How long to cook frozen, peeled mussels in water. How to cook frozen mussels - the best recipes for a variety of dishes for every taste! Boiled mussel soup

Cleaned mussels are often sold frozen. Learn to cook them deliciously, and then your loved ones will not argue that life is good without this mollusk.

Mussels, as one of the most popular seafood, are famous for their nutritional value and beneficial properties. However, having tried the inhabitants of exotic shells, not many remain fans of their taste. This is because this shellfish is not always prepared correctly. There are certain rules that are followed when cooking to make the shellfish truly tasty. Let's figure out how to cook frozen peeled mussels so that their taste is delicious and unforgettable.

Useful properties of mussels

These amazing mollusks contain a large amount of amino acids necessary for humans. For example, the amino acid tryptophan, which promotes the production of the joy hormone. Mussel protein is superior in tryptophan, methionine, and keratin content to fish and meat proteins. Obtaining methionine from food is necessary for humans, since this amino acid is not synthesized in our body. These shellfish contain a lot of zinc, they have a beneficial effect on the health of our skin, nails and hair.

For diet lovers, mussels are just a godsend. They contain a lot of protein, practically no fat, and those that do contain do not contain “bad” cholesterol. Keratin reduces appetite, promotes the production of melanin and the reduction of fat, it improves the functioning of the adrenal glands, thyroid gland and pituitary gland. By adhering to various diets, you can eat delicious and delicious dishes with this seafood without gaining weight at all. Calorie content – 100 kcal/1 kg of product.

This is interesting! The average Dutch person eats approximately 10 kg of mussel meat per year.

How to choose quality frozen mussels

In order for the dish to be tasty and healthy, the ingredients must be fresh and of high quality. Here are some tips on how to choose good mussels:

Frozen seafood should be free of snow and cracks in the glaze of the ice. If such defects exist, most likely the product has already been defrosted, and during the next freezing its beneficial properties were lost.
Cleaned frozen shellfish should be light in color
Choose the largest mussels - they are considered more juicy and tasty. On packages with this product there are always two numbers separated by a fraction, which tell the buyer the number of pieces of the product per kilogram, for example 55/1 or 30/1. Therefore, the lower the first number, the larger the mollusks will be.
Mussels are a natural filter of the aquatic environment. They filter up to 700 liters of water per day. If shellfish are grown in environmentally polluted regions, they can accumulate a lot of toxins. It is better not to use such a product, as there is a high risk of poisoning. When choosing a product, look at the place of production on the packaging or, if you buy in bulk, ask the seller for a quality certificate.

This is interesting! From 1 kilogram of unpeeled mussels, approximately 100 grams of peeled mussels come out.

Preparing to cook

Frozen peeled shellfish need to be thawed in the refrigerator. After this, rinse them well in a colander under strong water pressure, since there may be sand particles in the meat.

How to prepare frozen peeled mussels: cooking methods

Mussels are prepared in various ways: in a slow cooker, microwave, steamed. They are boiled, fried, baked, pickled. They only need to be thermally treated for 3-5 minutes. This seafood is used to prepare soups, salads, appetizers, and hot dishes.

Tip: To prevent the mussels from smelling like fish, sprinkle them with lemon juice.

Fried mussels with onions

A very simple cooking method. The clams need to be steamed for 15 minutes. Heat olive oil in a frying pan and fry onions in it. Cut the blanched clams into small pieces and mix with fried onions. Salt and pepper. After 5 minutes the dish is ready.

Here's a look at how to fry mussels in a frying pan.

Mussels in Belgian style

You need to pour 700 g of white wine into a saucepan and put on low heat, let the wine simmer for about one minute. Then add some Provençal herbs and add 400 grams of mussels. Leave to simmer over low heat, stirring them occasionally in the pan. You need to simmer for 5-7 minutes.

Sauce. In a small saucepan, heat the low-fat cream (500 ml) and add one tablespoon of Dijon mustard. Finely chop the leek and also add to the cream. Some cooks add some capers along with onions. Cut approximately 200 g of blue cheese into small cubes and add to our sauce. Season with white pepper and bring the sauce until cooked, until it becomes thick sour cream.

Place the mussels in a colander, place on a plate, pour over the sauce and serve.

