On a mussell (clam) what is the little hard white bit? It looks like an eye!?

Question

I always cut it out when cooking them, are you supposed to do this or eat it with the rest of the mussell?

Answer 1

It's just the connecting part to the shell. It’s nothing gross. It doesn’t have to be removed. On mussels, remove the beards (brown, will be sticking out of shell ) if they have them- that’s it.

Answer 2

The little hard white bit that's stuck to the shell? Are you referring to the part that remains on the shell when you pull off the meat?

That's the muscle that opens and closes the shell. It is edible, but not worth the effert sometimes.

Mussels and clams do not have eyes.

Answer 3

Hidingfromhim.. I apologise unreservedly for the tone of my answer to your previous question. Just goes to show that when all the facts aren't available, people can draw their own conclusions.. I was wrong to adopt the attitude I used.

I could never eat mussels, they're much too slimy...

Answer 4

No, cut it away, it's too gristly to chew. It's the bit the mussel uses to stick itself to the shell.

Answer 5

Mussels and Clams are both mollusc's but quite different from each other.

Answer 6

It`s the adductor muscle,the one that holds the shells closed,and is perfectly edible-can be a bit chewy if the mussle has had a slow growth rate or grew in a high activity area (strong tidal flow).

Answer 7

That is the foot, you can eat it but it is a little tougher than the muscle.

Answer 8

clam got *****??