Best way to cook octopus?

[JRH]

Whenever I have caught and cooked an octupus it has always been rubbery. I have tried slicing it thin and quickly shallow frying it like squid, but it was rubbery. I have tried doing it long and slow and it was rubbery. A Mouri woman in New Zealand once showed me how to beat it into a bubbly lather in rocks as soon as it was captured, to tenderise it, guess what, it was rubbery.

How is it done?

 

[Marwan]

i have seen on a show that they boil it for a bit so that it doesnt become rubbery..i havent tried it though

 

[ashtheflash]

Try vinegar overnight, then boil a bit, then grill or fry. Mmmmmmmm:vangry

 

[Bill McIntyre]

It comes out nice and tender using this recipe.
______________________________________
CRETE STYLE OCTOPUS STEW WITH FENNEL AND GREEN OLIVES

3 pounds octopus
1/2 cup olive oil
10 to 12 green onions, thinly sliced into rounds
1 clove garlic, minced
1 large bulb fennel, halved and thinly sliced
1 cup dry white wine
freshly ground black pepper
2/3 cup cracked Mediterranean green olives, rinsed and pitted

1. Cut away head of octopus with sharp knife. Squeeze out mouthpiece and discard. Place octopus in medium-sized stewing or soup pot. Cover and cook over lowest possible heat until octopus turns bright-pink and softens, 30 tp 40 minutes. Octopus should exude enough liquid to keep from drying out, but add salted water to pot if necessary to keep octopus from burning.

2. Remove octopus with juices, discard juices, and set aside a few minutes to cool slightly. Heat olive oil in same pot and add green onions and fennel, stirring a few minutes until translucent.

3. Meanwhile, cut tentacles into 2-to-3 inch pieces and cut octopus center into similarly sized chunks. Add garlic to pot, then octopus.

4. Pour in wine and season to taste with pepper. Cover and simmer over very low heat for one hour, adding wine or more water if necessary. Octopus is done when very tender. Add olives last 5 minutes of cooking. Season to taste with salt. Serve over polenta.

 

[Bill McIntyre]

The above recipe is one of my own and I've done it many times. Here are a couple that I haven't tried, but they look promising.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/05/dining/051mrex.html?scp=2&sq=octopus&st=nyt

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/05/dining/05curious.html?scp=1&sq=octopus&st=nyt

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/05/dining/05mini.html?scp=3&sq=octopus&st=nyt

 

[ashtheflash]

Man, I'm already drooling!!!!!:thankyou

 

[octopus]

Whenever I have caught and cooked an octopus it has always been rubbery.

Put it in the freezer overnight.

 

[Pablo]

on a picture

(on the freezer overnight, as any spanish will tell you)

 

[island_sands]

I heard the Spanish beat the octopus as soon as it's caught, to tenderise it. I used to eat a lot of Pulpo Gallego when I lived in Spain and apparently that's how they managed to make it so tender.

 

[Pablo]

that is the hard work old fashion way, now a good freeze does the same job. Slow freeze works better than a fast one (bigger intracellular water crystals)

 

[spaghetti]

Beat it or freeze, the timing of the cooking has its importance. If you boil it, and I'm talking of an average size adult "pulpo", the correct timing is 35 minutes in boiling water.
here's the full process for "Polpo alla Luciano", the most poulare and most simple mediterranean recipe for octopus.
Pop off the eyes and interiors, then put the Octopus in a casserole, cover it completely with cold water, add a pick of salt, light the fire.
When the water starts boiling, take 35 minutes (35 minutes from the moment in which the water starts boiling). When time is done, pick up the octopus, cut it in pieces (no need to skin it, but many people do) and then dress it: olive oil, a little vinegar (white vinegar or balsamic, NO red vinegar), abundant lemon juice, minced garlic, minced parsley, a very little salt and much pepper. That's it.
We eat it as an entry or as a side dish, never hot, preferably cold or slightly warm.

 

[Oldsarge]

Man, I just got to catch me an octopus!

 

[Craig Baumann]

Best way to cook octopus is not to. They are extremely intelligent creatures with the mentality, roughly of a dog. We had one at an aquarium I worked for, that slipped out of its tank at night, oozed across the floor to eat rockfish in and other tank, only to be found back in its own tank in the morning with the cover back on top of it.

Think about it. This thread might as well be called.... "Best way to cook your friend's dog!"

 

[Pastor]

I'd be happy to eat my friends dog, the damn thing keeps crapping in my garden!

 

[island_sands]

RecipeSource: Stewed Dog (wedding style)

here's a recipe mate!

 

[Pastor]

Tell you what, back in my old town if you suggested serving that the bride would run a mile rofl

So what do you call a scouser in a white shell suit?

The bride! (or was it the dog rofl)

 

[Marwan]

dont they eat dog is some asian countries? probably one of those local exotic habits, like the frogs in france..or alligator in florida? or camel in some arab nations..
whats the famous saying "tastes just like chicken"

 

[island_sands]

yep! in China they eat dog a lot, in particular the Chow.

The Chow Chow, the Chinese Lion Dog

 

[sanso]

yep! in China they eat dog a lot ...

There's even a Danish movie titled thus. "[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]I kina spiser de hunde[/FONT]" ("In China they eat dogs") - But I don't think that describes the actual plot. :t
To get back on topic at least a bit: Did You know that in German, seals are called "sea dogs"?

 

[island_sands]

Did You know that in German, seals are called "sea dogs"?

ooh sea dog,salty sea dog arrrrr! (see my sig rofl )