What texture should fresh mussel have?
Does mushy mussels mean they are bad? What causes this mushy texture: cooking or quality of the mussels?
How to determine if the mussels are fresh
mussels
Related Solutions
It depends on where you live, and what type of mussel you are eating
The blue mussel popular in Europe and North Pacific typically has an uncooked meat ratio of 25% to total weight, and 20% when cooked
The New Zealand Greenshell mussel (available flash frozen in Europe) typically has an uncooked meat ratio 55%, and 50% when cooked
Around US$2 per Kg. These will vary by season and supplier of course
Always check that most of the mussels are alive when you buy them.
Check that the shells are not broken, and that they are wet.
At your house, throw away all the dead mussels and process as soon as possible.
Cook (steam) as fast and as furious as you can for no more than two minutes. At that point, the mussels should have opened and nearly done.
Overcooking can produce a rubbery texture and spoil the taste.
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Best Answer
Assuming your mussels came from clean, unpolluted waters, there is mainly only one thing that determines the quality of mussels: Freshness.
For all shellfish, this means alive when you buy them and alive when you cook them. Their shells should be tightly closed when you buy them, or they should close when you tap them.
Mushiness doesn't mean much. Shellfish are kind of mushy in their most perfect condition.