How to Perfectly Cook Tender and Delicious Octopus at Home
From Octopus Preparation to Cooking Methods! Enjoy Delicious Octopus Like a Pro at Home
We’ll guide you through the simple process of preparing and cooking fresh octopus at home, ensuring a tender and delicious result. Your ultimate guide to making amazing octopus dishes!
Essential Ingredients
- 1 octopus, cleaned
- Generous amount of coarse sea salt
- Generous amount of flour
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
1. Preparing the Octopus Head: First, turn the octopus head inside out. Be careful not to burst the ink sac, and then cleanly remove the internal organs from inside the head. You can either gently pull them out with your hands or use clean scissors to cut them away.
Step 2
2. Removing the Eyes: Press the eye sockets with your fingers to push out the eyes, or carefully remove them using a knife or scissors. This step is crucial for a clean preparation.
Step 3
3. Removing the Beak: Locate the hard beak (like teeth) at the center where all the tentacles meet. Push firmly with your finger to pop it out and remove it. This is also an important part of thorough cleaning.
Step 4
4. First Rinse (Coarse Sea Salt): Now for the main cleaning process. Sprinkle a generous amount of coarse sea salt all over the octopus. Rub it vigorously with your hands, as if you were washing laundry, to remove the slimy mucus and impurities. Repeat this 3-4 times for a thorough clean.
Step 5
5. Second Rinse (Flour): After the first rinse with sea salt, sprinkle a generous amount of flour onto the octopus. Again, gently but thoroughly rub the surface of the octopus with your hands, like washing clothes. The flour helps absorb any remaining fishy odors and contributes to a firmer texture. Rinse thoroughly with cold water to finish.
Step 6
6. Cooking the Octopus Perfectly: Fill a large pot with plenty of water and bring it to a rolling boil. Once the water is boiling, hold the octopus by its head and dip the tentacles into the boiling water for about 5-10 seconds, then pull them out. Repeat this process 2-3 times; this helps the tentacles curl up attractively. Once the tentacles are nicely curled, submerge the entire octopus (head included) into the water and continue cooking. The cooking time depends on the octopus’s size: for small octopuses under 1kg, about 7 minutes is sufficient, while larger octopuses over 1kg need around 10 minutes for the best texture. After cooking, immediately remove the octopus and rinse it under cold water to cool. This step enhances its chewy texture.
