Seasoned seafood cooks know that, despite their somewhat unattractive appearance inside their shells, mussels are a delicious ...

A seafood feast can be ruined by gritty mussels, but this fate is easily avoided with proper cleaning. Here's a trick to help ensure a grit-free experience.

Often coated in sand and debris, mussels must be rinsed before cooking. Learn the proper methods—plus tips for buying and storing—with this guide.

Before Cooking: Shells should close when tapped against the counter. That tells you mussels are alive — and they should be alive when you cook them. Rinse mussels briefly under cold water.

How to Clean Mussels. AOL.com Editors. Updated October 16, 2017 at 4:33 PM. Copied; ... Closed, cooked mussels mean that the mussel had died before cooking which can be dangerous to eat.