After purge mussels 6 time in salt water 20 mins each, why they still exude much grime?
I buy mussels at Pusateri and Whole Food Market for a year in Toronto. They sell them on ice and dry, not in running water.
10 s this video, Bart teaches add salt to cold water and soak for 20 mins. But I repeat 6 times...so 20 mins x 6 times = 120 mins of soaking!!! Mussels exudate less black grime every next time, but even after 6 times, water still has much black grime! See my pic under! Why? This happening for a year!
Part 2, Step 2 has GIF that shows you what I mean.
Best Answer
If your mussels are really that dirty, scrub them well first, then soak them in fresh water + salt (about 35g per litre) - or sea water - and add a scant handful of ground oats. The oats are supposed to irritate the mussels and they'll purge it together with the sand, while the salt water will keep them alive.
It can take a long time to purge really gritty mussels (according to some sources, from 2 to 12 hours). I'm not sure how clean you expect your mussels to be, just make sure most of the sand is purged.
You should also ask the shop if the mussels have been purged before - it's usually the case.
Pictures about "After purge mussels 6 time in salt water 20 mins each, why they still exude much grime?"
How do you get grit out of mussels?
To remove grit or sand that may be under the shells, you'll need a pot big enough to hold the mussels. Dissolve about 1/4 cup salt in 2 cups warm water and then add 2 tablespoons cornmeal or flour. Add the mussels and enough cold water to cover them. Soak for 2 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.Should I soak mussels in salt water?
Soak the mussels in a salt water bath for 15 minutes. The mussels will "breathe" and expel salt and dirt from their shells as they soak in the salt water. It helps purify them, and it'll give you a much nicer eating experience.Should I purge mussels?
If the mussels are to be cooked in a liquid that can be strained, preliminary purging is not necessary. If the mussels are to be cooked directly in the sauce, they should be purged. Fortunately, most mussels we buy these days do not need this purging. If you collect them from the water, they will need to be purged.How do you purge salt water mussels?
Soak mussels in fresh water Before cooking, soak your mussels in fresh water for about 20 minutes. As the mussels breathe, they filter water and expel sand. After about 20 minutes, the mussels will have less salt and sand stored inside their shells.Barnacle removal from boat - dissolving the Barnacles with Starbrite Acid for a smooth shiny hull !!
More answers regarding after purge mussels 6 time in salt water 20 mins each, why they still exude much grime?
Answer 2
I am not an expert on this as with shellfish I have always expected a bit of grit. But the procedure I have always been taught and practice is to start as @FuzzyChef says, brush the exterior in running water to get that grime off.
Then you are trying to purge, not store, so purge them in fresh water, not salt. They are a salt water creature, not fresh, so long exposure to fresh water will kill them, but you are not giving them long exposure, you are giving them short. Over a short time, fresh water is an irritant for them and the theory at least is they respond by purging to get rid of it, and with it the sand and such that have in their lining or at least a good part of it. If on the other hand you use salt water, you reduce this irritate, or match their living ratio which make them happy and they wont purge. Or if you go way over, well you are creating a solution that at best matches the effect of fresh water but leaves you with an overly salty product, or worse kills them before they can purge.
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Julia Volk, Karolina Grabowska, Monstera, Karolina Grabowska