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Hi,
Would anybody know a good recipe on how to go about curing and smoking Green lip New Zealand mussels.
I can purchase these whoppers, about 100mm long, at a fairly good price $ 3.00 per kg
The are frozen due to quarantine regulations.
Do I have to steam them open before curing? or smoke only without curing?
The only smoked mussels available here are from China but I think that the NZ ones are hard to beat. At least we know that they come from a clean environment.
Thank you,
Regards,
Jan.

Hot smoke them with a water pan in the smoker?

(Just a thought off the top of my head!)

Phil

This? http://www.bernezac.com/moules_uk.htm

They are yummy alright. Hot smoke them in their shell how they are. They don't take long and there should be plenty of moisture in them if they are frozen. You can make a dipping juice from lemon, vinegar and soy sauce, for after they are smoked. What kind of wood are you using?. I had West Coast Tuatua fritters for dinner. It was a mission getting them, with the rolling waves pounding us, but we had a good play in the surf whyle we gatherd them in the sunset of Ninety Mile Beach...

Thanks Guys for the replies. I will have a go at them sometime during the next week-end.
For smoking I always use Australian hardwood sawdust and chips, at the moment I have some Redgum available and will try it.
Some fishing mates swear by it, time will tell.
It's a pity that the green lips are frozen but that's the only way they are allowed to be imported. Anyhow, $ 3.00 per kg is rather cheap.
Sam, I am jealous of you having pippy fritters for dinner, I love them.
Around Brisbane they are not available on the beaches anymore, could be the pollution or the abbo's.
Best Regards,
Jan.
Brisbane.

How did the redgum go?

Hi Sam,
I have smoked 12 large mussels with some redgum chips and shavings just to expiriment. They turned out a real ripper. No sauce needed at all,
I nearly eat all of them just bringing them back to the house.
My wife was really cheesed off about it so over the holidays ( we have 5 of them in OZ) I will smoke the lot to stop her from hassling me.
Have a great Easter break to you and all the members of this great site.
Regards,
Jan. Brisbane.

...and you have a great time too Jan.

Phil

I'm not surprized of your wifes reaction. They are pretty moreish. I have never tryd redgum and glad you have done the experiment 4 me. My m8s will be impressed. We always use Manuka or Kanuka. Did the mussels come from the Corramandel Peninsular? They vary quite a bit in size and flavour depending on where they are grown. Do you think they were frozen str8 from the sea or washed with fresh water? I'm sure they would be almost as good as the 1's I'm used to if they have been frozen fresh from Tangaroa! I'm going to try smoking some stuff with redgum now that you have recomended it. Gr8 stuff m8

Have you considered using the chips from your stihl to flavour them up?

Chain oil flavour?

Haha. Sory. I was talking about the home brew distillery.

Hi Sam,
The only chips I use in my hobby distilling is french and american oak, fairly well charred by me and left for as long possible.
The whiskey goes down well after a good feed of green lipped mussels.
They were absolute monsters up to about 100 mm long.
I am looking now at buying a few cartons of them, at least I will be able to tell where they came from in NZ. Aus $ 3.00 per kg is a gift.
My nephew in Tasmania only uses redgum sawdust/chips for smoking these escaped farmed salmon.
Regards,
Jan.
Brisbane.

Hi Sam,
Compared to you Kiwi's distilling, I am only a very small hobbyist. Having said that, I make it the correct way, either with barley, corn or molasses.
3 different ingredients for 3 different end results and charred Oak.
Now that I like the smoked mussels so much, I can't buy them anymore until the next shipment comes in. Hell who cares, I will smoke some sea mullet next week end instead.
Anymore adventures coming up Sam?? I am looking forward to your stories.
Regards,
Jan.