Grilled Mussels with Gochujang Butter

Flex your grilling muscles with something new on the ‘cue — mussels! Wrapping them in foil allows them to steam cook to perfection and absorb the exceptional flavour of the seasoned Gochujang butter. And it gets you outside where you want to be instead of in the kitchen.

Prep time:

30 minutes (includes soaking time)
Cook time:

6 to 8 minutes
Makes:

4

Ingredients

2 lbs (908 g) fresh mussels
12 to 14 lemon slices/rounds
2 tbsp (10 g) green onions or scallions, thinly sliced
1 tbsp (9 g) flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
Gochujang butter:
3 tbsp (45 ml) dry white wine
1 to 2 tbsp (25 to 50 g) Gochujang paste
½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter
2 pcs (2 tsp) garlic, minced
¼ tsp (2 g) salt
Garnishes (optional):
Lemon wedges or slices
Flat-leaf parsley
Green onions or scallions

Prep:

Wash and scrub the mussels in cold water, removing any beards. Discard any that have broken shells or do not close when gently tapped.
Soak mussels in a large bowl of cold water; about 20 minutes. This helps mussels to dispel any sand. Discard water and rinse the mussels.
Preheat grill to medium-high heat (400–450°F).

For the Gochujang butter:

In a small bowl, whisk the dry white wine with the Gochujang paste until smooth. Set aside.
In a small heavy-bottomed pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant; about 1 minute. Add in the Gochujang mixture and the salt. Whisk until homogenous; 2 minutes. Cover and keep warm over low heat; do not boil.

To assemble:

Have ready 4 pieces of heavy-duty foil (approximately 12 x 15 inches). Place 3 to 4 lemon slices on each piece of foil. Divide the mussels, about 10–12 mussels per portion, and place them over the lemons.
Bring up the long sides, fold or roll, and seal the foil over the mussels. Leave a small amount of room above the mussels for steam to develop. Seal the shorter ends of each package.
Place the foil packets onto the preheated grill. Close the lid and grill for 6 to 8 minutes.
Carefully remove each packet from the grill and onto a rimmed baking sheet.
Stir the green onions and parsley into the warm Gochujang-butter mixture.
Carefully open the foil packet and discard any mussels that did not open. Serve mussels in the foil or place mussels and any juices that may have formed into individual dishes. For a communal setting, present mussels in a large dish. Serve immediately.
Dip or drizzle the Gochujang butter over the mussels. Garnish with lemon wedges, fresh parsley, and/or sliced green onions. Serve with grilled or crusty bread, if desired.

Serve as an appetizer or as a side.
Clams can be substituted for the mussels if preferred or for something different.
If you don’t have wine, use vegetable broth, fish stock, water, diluted white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or lemon juice.
If you don’t have heavy-duty foil, use a double thickness of regular foil and proceed with the recipe as directed.
If the grill is preheated at the higher end of the temperature range, remove mussels at the 6-minute mark.