Mussels baked with cream sauce

Boil the mussels in salted water for 3-5 minutes, then drain the water. For the sauce, mash 2 processed cheeses well with a fork, add one chicken yolk, one tablespoon of flour, one tablespoon of starch, squeeze out 3 cloves of garlic and mix everything well until smooth. Add about 300 grams of cream to the resulting mixture, add salt and pepper and mix everything well again.

Line a baking dish with foil or grease it with butter, and transfer the boiled shellfish into it. Pour the sauce over the dish and sprinkle grated hard cheese on top. Place all this in an oven preheated to 200° and bake until golden brown. When serving, sprinkle the dish with grated cheese again.

Marinated mussels

To prepare this seafood, heat treatment is not necessary; they are simply marinated. To make the brine, boil 1 liter of water in a saucepan, add one peeled onion, one red pepper and salt into the boiling water. Boil the brine for 15 minutes. Add one teaspoon of liquid smoke, 0.5 kilograms of thawed peeled mussels and leave to cook for another 3 minutes.

In a separate bowl, mix chopped garlic (1 head) and spices to taste. For example, 2 tablespoons of dry dill and one teaspoon of black peppercorns will do.

Remove the seafood cooked in brine from the pan. In a half-liter jar, add garlic and spices to the bottom and place shellfish on top. Fill everything with 200 milliliters of vegetable oil. After 12 hours, the fragrant marinated mussels are ready! They are served as a snack or used as an ingredient in other dishes.

Cooking mussels in a slow cooker

Setting the “Baking” mode, fry the thawed mussels in olive oil. Cooking in this mode is designed for 25 minutes, but you need to fry for 15. After 15 minutes, add two fresh tomatoes chopped in a blender and 200 ml of low-fat cream to the seafood. Leave the dish in the multicooker until the end of the “Baking” mode, that is, for another 10 minutes. The excess liquid will evaporate, and the mussels will acquire a pleasant tomato-creamy taste.

These mussels are served with any side dish, for example, baked celery root puree with butter is perfect here.

Pasta with seafood and cream sauce

Pasta lovers will definitely appreciate the simplicity of this recipe, and the dish will become one of their favorites. In the same water, alternately boil: 200 g of mussels, 200 g of shrimp, 200 g of squid. Cook each seafood for 5 minutes. When all the seafood is cooked, do not pour out the broth; we will need it for the sauce.

In a large frying pan, fry 4 large cloves of garlic in butter. When the garlic adds aroma to the oil, take it out and throw it away. Place 500 g of pasta, cooked until half cooked, into the aromatic oil. Add boiled seafood there, salt and pepper to taste and add 200-300 ml of the broth in which the seafood was boiled. Mix all this well, cover with a lid and cook for 10 minutes.

Sauce. For the sauce you will need 150 ml of seafood broth, 150 ml of low-fat cream. All this needs to be salted and thickened over low heat with 1-2 tablespoons of flour.

Serve pasta with cream sauce on a large plate. Before serving, garnish the dish with parsley sprigs.

Mussels appetizer for beer

A great snack to go with beer – fried mussels with cheese. This snack is very easy and quick to prepare.

So, heat 100 grams of butter in a frying pan, add 3 cloves of grated garlic to it. The garlic needs to fry a little to release the flavor into the oil. Next, use a slotted spoon to carefully remove the fried garlic from the frying pan. We immerse our shellfish in aromatic oil. Salt and pepper everything and fry over high heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add grated cheese to the pan, mix well and cook for a minute until done. Beer snack is ready! Bon appetit!

10 months ago

Mussels are an extremely healthy product: they are a source of easily digestible protein, polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially important for women’s health, and improve brain and thyroid function. At the same time, mussels are considered a dietary product, therefore they are loved by those who watch their figure, and among other seafood they are considered a delicacy. But all their beneficial qualities can be revealed only by knowing how and how much to cook mussels, what to serve with and in what quantity to consume.

You can’t buy this product fresh in Russia: all the mussels that arrive on store shelves have been frozen, but in reality this does not depend on how long they will have to be cooked. Here the preparatory stage will most likely simply lengthen. Much more important is whether they are in the sashes or have already been cleaned, whether they have undergone primary heat treatment or are offered to the consumer raw.

