Well prepared octopus meat can be extremely tender and tasteful. Prepared incorrectly, it is tough and bland at best. The perceived difficulty of tenderizing octopus has caused many home cooks to shy away from this unusual seafood. There are a number anecdotal instructions for tenderizing octopus, ranging from beating it on rocks to cooking it in a copper pot. In reality, tenderizing and cooking octopus is not nearly so onerous or complicated as you may perceive. Add this to my Recipe Box.
Place the octopus meat in your freezer. The cold will cause some of the fibrous tissue to break down and make for a more tender result. Do not leave the octopus in the freezer for too long, as the desirable gelatinous tissue will start to break down as well. Ideally, you should leave the octopus in the freezer for at least eight hours but less than a full day.
Boil the octopus in a large pot of water for 30 seconds. Do not boil it any longer than that, as it will destroy the flavor.
Preheat your oven to 200 degrees.
Place the octopus in a dry, covered baking pan.
Allow the octopus to cook in the oven for four to five hours. As it cooks, its natural juices will be released and start to simmer. The slow cooking time will make for tender meat, and simmering the octopus in its natural juices will enhance the flavor.
Check on the octopus meat occasionally, using a fork to evaluate how tender it is. Once the meat is tender, remove it from the oven. Do not allow it to overcook, as this will cause the meat to be dry and tough.
Proceed with the desired recipe or flavoring. It is worth noting that the tenderizing and cooking processes for octopus are almost synonymous, so there should be little else for you to do after removing the meat from the oven.
Tips
- It is possible to grill octopus, provided that the heat is high enough to crisp the outside while leaving the interior tender and moist. This method of tenderizing and cooking is unconventional.
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