How to Clean and Debeard Mussels

Rinse the mussels thoroughly in cold running water. Most commercial mussels have already been debearded, but if your mussels are wild or still have their “beards” (the elastic threads that hold the mollusks to rocks), pull them off and discard them.

Note that a mussel’s shell should close if it is tapped on a counter, or when squeezed shut. Any mussels that do not close are dead or possibly filled with mud and should be discarded.