How long to cook boiled-frozen mussels? They only need 2-3 minutes after boiling, since they are already prepared and often already cleaned.
How long to cook frozen raw mussels? They need about 7 minutes, since their meat is more difficult to heat-treat than the meat of squid or shrimp. This is especially important for mollusks in shells.

Unlike shrimp, there are only two types of mussels: large “kiwi” and ordinary, the most common, smaller ones. Of course, the larger ones will take longer to cook. But their main advantage is that while squid and shrimp should never be kept in boiling water, mussels are not so affected by the increased cooking time (although this should not be done anyway).

Additionally, keep in mind that the cooking time for mussels may depend on the method you chose for this: they can be cooked in the microwave, on the stove, or in a slow cooker. The second option will be the fastest, and the last one will be less troublesome and reliable.

To begin with, it is worth clarifying in what form the shellfish are used. If they are peeled and frozen, you should first keep them for a while on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator (remove the ice), and then carefully rinse them under running water to get rid of sand. Next, their “intestines” are cut off - a bag of waste that is not removed by the manufacturer and can negatively affect the taste of the dish.

For mussels in shells, the situation is a little different - they need to clean the sink with a brush, and then put it in a container with salted water for an hour: this way you will get rid of the sand. After this, all mollusks whose valve integrity is compromised are removed. You can cook mussels either in shells or without - this will only affect the duration of the process. The general principle of action is this:

Bring 1 liter of water to a boil (if there are less than 300 g of shellfish).
Add salt and throw in the prepared mussels.
Wait for it to boil again and cook for 3 minutes if the shellfish have already been heat-treated (boiled-frozen), or 7 minutes (10 for large ones) if they are raw and also in the shells. The burner power is at 90% of maximum, the lid is not lowered.
Use a slotted spoon to catch the clams. The readiness of those in the sinks is determined by the opening of the valves: when this happens, the pan can be removed from the stove.

Mussels whose valves have not opened should be thrown away as they are hazardous to health. There is no such problem with peeled ones, especially if they have already been heat-treated in advance.

It is noteworthy that this scheme for cooking mussels on the stove can be carried out not only in water: you can completely replace it with dry white wine, which will give the shellfish meat an exquisite taste. It is recommended to serve the dish with cream cheese. In addition, they can be boiled in beer or milk. In this case, the cooking time does not change in any way.

One of the quite popular options for cooking shellfish is boiling them in the microwave: it’s quick and not too troublesome, only for each device you need to individually determine how long to cook frozen mussels (peeled or in shells). This figure depends on the power. The operating algorithm is simple:

Pour cold water over the prepared mussels and cover the glass pan with a lid. It is important that the water level only reaches half the height of the container.
Having chosen the maximum power (or 800 W, if the microwave is more powerful), cook the shelled mussels for 10 minutes, and the peeled mussels for 4 minutes.

When you cook them in this way for the first time, monitor the process: it is important here that the water does not boil away during the process, so the power must be controlled. If necessary, make short stops every 2-3 minutes to allow the boil to calm down.

As for cooking mussels in a multicooker, the algorithm of actions is the same as on the stove, only they are placed in cold water and cooked in the “Cooking” mode under the lid for 5-12 minutes. Then you can leave them for a while under the lid in the switched off device. The advantage of this method is that there is no need to control water and the key product.

Peeled mussels without shells and shells are often sold frozen and do not need to be peeled. Learn to cook them deliciously, and then your loved ones will not argue that life is good without this mollusk.

Mussels, as one of the most popular seafood, are famous for their nutritional value and beneficial properties. However, having tried the inhabitants of exotic mollusks in shells, not many remain fans of their taste. This is because this shellfish is not always prepared correctly. There are certain rules that are followed when cooking to make the shellfish truly tasty. Let's figure out how to cook frozen peeled mussels so that their taste is delicious and unforgettable.

Useful properties of mussels

This is interesting! The average Dutch person eats approximately 10 kg of mussel meat per year.

