Steamed mussels: A favourite, most basic method for quickly steaming a batch of mussels. It's simple — just mussels steamed with broth and white wine — but oh so very good!
If you're buying our cooked, frozen mussels, heating instructions are on the package; just cook sauce first then add mussels. Grilling? Click for recipe for BBQ Steamed Mussels.
Serves 4 to 6
Steamed Mussels
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 pounds mussels
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter, or a mix
- 2 medium shallots, minced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup white wine, amber beer, cider, or more broth
- Minced parsley, to garnish
- Lemon wedges, to garnish
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Crusty bread, like baguette or ciabatta, to serve
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Check over the mussels: Rinse the mussels in a strainer and check them over. All the mussels should be tightly closed. Discard any mussels with cracked shells. If the shell is open, tap the mussel lightly against the counter; if the shell doesn't close in a few minutes, discard the mussel.
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Sauté the shallots and garlic: Warm the butter or olive oil over medium-high heat in the saucepan (if using butter, let it melt completely). Add the minced shallots and garlic. Sauté until the shallots are translucent and the garlic is fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
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Add the mussels: Pour all of the mussels into the pot.
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Add the broth and wine: Pour the broth and wine over the mussels.
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Cover and cook: Immediately cover the pan with the lid. Cook with the lid on for 5 minutes. Shake the pan once or twice during cooking, with the lid still on, to distribute the mussels.
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Check the mussels: After 5 minutes, remove the lid and check the mussels. Nearly all the mussels should be open by now. If not, cover and cook an additional 1 to 2 minutes. Discard any mussels that haven't opened after this time.
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Serve the mussels: Serve the mussels straight from the pan or pour the mussels and the broth into a serving bowl. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and squeeze with lemon. Serve with crusty bread for mopping up the broth.