Grilled Octopus – how to cook octopus and importantly how to cook octopus so it is tender seems to be cloaked in mystery – but it’s easier than you think..
Grilled Octopus, baked octopus, octopus stew, however you want to cook it; I always start the same; with a slow braise to tenderise the octopus then cool it and from there you can pretty much do what you want with it!
If you want to watch how I braise my octopus – or read up on how to do that check out this post which also includes another video recipe to show the slow braise and cleaning the octopus (preparing octopus).
This grilled octopus recipe is all about creating a wonderful charred, smoky, crispy exterior doused in the holy trinity of Hellenic cooking; garlic, lemons and olive oil enveloping a soft meaty interior.
Damn I love octopus!
Throughout Cyprus and the Greek islands octopus is served in a multitude of ways it is a ubiquitous aquatic creature featured on most Greek tables at one time or another. The methods of cooking octopus range from stews to mezedes to fine dining pieces of food-art. But my favourite is grilled octopus.. and you’ll see why!
Tenderising an octopus is wrapped in mystery with a hundred different housewife tales on the best way; octopus hanging out to dry on a clothes line or local fisherman throwing an octopus against the rocks (first time I saw that I thought; “man, that guy is seriously angry at that octopus”).
When cooked right octopus is a wonderful ingredient to work with and contrary to most other seafood, buying frozen octopus is preferred as the freezing process helps tenderise the octopus – or at least that’s what my mum says…
Grilled Octopus Recipe
Ingredients:
1 octopus cleaned (about 1.5kg for 4 people – 2 legs each!)
1 bayleaf
Few sprigs fresh parsley
1 lemon halved
2 tbl salt + pinch salt
1 clove garlic
3 tbl extra virgin olive oil
2 tbl red onion finely diced
Pinch dried chilli flakes
Grilled Octopus Method:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a simmer and gently braise the cleaned octopus for about 30 minutes or until it is ‘fork tender’, then remove, drizzle olive oil over the octopus and let cool. You can do this the day before.
- Pan Fry – in a smoking hot frying pan add a little olive oil and place the octopus in it – don’t move it around too much; just turn it over after a couple of minutes to sear the other side then reserve.
- BBQ – (my preferred method) – get the barbecue super hot, oil the grate so the octopus doesn’t stick and grill for a few minutes each side then reserve.
- Cut the octopus to your preference (I like cutting it into 3 inch long pieces at an angle) then make the dressing by combining the crushed garlic, juice of half lemon, pinch salt, chilli flakes, red onion and olive oil together (pop into a jar and give it a good shake) and then pour over the crispy octopus to coat and then transfer to a clean plate to serve.
Garnish with chopped parsley and serve with some toasted pita.
Tip: I have before lightly dusted the octopus in flour to make it really crispy – but unless you are using a lot of oil you can get some patches that haven’t been cooked – so I’d do this for more shallow frying…
Ingredients:
- 1 octopus cleaned (about 1.5kg for 4 people – 2 legs each!)
- 1 bayleaf
- Few sprigs fresh parsley
- 1 lemon halved
- 2 tbl salt + pinch salt
- 1 clove garlic
- 3 tbl extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbl red onion finely diced
- Pinch dried chilli flakes
Grilled Octopus Method:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a simmer and gently braise the cleaned octopus for about 30 minutes or until it is ‘fork tender’, then remove, drizzle olive oil over the octopus and let cool. You can do this the day before.
Pan Fry – in a smoking hot frying pan add a little olive oil and place the octopus in it – don’t move it around too much; just turn it over after a couple of minutes to sear the other side then reserve.
BBQ – (my preferred method) – get the barbecue super hot, oil the grate so the octopus doesn't stick and grill for a few minutes each side then reserve.
- Cut the octopus to your preference (I like cutting it into 3 inch long pieces at an angle) then make the dressing by combining the crushed garlic, juice of half lemon, pinch salt, chilli flakes, red onion and olive oil together (pop into a jar and give it a good shake) and then pour over the crispy octopus to coat and then transfer to a clean plate to serve.
- Garnish with chopped parsley and serve with some toasted pita.
Tip: I have before lightly dusted the octopus in flour to make it really crispy – but unless you are using a lot of oil you can get some patches that haven’t been cooked – so I’d do this for more shallow frying…
My other video on how to prepare and braise the octopus on this post:
I love perfectly grilled octopus. I discovered that my local seafood store carries cooked, flash frozen octopus from Florida. I was told that all I had to do was grill it. I oiled and salted it and grilled it, then put it into a warm salad of perfectly cook baby yukon potatoes and grilled asparagus. Tossed with more OO, lemon juice, smoked paprika, garlic and Aleppo pepper. The flavor was amazing. the octopus could have been more tender. The center of the tentacles was great. The thicker ends were chewier than I would have liked. My question is this.: Should I have simmered it a bit longer after thawing? Should I have grilled it longer? or should I have pounderd the larger parts a little to break them down? Any thoughts would be very helpful! I would love to make your recipe and am still on the hunt for fresh octopus.
I tried this and it was perfect on a 5lb octopus!! all the ingredients you listed and any other …cut off the head obove the eyes and quarter it..remove the black sack and eyes ..the head will be tender enough to eat !!…put in a roasting pan add quarter cup vinegar half cup wine ..Cook for a hour covered 420 degrees …take it out and leave covered …its done ,,,good on the charcoal or cold in olive oil
Sounds perfect! Really pleased you gave it go – I love octopus!