Usually, I only lurk here, to learn and to find new idea. There seem to be quite a few knowledgeable people around, it is a pleasure reading you.
I have a question about keeping mussels. On Thursday, I bought a ( vacuum?) sealed pack of mussels at the supermarket. I cooked half of them that day, they were fine. The next day, I wanted to cook the other half. It was in the now-open package. It turned out all the mussels had opened. So I didn't eat them. According the expiration date, they should still have been ok (for at that day). I felt sorry that the animals had died in vain (and that I couldn't eat them, but the useless deaths impressed me more).
Anyway, my question is: is it normal that they died before the expiration date? Is it because the package had been opened? Or should I go and tell the supermarket their expiration date wasn't accurate?
"jake" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Hello,
Usually, I only lurk here, to learn and to find new idea. There seem to be quite a few knowledgeable people around, it is a pleasure reading you.
I have a question about keeping mussels. On Thursday, I bought a ( vacuum?) sealed pack of mussels at the supermarket. I cooked half of them that day, they were fine. The next day, I wanted to cook the other half. It was in the now-open package. It turned out all the mussels had opened. So I didn't eat them. According the expiration date, they should still have been ok (for at that day). I felt sorry that the animals had died in vain (and that I couldn't eat them, but the useless deaths impressed me more).
Anyway, my question is: is it normal that they died before the expiration date? Is it because the package had been opened? Or should I go and tell the supermarket their expiration date wasn't accurate?
Live mussels cannot be kept in a sealed container. They need oxygen and will die if sealed. Also, a perfectly good mussel can be open - but when disturbed they will close. If the mussels really were vacuum sealed then they could not have been live, but I have never heard of non-live mussels being sold in the shell (unless frozen). I hope this info helps.
-- Peter Aitken Visit my recipe and kitchen myths page at www.pgacon.com/cooking.htm
"jake" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Hello,
Usually, I only lurk here, to learn and to find new idea. There seem to be quite a few knowledgeable people around, it is a pleasure reading you.
I have a question about keeping mussels. On Thursday, I bought a ( vacuum?) sealed pack of mussels at the supermarket. I cooked half of them that day, they were fine. The next day, I wanted to cook the other half. It was in the now-open package. It turned out all the mussels had opened. So I didn't eat them. According the expiration date, they should still have been ok (for at that day). I felt sorry that the animals had died in vain (and that I couldn't eat them, but the useless deaths impressed me more).
Anyway, my question is: is it normal that they died before the expiration date? Is it because the package had been opened? Or should I go and tell the supermarket their expiration date wasn't accurate?
Live mussels cannot be kept in a sealed container. They need oxygen and will die if sealed. Also, a perfectly good mussel can be open - but when disturbed they will close. If the mussels really were vacuum sealed then they could not have been live, but I have never heard of non-live mussels being sold in the shell (unless frozen). I hope this info helps.
I did not test the open mussels to see if they would close. Darn. I am definitely learning here 🙂.
Their packaging *was* sealed, it was a plastic tub that had a sealed lid. There was a little bit of water in it, too, so it is feasible that they were getting osygen. I suspect it is specialized packaging, it is used in all shops here (The Nehterlands).
It is common to buy mussells here(Miami,Fl.) that are not alive. They are sold in the supermarket and are on ice. You're mussells would have probably been fine to consume. When in doubt, use your nose...seafood has a "special" way of telling you when it's gone bad.
"Peter Aitken" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
"jake" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Hello,
Usually, I only lurk here, to learn and to find new idea. There seem to be quite a few knowledgeable people around, it is a pleasure reading you.
I have a question about keeping mussels. On Thursday, I bought a ( vacuum?) sealed pack of mussels at the supermarket. I cooked half of them that day, they were fine. The next day, I wanted to cook the other half. It was in the now-open package. It turned out all the mussels had opened. So I didn't eat them. According the expiration date, they should still have been ok (for at that day). I felt sorry that the animals had died in vain (and that I couldn't eat them, but the useless deaths impressed me more).
Anyway, my question is: is it normal that they died before the expiration date? Is it because the package had been opened? Or should I go and tell the supermarket their expiration date wasn't accurate?
