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    You are here: Home » Food » Grilled Mussels with White Wine

    Grilled Mussels with White Wine

    December 9, 2020 By Sean Martin Leave a Comment

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    There is nothing more appetizing than eating a warm bowl of freshly steamed mussels with crusty bread being dipped in a wine based broth. And this Grilled Mussels recipe is beyond amazing. We are making a simple simmer broth with garlic, white wine, and some aromatics and steaming the mussels on the grill.

    This is a great recipe idea for cooking outdoors on any type of grill from charcoal to gas.

    Grilled mussels in a cast iron pan on a hot grill
    A simple one pot meal for your grill.

    If you are looking for appetizer or dinner ideas to cook outside, then grilled mussels are some of the easiest (and also some of the most impressive!). It’s all about prepping the mussels, making the broth, and then steaming them in a cast iron pan with a lid. If you can cook it inside on your stovetop, why not outdoors on your grill?!

    A cast iron pan filled with mussels on the hot grill

    Buying Mussels

    Mussels are a great edible treat from the mullusc family. They tend to have a smooth oval shape (versus a round clam shell or the uneven oyster). When buying fresh mussels make sure to look at them closely. They should be closed (not open). If you see them open, see if the fish monger can tap them to see if they close. Discard the ones that wont.

    Frozen is another alternative and just as tasty. This is what we’re using in this example here. But the recipe works for both fresh or frozen mussels.

    Consider ½ pound of mussels per person for a main meal. If buying as an appetizer, then typically we plan ¼ pound of mussels per person.

    Cleaning Mussels

    Whether fresh or frozen, the first step for preparing mussels is to clean the shells of any seaweed and other sea based growth. To do this, place the mussels in a colander and with the water running lightly, scrub them with a brush. This removes any unwanted flavors from the shells that would otherwise end up getting steamed in the broth. They may also have a “beard” which is typically stringy weed looking growth that is easiest to pull off by cutting with scissors.

    Most mussels at the store are farmed, so they have already gone through the process of having any sand removed. If they are hand harvested from the sea, then soak the mussels in water and a tablespoon of corn starch for 20 minutes to encourage the mussels to eliminate the sand.

    Discard whole mussels that are broken as the packaging is opened. If frozen, follow the thawing directions on the packaging.

    Broth for Grilled Mussels

    The goal for grilled mussels is to make a simple broth and use that broth to steam the mussels until they are done. Because the recipe is very simple it’s about going big on the portions and flavor.

    Ingredients for the broth include:

    • extra virgin olive oil
    • butter
    • shallots
    • garlic
    • dry white wine (Albariño, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris/Grigio, all work well)
    • parsley
    • thyme
    • diced tomatoes (stewed add the most flavor)
    • red chili pepper flakes
    • lemon, cut in half (grill it)
    Ingredients for grilled mussels on a cutting board next to the grill

    How to Grill Mussels

    The key to grilling mussels is to preheat a cast iron pan in the grill while it warms up, and then cooking everything on the grill. It’s a true one pot meal for the grill.

    Step by step, how to cook mussels on the grill.
    1. Preheat the grill to 375 degrees Fahrenheit using indirect or two zone cooking. It’s important that the cast iron is not directly over the heat source or it will burn the broth. As you warm up your grill, be sure the cast iron, or grill safe pan, warms up with the grill.
    2. Sauté Shallots in butter and oil. When the grill reaches 375 degrees, place butter and olive oil in the pan. It should immediately start to melt. Add the shallots and stir frequently. This will cool the pan and allow the shallots to soften. Do this for 3 – 4 minutes or until the shallots start to get translucent. (note: this is also a good time to place the lemon half over direct heat to grill)
    3. Add Garlic. The garlic is one of the two main stars of this dish. Do not be shy with garlic! Garlic is your friend here. Continue to sauté the garlic for another 1 – 2 minutes.
    4. Add Tomatoes and Wine. Pour in the tomatoes and then wine, parsley, thyme, salt, and chili pepper flakes and stir for 2 minutes or until the wine starts to bubble. If the pan has cooled too much you can place over direct heat. But watch to be sure it doesn’t scorch over direct heat. (This is a good time to remove the lemon as it likely has a good char, then squeeze the juice into the pot – check out how to grill lemon if you have questions). This is when to add your bread over direct heat to get some char to it.
    5. Add Mussels. The grilled mussels will now go into the pan. Gently stir them with a large spoon to move them around and in the broth to coat all of the mussels with some of the sauce. Cover the mussels with a fitted lid, and then close the grill lid. Grill (over indirect heat) for about 6-8 minutes or until whole mussels open up. If the mussels were frozen and already in the half shell, then they should still cook in 6-8 minutes.
    6. Serve. Remove the mussels (still covered) from the grill with heat appropriate gloves (the pot handle will be HOT). Serve them warm with crusty bread straight from the cast iron pan for an appetizer. If a main dish then place the mussels divided equally among four bowls and then pour in the broth.
    Grilled mussels in a cast iron pan on a wood board with a glass of wine and a grilled lemon halves

