How to Steam Mussels

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: April 27, 2019

Mussels are an ideal dinner party dish -- they're fairly expensive but are still elegant enough to impress your guests. Best of all, you can prepare them quickly and easily by steaming them. The trick to steaming delicious mussels is creating a flavorful base with shallots, garlic, and fresh herbs. Adding tasty steaming liquids such as white wine, lemon juice, and chicken broth takes the flavor up another notch, so you'll be sure to wow your friends and family even without breaking a sweat.

Ingredients

4 pounds (1.8 kg) mussels
2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
1 shallot, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 sprigs fresh thyme
½ cup (118 ml) dry white wine
1 lemon, juiced
1 cup (237 ml) chicken broth
Pinch red pepper flakes
½ cup (15 g) roughly chopped parsley
2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Cleaning the Mussels

1
Scrub the mussels under cold water. You’ll need 4 pounds (1.8 kg) of mussels. Place them in a large colander and rinse them under cold water in the sink. Use a vegetable brush to scrub the mussels and rinse them well.^{[1]
X
Research source}
- If you haven’t bought mussels before, look for small ones. In most cases, they’re cultivated so they don’t have much sand in them and have a less fishy taste than wild varieties.
2
Scrape off any barnacles. As you’re washing the mussels, examine the shells’ exterior carefully. Hard, cone-like bumps on the surface are known as barnacles and should be removed. A vegetable brush usually isn’t strong enough to take them off, so use a paring knife to scrape them away.^{[2]
X
Research source}

Advertisement
3
Throw away any cracked shells. While you’re washing the mussels, pay careful attention the shells. A closed or slightly gaping shell indicates that the mussel is fresh, while an open or cracked shell is a sign that it may be spoiled. Discard any cracked or opened shells.^{[3]
X
Research source}
- It’s a good idea to smell the mussels after you wash them too. They should smell like the ocean to indicate that they’re fresh.
4
Cut away any beards from the mussels. After the mussels are washed, look along the seam between the two halves of the shells. Any brownish threads that resemble seaweed hanging from the area are known as the beard. Use your fingers to tear them away or pull them taut and cut them with a sharp knife.^{[4]
X
Research source}
- If you’ve purchased cultivated mussels, the beards have likely been mechanically removed.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Creating the Flavor Base

1
Heat the oil in a pot. Add 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of olive oil to a 6-quart (5.7 l) stockpot. Place the pot on the stove, and heat it over medium heat until the oil begins to shimmer, which should take 5 to 7 minutes.^{[5]
X
Research source}
2
Cook the shallot, garlic, and thyme. When the oil is hot, add 1 minced shallot, 2 minced garlic cloves, and 4 sprigs of fresh thyme. Allow them to saute over medium heat for 5 minutes, or until the mixture becomes aromatic.^{[6]
X
Research source}
- You can substitute an onion for the shallot if you prefer.
- If you prefer a stronger garlic flavor, you can add more cloves.
- You can substitute your favorite fresh herb, such as tarragon or cilantro, for the thyme.
3
Toss the mussels in the shallow mixture. Once the shallot mixture has sauted for several minutes, add the mussels to the pot. Use a wooden spoon to toss them in the mixture so they’re well coated.^{[7]
X
Research source}

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Cooking the Mussels

1
Pour the wine, lemon juice, chicken broth, and red pepper flakes over the mussels. When the mussels are coated with the shallot mixture, add ½ cup (118 ml) of dry white wine, the juice from 1 lemon, 1 cup (237 ml) of chicken broth, and a pinch of red pepper flakes to the pot. Stir well to ensure that the flavors are fully blended.^{[8]
X
Research source}
- You can use any steaming liquid that you like for the mussels. You could use all white wine or chicken broth or substitute beer if you prefer. Even plain water will work, though the mussels won’t have as strong a flavor when they’re finished steaming.
2
Cover the pot and steam the mussels until they open. Once you’ve added the liquids to the pot, cover it. Allow the mussels to steam over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes or until they begin to open.^{[9]
X
Research source}
3
Add the parsley and butter and steam for another minute. When the mussels have opened, mix in ½ cup (15 g) of roughly chopped parsley and 2 tablespoons (28 g) of unsalted butter. Cover the pot again, and allow the mussels to steam for another minute so they soften.^{[10]
X
Research source}
4
Serve the mussels while still warm. Once the mussels are finished steaming, use a slotted spoon to transfer them to serving platter. You can spoon some of the steaming liquid over them if you like, but be sure to serve them while they’re still hot.^{[11]
X
Research source}
- If you prefer, you can serve the mussels directly from the pot that you steamed them in.
- If any of the mussels haven’t opened during steaming, discard them.