Live mussels cannot be kept in a sealed container. They need oxygen and will die if sealed. Also, a perfectly good mussel can be open - but when disturbed they will close. If the mussels really were vacuum sealed then they could not have been live,
<snip> but I have never heard of non-live mussels
Quoted message said:
being sold in the shell (unless frozen). I hope this info helps. Peter Aitken
Peter, while at Costco yesterday looking in a 'cold' case (not frozen case or cabinet), I saw for the first time a package of vacuum sealed mussels (in shells). DH does like mussels, but I didn't get a chance to point them out to him. But they had a window in the package and they didn't look too appetizing, being surrounded by some opaque type of creamy liquid. Yikes! Dee Dee
Live mussels cannot be kept in a sealed container. They need oxygen and will die if sealed. Also, a perfectly good mussel can be open - but when disturbed they will close. If the mussels really were vacuum sealed then they could not have been live,
<snip>
Quoted message said:
but I have never heard of non-live mussels being sold in the shell (unless frozen). I hope this info helps. Peter Aitken
Peter, while at Costco yesterday looking in a 'cold' case (not frozen case or cabinet), I saw for the first time a package of vacuum sealed mussels (in shells). DH does like mussels, but I didn't get a chance to point them out to him. But they had a window in the package and they didn't look too appetizing, being surrounded by some opaque type of creamy liquid. Yikes! Dee Dee
They're cooked and packed in a weak "garlic-butter sauce." I tried them a couple days ago and I must say they're not to my liking. The sauce is thin and weak with not much garlic to it. That's not terrible. The part I didn't like was that there were bits of broken shells in the package, but they weren't obvious. Small pieces. We dumped them over pasta and ended up adding butter and seasonings. And watching out plates to make sure we didn't get tiny fragments of shell.
We don't as a matter of course buy cooked seafood, and this was an experiment. Nope.
They had their periodic seafood display out on the floor with some enormous scallops and shrimp, snow crab legs and whole dungeness crabs. Whole salmon. Bags of mussels. We didn't buy any because we were experimenting. Oh, well...
"Bob (this one)" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Dee Randall said:
"Peter Aitken" <[email hidden]> wrote
Quoted message said:
Live mussels cannot be kept in a sealed container. They need oxygen and will die if sealed. Also, a perfectly good mussel can be open - but when disturbed they will close. If the mussels really were vacuum sealed then they could not have been live,
<snip>
Quoted message said:
but I have never heard of non-live mussels being sold in the shell (unless frozen). I hope this info helps. Peter Aitken
Peter, while at Costco yesterday looking in a 'cold' case (not frozen case or cabinet), I saw for the first time a package of vacuum sealed mussels (in shells). DH does like mussels, but I didn't get a chance to point them out to him. But they had a window in the package and they didn't look too appetizing, being surrounded by some opaque type of creamy liquid. Yikes! Dee Dee
They're cooked and packed in a weak "garlic-butter sauce." I tried them a couple days ago and I must say they're not to my liking. The sauce is thin and weak with not much garlic to it. That's not terrible. The part I didn't like was that there were bits of broken shells in the package, but they weren't obvious. Small pieces. We dumped them over pasta and ended up adding butter and seasonings. And watching out plates to make sure we didn't get tiny fragments of shell.
We don't as a matter of course buy cooked seafood, and this was an experiment. Nope.
They had their periodic seafood display out on the floor with some enormous scallops and shrimp, snow crab legs and whole dungeness crabs. Whole salmon. Bags of mussels. We didn't buy any because we were experimenting. Oh, well...
Pastorio
Thanks, you saved us some money!!!! (I didn't price them, but I know they weren't for free.) We've bought at various times most of the items on the seafood display. I'm sure (and have seen them do this sometimes) that they just place fresh-frozen seafood out on the ice and they semi-thaw there. The crab is especially watery to me done this way, as well as the scallops. I have found the frozen (in the case) sea scallops from New Bedford, Mass. very good; there is a sweetness to them. Dee Dee
"Bob (this one)" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Dee Randall said:
"Peter Aitken" <[email hidden]> wrote
>Live mussels cannot be kept in a sealed container. They need oxygen and >will die if sealed. Also, a perfectly good mussel can be open - but when >disturbed they will close. If the mussels really were vacuum sealed then >they could not have been live,
<snip>
>but I have never heard of non-live mussels being sold in the shell >(unless frozen). I hope this info helps. >Peter Aitken
Peter, while at Costco yesterday looking in a 'cold' case (not frozen case or cabinet), I saw for the first time a package of vacuum sealed mussels (in shells). DH does like mussels, but I didn't get a chance to point them out to him. But they had a window in the package and they didn't look too appetizing, being surrounded by some opaque type of creamy liquid. Yikes! Dee Dee
They're cooked and packed in a weak "garlic-butter sauce." I tried them a couple days ago and I must say they're not to my liking. The sauce is thin and weak with not much garlic to it. That's not terrible. The part I didn't like was that there were bits of broken shells in the package, but they weren't obvious. Small pieces. We dumped them over pasta and ended up adding butter and seasonings. And watching out plates to make sure we didn't get tiny fragments of shell.
We don't as a matter of course buy cooked seafood, and this was an experiment. Nope.
They had their periodic seafood display out on the floor with some enormous scallops and shrimp, snow crab legs and whole dungeness crabs. Whole salmon. Bags of mussels. We didn't buy any because we were experimenting. Oh, well...
Pastorio
Thanks, you saved us some money!!!! (I didn't price them, but I know they weren't for free.) We've bought at various times most of the items on the seafood display. I'm sure (and have seen them do this sometimes) that they just place fresh-frozen seafood out on the ice and they semi-thaw there. The crab is especially watery to me done this way, as well as the scallops. I have found the frozen (in the case) sea scallops from New Bedford, Mass. very good; there is a sweetness to them.
