Why Canned Mussels Deserve A Spot In Your Pantry

When people think of canned goods, most just focus on the popular essentials: Spam, tomatoes, corned beef, pickles, and the like. But if that's everything in your pantry, you're missing out on quite a lot of good flavor. The next time you go on a grocery run, trust that you seriously should pick up a pack or two of canned mussels!

Yes, it's an unconventional pick. Maybe you didn't even know canned mussels existed until today. But if you're a seafood fan (or just have no problem with eating seafood), canned mussels deserve a spot on your shelves — not just for being a great source of protein, but also because of their great flavor. You can find canned mussels lightly seasoned and packed in neutral-tasting olive oil, which lets their natural briny flavor shine. But you'll also find canned mussels that come pre-cooked in zesty oils and spices that are superb for eating right out of the can ... or, with a little bit of elbow grease, you can also cook them into soups, or turn them into spreading and filling for a sandwich — options are endless!

Canned mussels are a popular provision for hikers and campers, and that alone tells you just about everything that you need to know about their convenience and versatility. While hiking mid-trail, you can crack open a can and eat a few spoonfuls for a fast pick-me-up. For a nicer treat, a few mussels from the can could be spread over buttered bread for a snack. And if there's enough time to break camp, the canned mussels can be mixed together with other ingredients like potatoes, veggies, and broth to make a pot of chowder soup.

If that's what you can do with canned mussels while you're out in the wild, you'd of course have even more options at home. For any recipe that makes use of fresh mussels, you can substitute it with canned (the same rule also applies to all other shellfish.) Whenever you crave creamy garlic mussels, there's no need to haul fresh mussels from the fish market. All you need to do is crack open a can and you're in business!

Canned mussels are typically packed in olive oil. You'll get a little bit of the oil's taste when you eat it (especially if you eat it out of the can), but the natural umami of the shellfish will still be there. If you like your mussels to be a bit more flavorful, they're fortunately sold pre-cooked and seasoned, too.

Smoked mussels can be canned alongside lemon herbs, giving them an extra tang as well as an herby, refreshing scent. For those with a strong, spicy taste, you can get the canned mussels that are packed with spicy chili and garlic sauce, or spiced pickled sauce. Together with a few slices of bread and the spicy sauce for dipping, you'd be able to turn the small can of spiced mussels into quite a meal.

As with any canned food, if left unopened and stored properly in a cool, dry pantry, the canned mussels will last for several years. Considering how awesome they are, there's really no reason not to pick up a few cans and keep them in your pantry, just in case you ever want to make coconut curry mussels on the fly.