    Other Grilled Seafood Dishes

    • Grilled Oysters
    • Shrimp on the Grill
    • Grilled Shrimp Tacos
    • Shrimp Cocktail on the Grill
    • Grilled Lobster Tails

    We want to hear from you! If you make this dish, be sure to drop a comment below and give this a rating, especially if you modify or add more ingredients.

    cast iron pan of mussels on the grill

    Grilled Mussels Recipe with White Wine and Garlic

    Mussels cooked on the grill in a steaming broth of garlic, shallots, white wine, and herbs. Don't forget the crusty bread to soak up all that delicious broth.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate Save Saved!
    Prep Time: 30 minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes
    Servings: 2 people
    Calories: 520kcal
    Author: Mary Cressler | Vindulge
    Cost: $20.00

    Equipment

    • 10 Inch Cast Iron Pan with Lid

    Ingredients

    • 2 pounds mussels, debearded and rinsed
    • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
    • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
    • ⅓ cup finely diced shallots
    • 6 cloves garlic, finely diced or pressed
    • ½ cup dry white wine
    • ⅓ cup diced parsley
    • 1 teaspoon diced thyme
    • ½ teaspoon red chili pepper flakes
    • ½ lemon grilled and juiced
    • 1 cup stewed or diced tomatoes
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Preheat the grill to 375 degrees Fahrenheit using indirect or two zone cooking. It’s important that the cast iron is not directly over the heat source or it will burn the broth. As you warm up your grill, be sure the cast iron, or grill safe pan, warms up with the grill.
    • When the grill reaches 375 degrees, place butter and olive oil in the pan. It should immediately start to melt. Add the shallots and stir frequently. This will cool the pan and allow the shallots to soften. Do this for 3 – 4 minutes or until the shallots start to get translucent. (note: this is also a good time to place the lemon half over direct heat to grill)
    • The garlic is one of the two main stars of this dish. Do not be shy with garlic! Garlic is your friend here. Continue to sauté the garlic for another 1 – 2 minutes.
    • Pour in the tomatoes and then wine, parsley, thyme, salt, and chili pepper flakes and stir for 2 minutes or until the wine starts to bubble. If the pan has cooled too much you can place over direct heat. But watch to be sure it doesn’t scorch over direct heat. (This is a good time to remove the lemon as it likely has a good char, then squeeze the juice into the pot – check out how to grill lemon if you have questions). This is when to add your bread over direct heat to get some char to it.
    • The grilled mussels will now go into the pan. Gently stir them with a large spoon to move them around and in the broth to coat all of the mussels with some of the sauce. Cover the mussels with a fitted lid, and then close the grill lid. Grill (over indirect heat) for about 6-8 minutes or until whole mussels open up. If the mussels were frozen and already in the half shell, then they should still cook in 6-8 minutes.
    • Remove the mussels (still covered) from the grill with heat appropriate gloves (the pot handle will be HOT). Serve them warm with crusty bread straight from the cast iron pan for an appetizer. If a main dish then place the mussels divided equally among four bowls and then pour in the broth.
    Find the perfect wine pairing at the Vindulge Wine Shop

    Nutrition

    Calories: 520kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 679mg | Potassium: 1006mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1610IU | Vitamin C: 42mg | Calcium: 110mg | Iron: 11mg
    Tried this recipe? We would love to see!Mention @vindulge or use the hashtag #vindulge
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    Mary-Cressler-Sept-2015-smI'm Mary, a wine/food/travel writer, Certified Sommelier, mom of twins, former vegetarian turned BBQ fanatic, runner, and founder of Vindulge and author of Fire + Wine cookbook.  Thanks for stopping by!

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