In order for the dish to be tasty and healthy, the ingredients must be fresh and of high quality. Here are some tips on how to choose good mussels:

Frozen seafood should be free of snow and cracks in the glaze of the ice. If such defects exist, most likely the product has already been defrosted, and during the next freezing its beneficial properties were lost.
Cleaned frozen shellfish should be light in color
Choose the largest mussels - they are considered more juicy and tasty. On packages with this product there are always two numbers separated by a fraction, which tell the buyer the number of pieces of the product per kilogram, for example 55/1 or 30/1. Therefore, the lower the first number, the larger the mollusks will be.
Mussels are a natural filter of the aquatic environment. They filter up to 700 liters of water per day. If shellfish are grown in environmentally polluted regions, they can accumulate a lot of toxins. It is better not to use such a product, as there is a high risk of poisoning. When choosing a product, look at the place of production on the packaging or, if you buy in bulk, ask the seller for a quality certificate.

This is interesting! From 1 kilogram of unpeeled mussels, approximately 100 grams of peeled mussels come out.

Preparing to cook

Freshly frozen peeled shellfish need to be thawed in the refrigerator. After this, rinse them well in a colander under strong water pressure, since there may be sand particles in the meat.

How to prepare frozen peeled mussels: cooking methods

Mussels are prepared in various ways: in a slow cooker, microwave, steamed. They are boiled, fried, baked, pickled. They only need to be thermally treated for 3-5 minutes. This dietary seafood is used to prepare soups, salads, appetizers, and hot dishes.

Tip: To prevent the mussels from smelling like fish, sprinkle them with lemon juice.

Fried mussels with onions

Here's a look at how to fry mussels in a frying pan.

Mussels in Belgian style

Place the mussels in a colander, place on a plate, pour over and serve.

Mussels baked with cream sauce

In a separate bowl, mix chopped garlic (1 head) and spices to taste. For example, 2 tablespoons of dry dill and one teaspoon of black peppercorns will do.

Pasta lovers will definitely appreciate the simplicity of this recipe, and the dish will become one of their favorites. In the same water, alternately boil: 200 g of mussels, 200 g of shrimp, 200 g of squid. Cooking each seafood for 5 minutes. When all the seafood is cooked, do not pour out the broth; we will need it for the sauce.

Sauce. For the sauce you will need 150 ml of seafood broth, 150 ml of low-fat cream. All this needs to be salted and thickened over low heat with 1-2 tablespoons of flour.

Serve pasta with cream sauce on a large plate. Before serving, garnish the dish with parsley sprigs.

Mussels appetizer for beer

A great snack to go with beer – fried mussels with cheese. This snack is very easy and quick to prepare.

The sea has fed man for thousands of years. It is a repository of food reserves, which are famous for their nutritional value - rare microelements, vitamins, amino acids, high-quality protein. In addition to fish, the seas and oceans are home to octopuses, crabs, squid, scallops and many other healthy seafood that are suitable for food, including mussels. Which have tender soft meat with a sweetish taste. When it is boiled, it gives off a pleasant aroma. Pilaf, soups, salads, and stews are prepared from mussel meat. It is salted, pickled, smoked, baked, fried. Mussels are served with pasta, cereals, potatoes, and vegetables. It should be remembered that it is advisable to consume cooked shellfish immediately; do not store them for more than twelve hours, otherwise poisoning is possible.

Mussels - food preparation

Before consumption, shellfish require some preparation. If you do not want to chew sand while eating, frozen mussels must be rinsed very thoroughly after defrosting.

If you are going to cook mussels in their shells, longer preparation will be required. First of all, it is necessary to visually inspect them and remove shellfish with damaged shells; they are not eaten. To open the valves, the mussels must be placed in a hot frying pan or lowered into boiling water for two minutes. Then the meat is removed from the shell, the growth (a bunch of algae that attaches the mollusks to the stones) is pulled out, and thoroughly washed to remove sand and stones.

Mussels - the best recipes

Recipe 1: Marinated mussels

One of the most delicious dishes that can be prepared from mussels is to simply marinate them. They turn out very tasty and cheaper than store bought ones. You can add them to a salad, put them on a piece of toast, and just eat them. We offer two cooking options. In the first case, the marinade is indicated without adding vinegar - with spices, white wine and lemon, in the second - with vinegar. And so, so delicious.

Ingredients (1 option): 0.5 kg mussels, vegetable oil – 2-3 table. false., ? lemon (juice), 150 ml dry wine (white), 1 clove of garlic, 1 teaspoon each. lie honey and prepared mustard, salt, pepper, 1 bay leaf, several sprigs of fresh dill and cilantro.

