Steaming Octopus Perfection: A Simple Guide To Mastery

Steamed octopus is a delicious dish that can be enjoyed in many ways, such as on its own, with rice or salad, or even in a seafood salad or ceviche. The key to cooking tender octopus is to cook it slowly until it becomes tender. Rapid-cook methods tend to make the octopus tough and chewy. There are several ways to cook octopus, including boiling, grilling, roasting, and poaching. This paragraph will focus on the steps for steaming octopus.

Cleaning and preparing the octopus

Cleaning and preparing an octopus for cooking can be a daunting task, but it is not difficult. The first step is to clean the octopus, which involves removing the beak, eyes, and innards. The beak is located at the center of the tentacles and can be pushed out or cut out with a small knife. The eyes can be removed by making a small incision around them and popping them out. If your octopus has not been cleaned already, remove any innards from the head sac.

Once the octopus has been cleaned, it is important to tenderize the meat. This can be done by freezing the octopus overnight, which helps to break down the connective tissue. You can also place the octopus in a bag and use a rolling pin to firmly press the tentacles, being careful not to flatten them.

After tenderizing, the next step is to separate the tentacles from the body. Use a sharp kitchen knife to slice off each tentacle at its base. The middle piece that connects the tentacles to the head can be discarded, as it is hard and unpleasant to eat.

Before cooking, fill a stockpot with water and aromatics such as onion, carrot, leek, bay leaves, parsley, thyme, and peppercorn. Bring the stock to a boil and then add the octopus, cooking it until tender. This can take anywhere from 20 to 45 minutes, depending on the size of the octopus.

Once the octopus is cooked, it can be served in a variety of ways. It can be cut into slices and served with rice or in a salad, or it can be grilled or seared for a crispy texture.

Boiling the octopus

Preparing the Octopus:

Before boiling, you will need to prepare the octopus. Start by thawing the octopus if it is frozen. It is recommended to thaw it in the refrigerator for around 24 hours. If you are using fresh octopus, you may need to tenderize it by beating it with a meat tenderizer. Once thawed, separate the tentacles from the body using a sharp kitchen knife. Cut each tentacle at its base. You can also use kitchen shears for this step. Remove the middle piece that connects the tentacles to the head, as it is hard and unpleasant to eat. For some recipes, you may need to keep the octopus whole before cutting it into pieces, so make sure to read your recipe instructions carefully.

Fill a large stockpot with enough water to cover the octopus. You can also add aromatics such as onion, carrot, leek, bay leaves, parsley, thyme, and peppercorns to add flavour to the water. Bring the water to a rolling boil and let it boil for about 5 minutes. Then, add the octopus tentacles and body pieces to the boiling water. The water will slow down, so wait for it to come to a rapid boil again. Cover the pot and cook the octopus until it is tender. This can take anywhere from 20 to 45 minutes, depending on the size of the octopus. Test the meat with a fork or paring knife; when it is ready, the meat should be very tender and practically falling off the fork.

Serving the Octopus:

Once the octopus is tender, remove it from the pot and drain the water. You can serve boiled octopus in a variety of ways. It can be cut into slices and served with rice or in a salad, or you can enjoy it on its own. If you plan to grill or sear the octopus after boiling, it is recommended to chill it in the refrigerator first, as this helps set the skin so it doesn't fall off during the next cooking step.

Grilling the octopus

Grilling is a great way to add extra flavour to the octopus, but it is too fast to tenderise the meat on its own. Therefore, it is best to boil the octopus first, then grill it.

First, preheat the oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit (130 degrees Celsius). Prepare a large rimmed baking sheet by lining it with aluminium foil. Place the octopus on the baking sheet, sprinkle it with salt, and cover it with foil. Cook the octopus until tender, which could take up to 2 hours.

Next, preheat a grill. Brush the grill rack lightly with olive oil and preheat for about 10 minutes to a high temperature. After coating the octopus pieces with olive oil, sprinkle them with salt and pepper, to taste. The oil will give the exterior a better glow and a better crunch, and it helps the seasonings cling to the meat.

Place the octopus pieces on the grill and cook for roughly 4 to 5 minutes, or until spotted with brown. After placing the pieces on the grill rack, close the grill and cook covered. You should only turn the pieces once, and do so during the middle of the cooking process.

Finally, serve the grilled octopus with olive oil, lemon juice, and parsley. When grilled, octopus can be enjoyed on its own or sliced and added to other dishes. If you plan to serve it as is, the extra oil, fresh lemon juice, and parsley can make it an even more flavorful dish.

Poaching the octopus

Poaching is a great way to cook octopus, and it's straightforward to do. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you achieve tender and tasty octopus every time.

Step 1: Prepare the aromatics

For poaching, you'll want to use a combination of aromatics to infuse flavour into the octopus. In a large stockpot, combine water, white wine vinegar, halved lemons (squeezed and added to the pot), peppercorns, bay leaves, and salt. Bring this mixture to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium and let it simmer for about 10 minutes.

Step 2: Prepare the octopus

While the aromatics are simmering, it's time to prepare the octopus. If you're using a whole octopus, you'll want to scar it by dunking it into the simmering water three times for 5 seconds each time. This technique is best for whole octopus as it causes the tentacles to curl attractively. If your octopus is already cut into pieces, you can skip this step.

Step 3: Poach the octopus

Once your aromatics have simmered and your octopus is prepared, it's time to poach. Carefully lower the octopus into the pot and adjust the heat to medium-high or until you achieve a light boil. Allow the octopus to cook for approximately 30 minutes or until it reaches your desired level of tenderness. You'll know it's ready when you can easily pierce it with a fork.

Step 4: Cool and serve

Remove the octopus from the poaching liquid and let it cool slightly until it's comfortable to handle. At this point, you can serve the octopus as-is, or you can slice it and add it to other dishes. Poached octopus is delicious on its own, but you can also pair it with olive oil, lemon juice, and fresh herbs for extra flavour. Enjoy!

Tips for the perfect poached octopus:

• Use a whole, uncut octopus for the best results with the scarred technique.
• For added flavour, feel free to experiment with different aromatics in the poaching liquid, such as onions, carrots, leeks, parsley, or thyme.
• If you prefer your octopus well-done, you can cook it for longer than 30 minutes, checking regularly with a fork to ensure it doesn't overcook.
• For a crispier texture, consider grilling or searing the poached octopus briefly after poaching.
• To cool the octopus quickly, dunk it in ice water for a few minutes before serving.

Serving the octopus

Once your octopus is cooked, there are a few ways you can serve it. You can either serve it hot or cold, depending on your preference.

Serving Hot

If you want to serve your octopus hot, you can sear or grill the tentacles. Heat a tablespoon or two of vegetable oil in a skillet over high heat until shimmering. Then, add the octopus pieces and cook until well browned and crisp, which should take around 3 minutes per side. Turn the pieces over and brown the other side for around 3 minutes longer. Season with salt and serve as desired.

Serving Cold

If you wish to serve your octopus cold, cut the tentacles and head into pieces and add them to a seafood salad or ceviche.

Seasoning and Sides

Regardless of whether you serve your octopus hot or cold, you can season it with olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, dried oregano, fresh parsley, and garlic. Octopus pairs well with crisp salads, Feta cheese, olives, and capers.

Frequently asked questions