How to cook octopus? You’ve asked yourselves that many times, right? Sometimes it’s tough, sometimes rubbery, sometimes overcooked and falls apart. Well yes, I love boiled octopus, octopus salads and sauces for pasta or rice made with octopus, so I investigated, studied and experimented a lot and now I can say I’m really satisfied with what I’ve learned over time. I also thank my fishmonger who gave me tips to help since I had failed several times.
I will reveal more than one cooking method and how to choose a good octopus — things I until recently ignored.
Let’s go right after the photo, as always, to discover how to cook octopus, but first check below the other recipes to prepare it simply and deliciously 😉
See you soon with the next recipe, Ana Amalia!
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Rest time: 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Cooking time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4People
- Cooking methods: Boiling
- Cuisine: Italian
- Energy 95.00 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 2.97 (g) of which sugars 2.57 (g)
- Proteins 17.08 (g)
- Fat 1.64 (g) of which saturated 0.68 (g)of which unsaturated 0.97 (g)
- Fibers 0.39 (g)
- Sodium 0.39 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 100 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
How to cook octopus — what you need
- 2.6 lb octopus
- 1 lemon
- 2 leaves bay leaves
How to cook Octopus
Before seeing how to cook octopus we must know how to choose the octopus itself.
Better two octopuses of about 1.1–1.3 lb than a single octopus of about 2.2 lb, not only for cooking times but also for flavor and texture.
The octopus should have an intense color and firm flesh; two rows of suckers indicate a male octopus with more prized meat, two asymmetric rows indicate a female, while small octopuses (moscardini) have only one row of suckers.
Cork stoppers: yes or no? Well myth busted: corks were used to tie octopuses with ropes and cook them together in large pots usually in southern Italian ports, so seeing the corks floating on the surface you could grab the cork and pull it up instead of scalding your hands searching for the octopuses in the water.
Always test by piercing the octopus at the base of the head where the tentacles are thickest with a fork; if it goes in easily it will be perfectly cooked. If there is resistance, extend the cooking by 5 minutes while checking with the fork to avoid overcooking.
The octopus must be cooked in plenty of water with the addition of a few bay leaves and a lemon cut into slices.
After cleaning the octopus, grab it by the head and dip it 3 times into the boiling water up to half the length of the tentacles so that the tentacles curl.
Guaranteed visual effect that dispels the belief that this makes the octopus more tender.
Then lower the octopus or octopuses into the boiling water and as soon as it comes back to a boil reduce the heat to the lowest setting.
The octopus should just simmer; otherwise the skin may come off and the thick parts near the head will remain tough.
To cook one or two octopuses of about 1.1–1.3 lb let the octopus boil for 10 minutes, then turn off the heat and cover with the lid until it cools down.
The octopus will continue to cook and will be very tender and flavorful with meat and skin intact.
For an octopus of about 2.2 lb or more you should simmer it on very low heat for 20 minutes, turn off and let it cool and finish cooking in its cooking water.
To cook the octopus in a pressure cooker, simply place the octopus in the pot, add the bay leaves and lemon slices, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and no water.
Turn on the heat and from the moment it starts to whistle count 7–8 minutes for a about 1.3 lb octopus or 15 minutes for an octopus of about 2.2 lb.
Turn off and let the pot release its pressure; the octopus continues to cook after the heat is off thanks to the retained heat and pressure.
Open the pot and let the liquid inside cool down before removing the octopus.
Tips on how to cook octopus
Whatever cooking method you choose, the octopus should be cooked on very low heat and left to cool in its cooking water.
To check doneness, pierce at the base of the head into the thickest part with the tines of a fork; if it penetrates without resistance the octopus is perfectly cooked.
Storage
Boiled octopus can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 2 days.
Other recipes
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