Mussels and Clams: FAQ's

Storage and Preparation: Mussels and clams can survive a day or two in the refrigerator stored in a colander set in a bowl of ice and covered with a damp towel. To prepare them for cooking, scrub the shells with a nylon brush and wash in several changes of cold water. Mussels have a beard that must be removed- pull it off with your fingers or pliers just before cooking. And as with all shellfish, discard any that won’t close or have broken or chipped shells. Cooking: Mussels and clams need only the steam created by poaching to cook. Once done, they’ll pop open. Any that don’t open are inedible- toss them