Cultured Blue Mussels are pre-cleaned prior to distribution; however, remove any of the “beard”, or Byssus threads that remain, and always give the mussels a quick rinse prior to cooking. The fresh water should cause living mussels to close, at least partially. Discard any shells that fail to do so or are visually chipped or broken. Blue Mussels are typically steamed in water, wine or broth which can contain a wide variety of herbs and spices. Blue Mussels cook very quickly, and are finished when all Mussels have opened.