Tillie Doyle
Grilled squid is a popular dish in Mediterranean and Filipino cuisine. Squid is a nutritious ingredient, with a high protein content and beneficial levels of copper, selenium, and vitamin E. Grilled squid is best cooked over high heat for a short period of time, or slow-cooked for at least 30 minutes. Before grilling, the squid should be cleaned, patted dry, and marinated. The grill should be preheated to a very high temperature to ensure the squid is seared properly. Once grilled, the squid can be served with a variety of sauces, such as olive oil and lemon juice, or a garlic and parsley oil.
Grilling Squid on a Pan
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Cooking Time | 3-8 minutes per side |
| Marinade | Olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic, cumin |
| Grill Temperature | High |
| Grill Type | Gas, charcoal, grill pan, frying pan |
| Preparation | Clean and pat dry squid, tenderize by refrigerating for 2-3 days |
| Serving | With lemon wedges, parsley, bread |
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What You'll Learn
Preparing the squid
Next, you will need to dry the squid. Use paper towels to pat the squid dry, removing as much surface moisture as possible. This step is crucial as it helps promote browning on the grill and prevents the squid from becoming rubbery or chewy. Make sure to pay extra attention to drying the inside of the squid as well as the outside.
Once the squid is clean and dry, it's time to marinate. Place the squid in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil, ensuring that all surfaces are lightly coated. You can also add other seasonings or ingredients to the marinade, such as salt and pepper, garlic, chilli and parsley, lemon juice, or spices like paprika, cumin, or cayenne pepper. Experiment with different combinations to find your favourite flavour profile. Allow the squid to marinate for at least 15 minutes at room temperature, or up to 30 minutes if you have the time.
While the squid is marinating, you can prepare your grill pan. Preheat the pan on high heat, ensuring that it is very hot. A hot grill is crucial to achieving the perfect texture for your squid, as it helps to sear the surface quickly without overcooking the meat.
Finally, before placing the squid on the grill, use a sharp knife to score the tops of the squid tubes and cut away any remaining tentacle pieces. You can also slice the squid tubes lengthwise, leaving the side with the fins intact, to help the heat reach the centre of the squid during cooking.
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Marinating the squid
Firstly, clean the squid thoroughly. Remove everything from inside, including the bone, and take off the outer skin. Rinse the squid well under cold running water, drain it, and pat it dry with paper towels. This step is essential as it helps remove any unwanted odour or taste and promotes even cooking.
Next, prepare the marinade. A simple Greek-style marinade can be made by combining olive oil, dried oregano, coriander, salt, pepper, and a pinch of paprika. You can also add lemon juice to this mixture for a zesty twist. If you're feeling adventurous, try a North African-inspired marinade with smoked paprika, cumin, lemon juice and zest, olive oil, cayenne pepper, and garlic. The possibilities are endless, but remember that squid seamlessly adapts to the flavours of the marinade, so choose your ingredients wisely.
Once the marinade is ready, it's time to coat the squid. Place the squid in a bowl and pour the marinade over it, tossing gently to ensure an even coating. Massage the marinade into the squid with your hands or a brush to ensure it penetrates the meat. For an extra flavour boost, you can score the tops of the squid tubes with a sharp knife before marinating, creating more surface area for the marinade to work its magic.
Finally, let the squid sit in the marinade for at least 15 minutes at room temperature. If you have the time, you can even pop it in the fridge to marinate for up to 30 minutes. This extended marination time allows the flavours to truly penetrate the squid, resulting in a more intense taste experience. Remember to soak bamboo skewers in water during this time if you plan to use them for grilling, as this will prevent them from charring.
Now that your squid is nicely marinated, it's time to fire up that grill pan and cook your delicious, flavour-packed squid to tender perfection!
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Heating the pan
Grilling squid requires a thorough understanding of the heat dynamics involved. Squid has a very high water content, and its surface must be dry for it to brown properly on the grill. However, exposing the squid to drying heat for too long will cause it to overcook and become rubbery. Therefore, the key to successful grilling is to cook the squid quickly over high heat.
To achieve this, start by heating your grill pan on high heat. You can use a gas grill or a charcoal grill. If using charcoal, light a full chimney of charcoal and wait until it is covered with grey ash before spreading the coals evenly over half of the coal grate. If using a gas grill, set all the burners to high heat, place the cooking grate in position, cover the grill, and preheat for about 5 minutes.
Ensure your grill pan is very hot before adding the squid. The pan should be hot enough that the squid starts to get grill marks within a minute or two. A properly heated grill pan will help sear the squid quickly, preventing it from becoming chewy and rubbery.
For a charcoal grill, aim for a grill temperature between 500°F and 600°F. You can achieve this by ensuring there are enough hot coals and adjusting the grill's vents to control the airflow. For a gas grill, set the burners to high heat and preheat the grill for a few minutes.
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Cooking the squid
Firstly, pat the squid dry with paper towels to remove any surface moisture. This will help the squid cook faster and prevent it from becoming chewy. It will also help promote browning on the grill. Then, prepare your aromatics.
Next, heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large frying pan over high heat. It is important that the pan is very hot before you add the squid. Once hot, add the squid and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side. The cooking time will depend on the size of the pieces. Smaller pieces may need less time, and larger ones may need a minute longer. You will know the pan is hot enough if the squid gets grill marks within a minute or two.
Remove the squid from the pan and season with salt and pepper. You can also add aromatics to the pan, such as garlic, chilli, and parsley. Sauté these in olive oil for a minute until the garlic is golden brown.
Finally, place the squid on a platter and pour over the aromatics and oil. You can also serve the squid with a dipping sauce made from soy sauce, chilli pepper, and lemon.
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Making a dipping sauce
There are many different sauces that can be used as dips for grilled squid. Here are some examples:
Vietnamese-style
A classic Vietnamese dipping sauce, or Nước chấm, is made with fish sauce, fresh lime juice, and sugar. This sauce is sweet and tangy and pairs well with grilled squid.
Thai-style
Nam jim seafood is a traditional Thai dipping sauce that is great with seafood. It is made with fish sauce, lime, sugar, coriander, mint, chilies, and garlic. For a variation, you can make a green chili version with peanuts.
Spicy Miso Mayo
A Japanese-style sauce can be made by blending mayo, miso, and Sriracha. For a milder sauce, you can omit the Sriracha and make a non-spicy miso mayo.
Salt and Pepper with Lime
A simple dipping sauce can be made by adding salt and pepper to a small bowl and squeezing lime juice into it.
Other ideas
Other dipping sauces that can be used for grilled squid include garlic aioli, sweet chili sauce, and bang bang sauce.
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Frequently asked questions
First, remove everything from inside the squid, including its bone. Then, remove the outer skin by pulling it off with your hands. Rinse the squid, drain it, and pat it dry with paper towels.
Squid cooks quickly and is best grilled for 2-4 minutes on each side. If you cook squid for too long, it becomes chewy and rubbery.
Grill squid on a very hot pan. The high heat helps sear the squid quickly and prevents it from becoming rubbery.
Grilled squid is often served with lemon wedges and fresh herbs such as parsley or oregano. You can also serve it with a dipping sauce made from soy sauce, chilli pepper, and lemon.
The best way to reheat grilled squid is in the oven. Arrange the squid on a rack in a rimmed baking pan, brush with olive oil, and heat in a 350 F oven for about 10 minutes.
