05
Nov
Mussels that have a strong fishy smell are tough and dry or have visibly broken shells are considered bad and should not be eaten. Just in case future readers dont know mussels clams and other in-shell shellfish are still alive when you buy them and they should be still alive when you cook them.
Unlike clams a mussel may be alive and fit for consumption even if its shell is open before it is cooked.
What do overcooked mussels look like. So I bought 2 lbs of farm raised mussels thinking I would serve them as appetizer for Sunday night supper. Sauteed shallots leeks little celery added red wine garlic and tomatoes steamed to perfection. Long story short it ended up being 3 people lots of leftover mussels.
Put them in large plastic tub in fridge - can I. Live healthy mussels will open up to warm up if they get to cold from being packed in ice. To check to see if they are in fact dead close your fist around them for 5-10 seconds.
If they start to close up you can see the slow movement of the shell closing they are fine. Mussels that dont open were quite possibly dead and decomposing for an unknown period of time prior to cooking. You dont want to take a chance here.
You dont want to take a chance here. Just in case future readers dont know mussels clams and other in-shell shellfish are still alive when you buy them and they should be still alive when you cook them. Mussels are delicious and high in vitamins like B12 but there are plenty of stories about people getting sick after eating shellfish.
Shellfish including mussels must be impeccably fresh when you eat them or you will risk getting ill. The primary rule is to eat only mussels that are closed tight when theyre in the open air. Check the shell for chips and breaks.
Last night I cooked a big batch of mussels and while most of them were great there were a dozen or so that didnt get enough heat to fully cook ie they opened partially so we could tell they were okay but they were hard to open and clearly not fully cooked. We had plenty to eat so we just didnt bother with them. Mussels that have a strong fishy smell are tough and dry or have visibly broken shells are considered bad and should not be eaten.
Mussels with shells that do not open during the cooking process should also be avoided. Unlike clams a mussel may be alive and fit for consumption even if its shell is open before it is cooked. As hard as it might be to do you need to severely cut back on your chest training.
This means taking at least 4-5 weeks off from doing any type of exercises that stimulate your pecs. This includes even basic bodyweight exercises like pushups. Any type of movement that stimulates the chest muscles should be closely monitored and avoided in order to take as much tension and stimulation off.
Purchase scallops that are pink and smell good. Avoid them if they smell bad or overly fishy. Bring scallops to room temperature then prepare and cook them as desired.
Poke the scallop with a fork. If the scallop is done the fork should bounce back slightly. If its still mushy continue to cook.
If you have overcooked it to the extent that sautéing and ice are of no help the best you can do is mask the appearance. Add in a lot of crunchy veggies to mask the unappealing texture of the pasta. You can also add a rich creamy sauce and mix the pasta well so that it takes away the slimy taste.
A mussel cooked and out of its shell. Mussels share many characteristics with clams another bivalve widely eaten by humans. They have a more oblong than oval shell however with the dorsal region located towards the bottom of the shells rather than in the middle as is common with clams.
Note On Shape. When shrimp cooks the muscle contracts so the shrimp shrinks and curls. Some cooks say its perfectly cooked when it reaches a c-shape and its overcooked if it continues to curl to an o-shape but youll find that almost all shrimp even shrimp cooked by the best chefs yields an o-shape so it is not the best indicator of overcooked shrimp.
What Do Mussels Taste Like. Mussels have a very mild ocean flavor with a faintly sweet mushroom-like undertone. Their subtle taste makes them an excellent addition to many dishes and they will take on the character of the other ingredients theyre combined with.
When cooked correctly the texture of mussels is tender and slightly chewy theyre firmer than a scallop but softer. You can also use frozen mussel meat to make stuffed mussels. Chop the cooked mussel meat and mix with Parmesan cheese breadcrumbs oregano basil salt and pepper and then stuff the mussel meat mixture back into the shells.
Bake at 350 F for 20 minutes or until the breadcrumbs are golden brown. Most people confuse mussels with clams and oysters since they look similar. Both have fleshy edible meat inside but clams are a little saltier.
What Do Mussels Taste Like. Do Mussels Taste Good. For those of you who are dubious about its taste let me assure you that mussels are one of the most delicious seafood out there.
The flesh is soft but at the same time a little chewy which is very. Mussels are also securely attached to the surface they live on by tight threads. Clams however are only found in freshwater.
They hide under the bottom surface of the water they live in. Clams are also circular and oval like in their shape and have two equally sized halves of the shell. What makes clams unique is that they have bodily organs.