To date, mussels and oysters are the most popular shellfish that are found in the cuisines of almost all the peoples of the world. No one has reliable information about when and under what circumstances they were eaten by humans. It is only known that this happened a very, very long time ago. Historians and archaeologists claim that they have evidence of the gathering of mollusks by primitive humans dating from an even more ancient time period than evidence of his fishing and hunting activities. However, modern people are interested in several other issues. For example, how mussels differ from oysters, which mollusks are tastier and healthier for a person, how to cook sea delicacies, etc.
Well, we will try to give answers to these questions, and also introduce the reader to some interesting facts about these marine mollusks.
Many people do not distinguish between mussels and oysters. But they are completely different marine mollusks. So, what are mussels and oysters, how to distinguish them? Now we will understand this issue.
Appearance
To begin with, it is worth noting that the appearance of these marine inhabitants is completely different. So, oysters are larger in comparison with mussels. Their shells are somewhat rough, and wavy at the edges. Oyster shells are characterized by a flat or slightly concave shape. Mussels, in turn, have a much smaller shell size. Their shape is also completely different: more rounded, with sharp edges. You can also distinguish between mollusks by the color of the shell. Oysters are usually quite light in color, and mussels - from dark gray to almost black. The presence of a particular shade depends on the quality of the water in the pond in which the mollusks live.
Lifestyle
You can understand how mussels differ from oysters if you consider the lifestyle of one and the other mollusks. So, oysters do not have the ability to move around. They spend their whole lives "sitting" in one place, attaching themselves with their whole shell to the stones or other hard rocks present on the seabed. Mussels are able to change their location. They can do this with a special thread (byssus). With its help, mussels are attached to any immovable objects and travel in search of food at distances that the thread allows.
Considering the existence of mollusks in communities, one more feature that distinguishes these two species can be noted. If mussels prefer to lead a social life, sticking in a row one after another, then oysters live in "heaps", sometimes tightly cementing with each other.
How are mussels different from oysters? What is more useful?
Both one and the other species of mollusks have a very high nutritional value for the human body. Both oysters and mussels are a good prevention of cancer. This property is explained by the high content of elements such as sodium and fluorine in marine mollusks.
The differences between oysters and mussels are in the way they are prepared. More precisely, the fact that the former cannot be cooked by heat treatment, and the latter is necessary. This is because oysters are a cleaner product. They are eaten raw. And mussels, due to their more active life activity, accumulate in themselves a dangerous dose of harmful substances that go away after boiling in water.
Price
Perhaps the main criterion for how mussels differ from oysters (photos of both species are presented in the article for clarity) is their cost.
The latter are quite expensive and, as a rule, are served only in some restaurants in our country. And mussels can be found on sale quite often. In almost every store you can buy these mollusks in frozen form at a fairly affordable price.
How to choose?
Perhaps these were the main nuances that allow even the person farthest from high cooking to figure out what is the difference between mussels and oysters. Now, let's look at some more important points that relate to the methods of preparation and the rules for eating such mollusks, of course, taking into account the differences that were given above.
It is believed that fresh mussels and oysters, which remained alive until the freezing, have closed shells. And they open after they die. This should be considered when choosing mussels and oysters in a store.
Treatment
After acquiring marine mollusks, you need to process them as soon as possible. Of course, in the case of frozen, you can wait a bit, but if the mussels were bought alive or even chilled, you must immediately begin to prepare them. First you need to open the sinks, turning them with the sharp side towards you and, having stuck a knife between the two halves, turn it 90 degrees and get the clam. After that, you need to remove its insides and rinse well under running water. In the case of oysters, cooking will be completed already at this point. After processing, they must be immediately served on the table, adding some sauce or a slice of lemon to the dish.
Well, before you put the mussels to the table, they must be cooked. Although they are stored slightly longer than oysters, their useful properties begin to be lost every day. Having cleared of shells and entrails, they can be boiled and seasoned, again, with any sauce. The finished mussel dish can be stored in the refrigerator for about 12 hours.
How are mussels different from oysters? As mentioned earlier, the latter can be consumed raw, while the former can not. This is a very important criterion. In the cuisines of many nations, there are recipes for raw oysters. However, before consuming such mollusks, it is necessary to make sure that they were obtained in an ecologically clean body of water. Otherwise, it is better to prefer a cooked oyster dish.
Sea mollusks can be served in a separate form, and can be a component of a dish. In restaurants, it is most often suggested to try oysters specifically. But in the home kitchen, in order to save money, you can add other ingredients to them.
Cooking method
Another nuance of how mussels differ from oysters is the way they are consumed. Oysters can be served with closed shells. Then they will have to be opened independently. To do this, open the sink, cut off with a knife the part with which the oyster meat is attached to it, pour the sauce and drink the whole oyster at once.
If the mollusks are served in a purified form, they should be eaten with cutlery. Mussels are always served peeled, and with their use problems, as a rule, do not arise.
Conclusion
The information presented in the article is enough to understand how mussels differ from oysters, how to distinguish them and separate high-quality mussels from low-quality ones, as well as how to cook and eat these delicacies. As a rule, those who have tasted a dish from such maritime delights will want to try it more than once.