussels in the freezer

You can extend the shelf life of live shellfish by using the freezer. Before freezing, it is necessary to separate the meat from the shells, place in an airtight tray, add water, cover and leave in the freezer.

At a certain temperature (the optimal temperature is -18 °C), mussels can be stored in the freezer for up to 2 months. If there is a blast freezing function, you can increase the shelf life to 4 months.

How to store mussels without shells

Fresh shellfish meat purchased without shells should be consumed immediately.You can keep such seafood in the freezer in a suitable condition for as long as indicated by the manufacturers on the container.

Marinated mussels

Such preserves can be stored no longer than 2 days after opening. Mussels in an open container should “swim” in oil, so you can add regular sunflower or olive oil. Salads with pickled mussels should be eaten 24 hours in advance.

Boiled mussels

Cooked frozen shellfish can be stored for quite a long time. At the same time, without losing nutritional value and taste. Some housewives cook the mussels themselves (with the addition of all the necessary ingredients), and then freeze the mussels. Only dry seafood should be placed in the freezer (to do this, they should be thoroughly wiped with kitchen napkins). They can be stored for up to 3 months. Re-freezing does not make sense. After this process, the mussels will lose their taste.

Under no circumstances should you eat expired mussels; the product is expensive, but health is much more valuable.