Seafood is always healthy and certainly delicious. And cooking them in the kitchen is now quite simple: the ingredients can be purchased in almost any self-respecting supermarket. Grilled octopus made at home - what could be better for a nautical-style party or for a gourmet dinner of an honest company at a picnic or in the country?
Why grill?
Ordering octopuses at a restaurant with delivery might be too expensive. Of course, no one is against paying for well-cooked seafood, but from time to time, say, it can be undercooked and “rubbery." This is why it is useful to know how to do it yourself at home. Well, are you ready to start cooking grilled octopus? Then let's start!
Grilled octopus: the easiest recipe
This light-fried octopus is an ideal appetizer with a glass of chilled white wine. Great for summer. This is how you can cook medium or large seafood. But this time, take a few small ones. We are talking about an already prepared product, usually frozen (unless you went on vacation to the European Riviera).
Step-by-step instruction
- Therefore, the first step in cooking an octopus on the grill will be defrosting it (well, you will also need to clean it then from unnecessary and rinse it).
- Then we take a pot of suitable size, put the prepared octopus there, fill it completely with water and bring to a boil (but do not boil for a long time). Immediately remove the product and cool to room temperature.
- Then it is flavored with olive oil, lemon juice, salt, peppers, dried oregano, fresh parsley and garlic (optional and to taste).
- Well, that’s all - you can "charge" on the coals. The grilled octopus is cooked quite quickly (a few minutes on each side, and see that it does not burn). Then it will be very tender and soft.
- After the grill, you can use a mixture of your favorite spices, sauces, vegetables to garnish (by the way, you can also bake them in the same way). You will definitely impress your guests by offering grilled octopuses at your next party! And this product will satisfy the taste buds of even the most fastidious gourmet.
How to cook an octopus on the grill. Recipe number 2
This time we use a fresh medium-sized octopus. Especially for those who really don't like to cook frozen seafood. First of all, we cut the head and remove the beak, it is located between all the legs, inside.
- Now you need to boil for about half an hour. We take out of the pan and cool.
- While our octopus is “resting” at room temperature, sprinkle olive oil over it and add a little chopped garlic to get a seasoning for the grill.
- Next, cut its tentacles and bake over medium heat (the coals should burn out so that an open flame does not appear) for a couple of minutes on each side. Add some more seasonings (a mixture of ground peppers with salt, for example) and serve the dish on the table.
Useful Tips for Beginners
- If you cook for a whole crowd in nature, we recommend taking at the rate of 250-300 grams of seafood per person.
- If you like an octopus and are curious to make a dish yourself, you should definitely try it with various seafood sauces, perfect for a holiday in a "marine" style.
- Vegetables baked in a similar way are well suited.
- The smoky aroma of charcoal and grill is what gives the product a unique flavor. You can also use the gas grill if you want. Cooking time is minimal, but the technique really enhances the taste, creating crispy external crusts, while preserving the internal volume and relish.
- Although it is traditionally believed that it is easiest to cook a whole octopus, and then cut it into pieces before serving, you can cut it in front of the grill, if you want. And who likes a lot of lemon with seafood, you can serve a dish with additional lemon slices and juice.
Another recipe - No. 3
And how to cook grilled octopus? We will need the following ingredients: a kilo of peeled octopus, a glass of white (possibly dry) wine, a couple of lemons, plus additional lemon slices for a side dish, 2 garlic cloves, peeled, a mixture of peppers, olive oil - from half a glass.
- In a large pan, place the octopus, coupled with wine and lemon, cut in half, garlic and pepper. Cover with a centimeter of water and bring to a boil over low heat.
- Reduce the heat to a low boil and cook the seafood until it becomes tender when you pierce it with a sharp knife (usually the process lasts up to 45 minutes).
- Drain and let the octopus cool to room temperature.
- Then you need a grill full of charcoal. When all the coal has burned and is covered with gray ash, evenly distribute it over the coal grate.
- Alternatively, if you have gas, set the gas grill burners to a high temperature.
- Put the cooking rack in place, cover the grill and let it warm up. Clean and grease the grate.
- Take an octopus flavored with oil, season the carcass or tentacles with salt and a mixture of peppers. Place it on the grill and fry for several minutes on each side.
- Cut the tentacles, put on a dish and lightly sprinkle with olive oil, lemon juice, seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve the dish immediately after cooking, having cooled to room temperature and built a side dish with lemon wedges, if necessary. Bon appetit to all!