Soak store-bought mussels in fresh water without salt?
How to Buy, Prepare, Cook & Store Mussels
Don't soak in water
Don't immerse them in water - fresh or salt. Freshwater will kill them; if left for too long in static salt water the mussels will use up the oxygen and suffocate. This practice used to be done to purge the mussel of any grit, these days all commercial mussel have been purged and purified in a UV deputation system.
Is this wrong? Because websites below all advise soaking in FRESH water.
I can't remember where, but I read that soaking store bought mussels in FRESH water will kill them! They need salt water to survive. Is this correct? Are websites below wrong then?
How To Clean Mussels | Allrecipes
2. Just 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.
Don't fear the mussels - Chicago Tribune
Now, many cookbooks and chefs alike advocate soaking mussels in tap water for an hour or so before cooking. The idea is that they'll take in the clean water and eject any sand or grit that's hiding inside their shells. Some sources suggest adding flour, cornstarch or cornmeal to the water to encourage the purging. Others suggest these additions will fatten the mussels or whiten their flesh in the process.
Do Mussels and Clams Need to be Soaked Before Cooking?
First, they need to be scrubbed and rinsed in several changes of water to remove whatever dirt is embedded on the shells. Then, they need to be soaked in clean water to expel sand, grit and other impurities that are trapped inside the shells. This step can take anywhere from half an hour to a couple of hours. For best results, change the water several times during soaking.
Best Answer
I tend to just buy a bag of mussels from the supermarket or fishmonger and put it in a bowl in the fridge.
When ready to eat, I get the mussels out of the fridge, quickly clean them up (wash and remove beard if any present on them)
I think most fishmongers will advise the same.
In general don't put/keep mussels in fresh water as they are sea water critters.
As in everything, there is no set answer to your question.
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Quick Answer about "Soak store-bought mussels in fresh water without salt?"
2. Just 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.Do you need to 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.How do you prepare store bought mussels?
When you buy your mussels \u2013 either from a fishmonger or from the supermarket \u2013 look for mussels that are tightly closed. That's a good sign of freshness. When you've got them home, put them in the fridge to keep cool and, ideally, cook them the same day you bought them. Before you cook them, you need to clean them.Do you need to clean store bought mussels?
Don't immerse them in water - fresh or salt. Freshwater will kill them; if left for too long in static salt water the mussels will use up the oxygen and suffocate. This practice used to be done to purge the mussel of any grit, these days all commercial mussel have been purged and purified in a UV deputation system.How to Find Freshwater Clams and Mussels
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