Smoked Mussels
Alone, mussels are pretty mild in flavor with a faint sweetness, but the addition of smoke and a white wine-based broth takes them to new heights. For the best result, use a wine you enjoy drinking, and don’t let any of the flavorful juices released by the mussels go to waste.
Equipment
- Z Grills 7002C2E Wood Pellet Grill
- Z Grills Apple Wood Pellets
- Aluminum Foil
- Cast iron skillet
Ingredients
- 3 pounds mussels, cleaned
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 large shallot or half a medium yellow onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 cups dry white wine
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Juice of half a lemon
- ¼ cup flat leaf parsley or chervil
Instructions
- Remove the beard from each mussel. To remove, grab it with your thumb and forefinger and firmly pull it towards the shell’s hinge. You can use a paper towel or kitchen towel to improve your grip.
- Check the beard and look for a white tip. The tip indicates that you removed the beard entirely.
- Preheat your Z-Grills (preferably with branded applewood pellets) or other wood pellet grill to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- On the stove top, melt the butter in a cast iron skillet over medium heat.
- Add the chopped shallot/onion and saute for 3-4 minutes or until they are softened and fragrant. Toss in the garlic and saute for 30 seconds or so.
- Pour in the wine, then add the salt and black pepper. Bring to a simmer.
- Add the mussels to the skillet, cover with foil, poke a series of holes in the foil, and transfer the skillet to the grill grates.
- Cover the grill’s lid and smoke the mussels for 10-12 minutes or until the mussels open up.
- Remove the skillet from the grates, uncover it, and discard any mussels that did not open.
- Transfer the mussels to a serving platter, spoon any broth in the skillet over the mussels, drizzle with lemon juice and finish with fresh herbs.
- Serve.