Cooking method

If using frozen mussels, defrost.
Prepare a spiced sauce in which the mussels will be boiled. To do this, boil the wine, put garlic in it (no need to chop), bay leaf, pepper, lower the mussels and boil for about four minutes (measure the time from the moment of boiling). Drain in a colander.
Make the marinade. Finely chop the greens, add lemon juice, oil, pepper, mustard, and salt. You can use any mustard, for example, French or spicy.
Transfer the still warm mussels, along with a bay leaf and a clove of garlic, into the marinade and let it sit in the refrigerator for about five hours. It is more convenient to marinate in a glass jar or deep bowl. By the way, you can marinate shrimp in the same way.

Ingredients (Option 2): 0.5 kg of mussels, half a glass of water, 1 table. spoon of table vinegar (9%), 1.5-2 table. lie sugar, salt to taste.

Cooking method:

Thaw the shellfish. Salt the water, boil and boil the mussels in it for three to four minutes.
Make the marinade. It should taste sweet and sour. Dissolve salt and sugar in boiling water and add vinegar. Place mussels in hot marinade. In an hour they will be ready to eat. You can put them in jars and add a little vegetable oil.

Recipe 2: Baked mussels

Baked mussels are not only delicious, but also look beautiful, especially if they are baked and served directly in their shells. This dish is suitable for both a festive table and a romantic evening. We offer two cooking options: in the first option, seafood is baked in shells under a cheese crust, in the second – in a regular form with sauce.

Ingredients (1 option): 0.5 kg of mussels in shells, 2 tomatoes, 2 cloves of garlic, 50 g of butter, spices, 150 g of hard cheese.

Cooking method

Rinse the mussels well, peel the shells and boil for ten to fifteen minutes. You can add bay leaf, spices if desired, and salt to the water. During cooking, all the doors should open. Those that remain closed should not be eaten. Divide the cooled clams into halves and carefully separate the meat, which should be put back into the shells.

Grind the garlic and tomatoes using a grater or blender. Place a piece of butter and a spoonful of tomato mixture into each half of the meat, grate the cheese on top and bake for 20 minutes (180C).

Ingredients (Option 2): 0.5 kg of mussels, peppercorns, hard cheese – 100g. Sauce: soft processed cheese – 100-150g, 200ml cream, 25g butter, 1 yolk, 1 table. spoon of flour, 3 cloves of garlic.

Cooking method

Defrost the mussels, boil for three minutes in salted water, adding peppercorns (5-6 pcs.).

Prepare the sauce. Chop the garlic and add the remaining ingredients for the sauce. It is better to mix with a whisk or blender so that there are no lumps.

Place the mussels in a frying pan or mold, pour over the sauce. Sprinkle with shredded cheese and bake for 20-25 minutes (200C).

Recipe 3: Fried mussels

Fried mussels are a simple dish to prepare, but delicious in taste. Both vegetable oil and melted butter will be used for frying. Nutritionists recommend butter, which contains at least 25% vegetable fats. But it must first be melted. Otherwise, harmful carcinogens may form in the pan when it burns.

Ingredients: 0.5 kg of mussels, vegetable oil, 2 onions, salt, ground hot pepper, seafood seasoning (or herbs de Provence).

Cooking method

Chop the onion into cubes and fry until golden. Add the mussels and fry, stirring constantly, for five to seven minutes over medium heat. Add salt, pepper, seasoning and remove from heat. Let it brew for a while, covered. Can be served with rice, potatoes or as a separate dish.

— You should eat shellfish caught between June and February, because... In spring they are not so tasty and fatty.

— Mussels should not be subjected to long-term heat treatment, otherwise they will be dry and tasteless. The rule for boiling squids applies to them - no more than three to five minutes.

— Fresh mussels should not have an unpleasant odor and have tightly closed flaps that cannot be opened by hand.

Those who want to learn how to cook frozen and peeled mussels should remember the insidiousness of shellfish. Properly cooked, they are very tasty, satisfying and healthy.

However, if you don’t know how to cook mussels at home and miss at least one, at first glance, not very important detail, the exquisite delicacy becomes simply inedible. How can you avoid turning delicious seafood into elastic, unchewable lumps of foul-smelling meat? Read tips on how to cook mussels and recipes for delicious dishes on tochka.net .