How to Clean Mussels

You’ll need an oyster knife or another small but sturdy knife with a bit of bend to it.

When you’re cleaning mussels, you want to remove any of the barnacles and the beard that comes out of the shell (which has a rope-like texture). We use the oyster knife as it’s got a good thick edge - you don’t want a sharp knife as you’ll just ruin it and you need some force behind it to get rid of the barnacles.

Put the mussels in the sink and have the cold tap running slowly. Hold a mussel in one hand and scrape the outside with the knife, getting rid of the barnacles and any other growths. The beard grows out of the middle of the hinge side of the mussel. Remove it by holding firmly with your thumb and forefinger and swiftly pulling upwards towards the tip of the mussel - don’t pull outwards as this often means you don’t pull it all out.