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How to Grill Octopus Greek Style

Do You Love to Grill Octopus at Home?

Having a grilled octopus at any restaurant can be pricey. So why not try to grill it at home?

It’s difficult to picture a Greek meze table without a few charred, smoky grilled octopus tentacles. This traditional Greek dish is ideal if you’re searching for something other than burgers to toss on the grill. The meal is finished with extra virgin Greek olive oil, Greek oregano, and Santorini capers.

Octopus is another one of those proteins that make people gag. Which, to be honest, is their loss. Such as cow tongue, it’s one of those ‘ugly tasty’ cuts. Cuts that, while first unappealing, are obviously extremely delectable. While the beef tongue is thick and rich, octopus is soft to the touch, and a final sear over charcoal elevates it to a new level.

How to Grill Octopus Greek Style

This recipe calls for little octopus, but it also works with bigger ones. If you use a large octopus, you will have to saute it longer and chop it into bits when preparing to grill. Octopus is commonly accessible in Asian and Latin American countries. There is no simple equivalent for octopus, though squid comes close.

Nutrition

  • Serving size: ¼ recipe
  • Calories: 509
  • Fat: 19
  • Carbohydrates: 13
  • Protein: 68

Ingredients Required

  • 2 pounds octopus
  • Salt
  • 3 to 4 bunches of herbs such as parsley, oregano, fennel fronds, and green onions
  • 4 to 6 bay leaves
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • Juice of a lemon
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
  • 1 chopped fresh hot chile, or 1/2 teaspoon chile flakes
  • Fine olive oil, black pepper, and lemon wedges for garnish

Instructions To Follow

Step 1-Boil a big saucepan of salted water for 90 seconds, then blanch the octopus. Retrieve the octopus and dry it in a strainer.

Step 2-Preheat the oven to 300°F in the meantime.

Step 2-Arrange the herbs and bay leaves in the bottom of a brazier, Dutch oven, or other large, ovenproof pot.

Step 4-Place the octopus on the herb nest, cover the pot and bake until cooked, which can take anything from 90 minutes for a tiny octopus to 4 hours for a really large one. Two hours is approximately average.

Step 5-Cut the octopus into bits when it is tender. Small octopi should be left whole.

Step 6-Marinate the octopus in olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, and chill for at least an hour, and up to a day or two.

Step 7-Finally, preheat your grill to high heat. Check that the grill grates are clean.

Step 8-Grill the octopus over high heat until charred here and there; they’re already cooked, so you’re simply adding flavor. Drizzle your grilled octopus with excellent olive oil, season with black pepper.

Step 9-Serve with a wedge of lemon and a shot of ouzo.

Enjoy your Greek-style grilled octopus!

Important Notes

You may marinate your octopus for up to a day or two ahead of time and it will still taste great. You may also braise one day and grill the next. The octopi will stay in the fridge for a few days after they’ve been braised. This is also a great make-ahead appetizer because it may be served hot or cold.

Specific Suggestions

Many individuals who appreciate eating octopus are put off from making it at home because of reports of difficult and unpleasant consequences. This is a terrible shame because cooking octopus isn’t all that difficult.

A sharp knife pierced the skirt (the area of the octopus where the tips of the legs meet the head) is the best technique to detect if an octopus is cooked through. If the knife smoothly and readily enters the skirt, the octopus is done.

A properly cooked octopus should provide the same level of resistance as a boiled potato. Remember that even the best-cooked octopus will be chewy; it’s the nature of the beast.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: Why should I make octopus at home?

Ans: We understand that cooking octopus at home can be scary, but it is also very easy. You can impress your guests by offering them some charred octopus at the next home party. A good octopus dish means a tender octopus for that you have to boil it first.

Q2:What size octopus to use when making it on the grill?

Ans: You can use a medium-sized octopus to grill. It should be fresh and the heads and beak should be removed.

Q3: How long should I boil octopus before grilling it?

Ans: Boil the octopus for 40-45 minutes and then rest it for 30 minutes. You can also set it in the fridge overnight or even freeze it up for 1 month. When the octopus is resting at room temperature, drizzle it with olive oil and add some chopped garlic, so it can get some seasoning before grilling. It is important to cut its tentacles and grilled them over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes per side. Then add some seasoning and serve it. If you are cooking for a crowd, then it is recommended to cook 1 pound of octopus per person. If you like octopus and are curious to try and make it yourself, you should definitely try this grilling recipe.

To Wrap it Up

When you gently pre-cook the octopus, the skin develops a delicate, gelatinous feel. We apologize for going against the grain here, but we are not fans. First and first, while we appreciate the soft feel of foods like beef cheeks, we didn’t enjoy it with the octopus.

Second, as it comes out of the boiling pot, this gelatinous layer is extremely moist, and it will ruin any chance you had of grilling up a great char. The more moist the surface of the protein, the more difficult it is to produce a good sear.

The only way to compensate is to add the extremely time-consuming step of airdrying the octopus in the freezer for 24 hours before searing or removing the skin entirely. We are the team “remove”.

You’ll be pleased with the results of this less time-consuming procedure, which adds the herbaceous taste towards the end with a fresh drizzle of oil and herbs.


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