Sunday Dinner: Smoky Grilled Mussels Two Ways

For whatever reason, mussels have always been one of those dishes I order at restaurants but never contemplated making at home. That is, until B sent me this article the other day about cooking mussels on the grill and it looked so delicious we had to try it. It turned out to be so easy (and fancy-looking), we wondered why the hell we never did this before! B came up with two types, based on some of our restaurant favorites, and the smoky flavor of the grill lent itself well to both. Hope you enjoy!

Traditional White Wine and Garlic Mussels

1 pound mussels, scrubbed and de-bearded (we had very good luck with the mussels from Whole Foods that were already very clean)
1/4 cup dry white wine
8 garlic cloves, smashed
3 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper
fresh chopped parsley (optional)

Heat the grill to medium-high.

Put mussels, wine, garlic, oil, salt and pepper in a disposable aluminum roasting pan and stir. Cover pan tightly with heavy-duty foil. Place pan on the grill and cover. Let cook for 6-10 minutes until mussels are done and completely open (don’t forget to discard any mussels that fail to open). Transfer mussels to bowl along with their juices and sprinkle with fresh parsley if you like. Serve with grilled bread brushed with olive oil for dipping and enjoy!

 Beer and Andouille Sausage Mussels

1 pound mussels, scrubbed and de-bearded
6 oz Oktoberfest-style beer
2-3 links good, pre-cooked andouille sausage, sliced and halved
olive oil
salt and pepper

Heat the grill to medium-high.

Put mussels, beer, sausage, oil, salt and pepper in a disposable aluminum roasting pan and stir. Cover pan tightly with heavy-duty foil. Place pan on the grill and cover. Let cook for 6-10 minutes until mussels are done and completely open (don’t forget to discard any mussels that fail to open). Transfer mussels to bowl along with the remaining liquid and sausage. Serve with grilled bread brushed with olive oil for dipping and enjoy!