Smoked Tahong In Oil

Raw Material Equipment, Utensils & Supplies:
mussel (tahong) meat weighing scale, 10-kg capacity
vegetable oil plastic basin
refined salt steamer
stove
bistay or titay (or improvised chicken wire)
charcoal (or firewood)
smokehouse (½ drum)

Procedure:
1. Thoroughly clean mussels to remove seaweeds, debris and byssus or horny tufts of threads growing out from the base of the foot.
2. Soak in water for 1-2 hours to allow mussels to expel sand and wastes (depuration).
3. Steam for 10-15 minutes to open shells.
4. Cool to temperatures that can allow handling and shucking of mussels. Remove the remaining byssus.
5. Smoke mussel meat for 30 minutes or until golden brown.
6. Pack smoked mussel in UGL cans or glass jars (fill-in weight for 211 x 300 can and 8-oz. glass jar is 170 grams). Add 2.5 grams refined salt and enough vegetable oil into each can or glass jar leaving ¼-inch headspace.
7. Exhaust to an internal temperature of 82oC and seal.
8. Process in a pressure cooker or a retort for one (1) hour at 121oC (15 psi) or 1½ hours at 116oC (10 psi).
9. Cool cans under running water. Allow the glass jars to air-cool.
10. Wash glass jars and cans to remove grease and grime, and dry.
11. Code, label and store at room temperature.