This recipe from the spruce Eats for quick and easy barbequed mussels, even on a disposable one!
Since barbequed mussels are so tasty right off the grill, your guests may want to simply stand around the barbecue and eat the mussels right as they come off the flame. Just be warned: those shells are HOT!
Barbequed Mussels
Fresh mussels cooked on the BBQ
Ingredients
- ½ pound Mussels per person
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- fresh flat-leaf parsley minced, to taste
Instructions
- Heat a gas or charcoal barbeque to medium-high heat (you should be able to hold your hand about an inch over the cooking grate for 2 to 3 seconds before pulling it away from the heat). Make sure the cooking grate is relatively clean, the shells will protect the mussels more than other foods, but it's still a good habit to get into. Have it over the heat so it gets nice and hot.
- While the grill heats, pick over the mussels, they should be alive when you cook them. Throw away any mussels that don't close tightly when you tap on them. Most mussels sold at fishmongers are farmed, so they don't have highly developed beards; however, wild mussels may have hairy growths that need to be pulled out with pliers.
- Put the cleaned mussels on the grill and cook (covered on a gas grill) at least until they open, 5 to 10 minutes. Some people like their mussels just barely cooked, still soft and tender; others prefer mussels grilled until they're almost smoked, with the flesh condensed and almost crispy on the edges. Taste different levels of done-ness and decide for yourself!
- Transfer the hot mussels to a serving platter using tongs. Optionally, sprinkle over some freshly ground black pepper and some minced parsley.
- Serve the mussels as hot off the grill as you can manage! The hotter and fresher, the better.
Tip
- If you would like to make this recipe for the main course, change the amount of mussels to 2 pounds per person.
Recipe Variations
Want to dress them up a bit? A few ideas:
- Make a melted garlic-butter sauce with 4 ounces butter and 1 or 2 cloves minced garlic. Heat them up in a small saucepan and drizzle over the mussels before serving.
- Spice them up with a drizzle of hot chilli oil right off the grill.
- Keep everything fresh with a spritz of lemon juice.
- Parsley is a classic herb with mussels, but roughly chopped dill or coriander can be mighty tasty, too.
Credits:
If you like this recipe then you will probably like the barbequed smoky shellfish.
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