How to Rinse Saltwater Mussels
- 1). Unwrap your mussels as soon as you get home. If they cannot breathe, they may die. Never cook dead mussels, as this will make you sick. Dead mussels have open shells. Soak your mussels in a bowl of water for at least 20 minutes so that they will filter sand out of the shells. You should notice sand accumulating at the bottom of the bowl.
- 2). Remove the shellfish from the water. Avoid pouring them into a colander, as this could cause the accumulated sand to get back into the mussels. Use a slotted spoon instead.
- 3). Examine the shells at the opening. You should notice a "beard," or a group of fibers that poke out of the shell. Wrap a dry towel around the beard and yank it out, pulling toward the "hinge" of the mussel. If you yank the beard out toward the opening, you may kill the mussel.
- 4). Place the de-bearded mussels into another clean bowl of water. Remove the mussels from the water one-by-one and scrub each one. Use a firm scrubbing brush to get rid of any remaining sand or barnacles. Rinse them under tap water. Cook the mussels.