March 27, 2009, Newsletter Issue #108: Seafood Storage Tips to Go

Tip of the Week

Cooked mussels should be refrigerated as soon as possible after cooking if you are not going to eat them immediately.

To store cooked mussels, remove their shells, then put them into an airtight container. Or, put them in a bowl and cover them with their own liquid or broth. This will help to keep them moist and retain the flavour.

Cover the bowl or container securely with a lid and place in the fridge. Refrigerated mussels should be eaten within 1 - 2 days.

When cooked, mussels can be frozen and stored in a freezer for up to 3 months.

Do not freeze raw mussels, only the cooked variety.

Be sure to remove and discard the shells of cooked mussels prior to storing.

Store fresh mussels in cold water for no longer than two days. Make certain the shell remains closed. If it opens up, just tap it lightly. If alive, the shell should close back up. If they stay open, toss them out.

Store live shellfish in a shallow dish covered with damp towels or paper towels.

Squid and freshly shucked clams have a shelf life of one to two days.

Shrimp and scallops have a shelf life of about two to three days.

Freshly shucked oysters have a shelf life of five to seven days.

Mussels and clams in the shell (live) should be used within two to three days;

Oysters in the shell can be stored from seven to ten days.

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