I have bought their seafood in the displays and found them to be better than average around here. All West Coast crabs in the east are cooked before they're shipped here unless they're still alive. And I've only seen dungeness crabs live here (I'd love to see snow crabs and king crabs in a store, 4-feet across and [censored]). <LOL>.
We've bought clams and mussels and they were always good. Scallops, likewise. Couple whole, headed salmon were fine. Only once bought lobster tails and decided I didn't like them - tough. Generally, I like Costco for food shopping in general. Their meats are far and away the best around. Best quality and prices, but, yes, ya gotta buy a honking great amount to best benefit.
"Bob (this one)" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Dee Randall said:
"Bob (this one)" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Dee Randall wrote:
>"Peter Aitken" <[email hidden]> wrote > > >>Live mussels cannot be kept in a sealed container. They need oxygen and >>will die if sealed. Also, a perfectly good mussel can be open - but >>when disturbed they will close. If the mussels really were vacuum >>sealed then they could not have been live, > ><snip> > >>but I have never heard of non-live mussels being sold in the shell >>(unless frozen). I hope this info helps. >>Peter Aitken > > >Peter, while at Costco yesterday looking in a 'cold' case (not frozen >case or cabinet), I saw for the first time a package of vacuum sealed >mussels (in shells). DH does like mussels, but I didn't get a chance to >point them out to him. But they had a window in the package and they >didn't look too appetizing, being surrounded by some opaque type of >creamy liquid. Yikes! >Dee Dee
They're cooked and packed in a weak "garlic-butter sauce." I tried them a couple days ago and I must say they're not to my liking. The sauce is thin and weak with not much garlic to it. That's not terrible. The part I didn't like was that there were bits of broken shells in the package, but they weren't obvious. Small pieces. We dumped them over pasta and ended up adding butter and seasonings. And watching out plates to make sure we didn't get tiny fragments of shell.
We don't as a matter of course buy cooked seafood, and this was an experiment. Nope.
They had their periodic seafood display out on the floor with some enormous scallops and shrimp, snow crab legs and whole dungeness crabs. Whole salmon. Bags of mussels. We didn't buy any because we were experimenting. Oh, well...
Pastorio
Thanks, you saved us some money!!!! (I didn't price them, but I know they weren't for free.) We've bought at various times most of the items on the seafood display. I'm sure (and have seen them do this sometimes) that they just place fresh-frozen seafood out on the ice and they semi-thaw there. The crab is especially watery to me done this way, as well as the scallops. I have found the frozen (in the case) sea scallops from New Bedford, Mass. very good; there is a sweetness to them.
I have bought their seafood in the displays and found them to be better than average around here. All West Coast crabs in the east are cooked before they're shipped here unless they're still alive. And I've only seen dungeness crabs live here (I'd love to see snow crabs and king crabs in a store, 4-feet across and [censored]). <LOL>.
We've bought clams and mussels and they were always good. Scallops, likewise. Couple whole, headed salmon were fine. Only once bought lobster tails and decided I didn't like them - tough. Generally, I like Costco for food shopping in general. Their meats are far and away the best around. Best quality and prices, but, yes, ya gotta buy a honking great amount to best benefit.
Pastorio
Yep, re the amount. Last night we brought home a large package of Italian Hot Sausages and cooked them all and put them in individual packages in the freezer. And some kilbasse (sp?) I never hesitate to buy their cheeses; when I go to Martin's I find their cheeses are several dollars more per pound for the same thing. I've not bought any of the lobster tails at Costco. Dee Dee
On Sat, 30 Jul 2005 23:08:54 +0200, jake <[email hidden]>
Quoted message said:
I have a question about keeping mussels. On Thursday, I bought a ( vacuum?) sealed pack of mussels at the supermarket. I cooked half of them that day, they were fine. The next day, I wanted to cook the other half. It was in the now-open package. It turned out all the mussels had opened. So I didn't eat them. According the expiration date, they should still have been ok (for at that day). I felt sorry that the animals had died in vain (and that I couldn't eat them, but the useless deaths impressed me more).
If you Google on
mussels storage
you will find a number of useful references. For open mussels, tap on the shell to see if they close (alive). If they don't (dead), discard.
On Sat, 30 Jul 2005 23:08:54 +0200, jake <[email hidden]>
Quoted message said:
I have a question about keeping mussels. On Thursday, I bought a ( vacuum?) sealed pack of mussels at the supermarket. I cooked half of them that day, they were fine. The next day, I wanted to cook the other half. It was in the now-open package. It turned out all the mussels had opened. So I didn't eat them. According the expiration date, they should still have been ok (for at that day). I felt sorry that the animals had died in vain (and that I couldn't eat them, but the useless deaths impressed me more).
If you Google on
mussels storage
thank you, I wasnt'sure which search terms to use (not a native spekaer of Englsih)
Quoted message said:
you will find a number of useful references. For open mussels, tap on the shell to see if they close (alive). If they don't (dead), discard.
