291109 Thu Dec 05 12:33:31 -0800 2002 20 31 Home Cooking 0 1582616 I've seen recipes that say anywhere from 30-40 minutes to 2 hours for the same size mollusk. I have a 2lb thawed octopus. What's the best way to do this? Cut it up first? Just use the tentacles? I plan to saute it with garlic, olive oil, herbs and lemon juice when it's done boiling. Thanks in advance for any info! Thu Dec 05 12:33:31 -0800 2002 0 NightfallPA 1 1582619 I thought it took about an hour, whole. Obviously less if cut up. I would think you could start checking it after 45 minutes with a fork, and remove it as soon as it's tender. For what it's worth, I've always read that you MUST place a cork in the pot when boiling octopus. Not sure of the science behind it, but it's in every recipe I've ever read. Good luck. Thu Dec 05 12:49:16 -0800 2002 1582616 0 Pappy 2 1582671 Not that it's overly technical, but all my websearching could yield was that there is an enzyme in the cork that tenderizes octopus. Another argument for continuing to seal wine with natural cork. Thu Dec 05 17:55:08 -0800 2002 1582619 0 cypressstylepie 3 1582683 Or better, a new marketing scheme for the cork industry. Thu Dec 05 19:59:07 -0800 2002 1582671 0 Caitlin McGrath 3 4333985 that's why i save corks! Sat Jan 17 03:04:23 -0800 2009 1582671 105717 alkapal 1 1582650 A side point: I think a key point to making tender octopus is to let it cool to room temperature SLOWLY (one book suggests 8 hours for an octopus of your size). A Korean friend of mine says the best thing to do is, once the octopus is cooked, remove from heat still in the water, and allow the octopus to come to room temp. along with the water (which, I imagine, will happen even slower than an octopus cooled in the air). She makes the best octopus I've ever eatern. Another pointer is to not let too much cooking liquid evaporate, or the octopus will harden. As far as cooking, I peeked in my Japanse Cooking A Simple Art, which lists a complex method of preparing octopus for cooking (I can write it up if you like). Then he steam/simmers his (2 1/4 - 3 1/2 pound) octopus for 1 1/2 hours. Hope this helps. Thu Dec 05 16:09:50 -0800 2002 1582616 0 adam 2 1582666 I've also heard that freezing the octopus (before cooking) tenderizes it beautifully, somehow. A favorite trick of chefs? Thu Dec 05 17:08:59 -0800 2002 1582650 0 soopling 1 1582679 I seem to recall hearing or reading that octopus, like squid, should be cooked either quickly, or for a long time. Never cooked one, but some day will experiment. Love it Greek style. Thu Dec 05 19:05:17 -0800 2002 1582616 0 Jim H. 1 1582684 I haven't tried this way, but I saw a chef on TV (Italian, I think) cook a large octopus in very little time. She put the whole octopus in a large saucepan, lid on, with NO water, and turned the heat on slow. As the octopus heated up, it released fluid, and as the cooking progressed, it soaked up the fluid again. She made the point that when the octopus has released and reabsorbed all the fluid, it is cooked, and ready for any recipe in which you wish to include it. No bashing or other tenderising needed! This particularly annoyed me at the time, because a day or two previously, I had attempted my first large octopus and gone through the whole routine of long slow boiling, skinning, scalded fingers and all the other temperamental joys that go with it, all for a very ordinary result. Still intend to have another go one of the ways the lady said, but since then I have stuck with baby octopus, blanched, the marinated in balsamic, olive oil and garlic and thrown on the BBQ plate or a cast iron pan. Thoughts? Thu Dec 05 20:02:09 -0800 2002 1582616 0 Phil 2 1582701 This was probably Lidia Bastianich, who has such a recipe. It involves braising with a little olive oil, a fair amount of garlic, a couple of sprigs of parsley and a bay leaf, as well as crushed red pepper. She puts it head side down into a heavy casserole with a cover. Over medium heat, she waits until some of the juices appear and it begins to simmer. Then she covers it and turns the heat very low. It cooks at this heat for 3/4 - 1 hour, with the casserole being shaken occasionally. The test is that a fork put into the thickest part of the beast encounters a bit of resistance but comes out easily. She remarks that the liquid left in the pot should be "syrupy, purple-reddish in color, and flavorful." She recommends serving it with polenta. Fri Dec 06 08:56:24 -0800 2002 1582684 0 Pat Goldberg 1 4332926 I buy the small octopi, bring them home and boil right away for c. 2 hours in salted water. Then I either use them then or freeze so they're ready to use the next time. I reduce the stock and save it for chowders, seafood soups, etc. In the past I've used larger octopi. I split them lengthwise or sometimes quarter them lengthwise before boiling. Then I keep checking them after 2 hours for tenderness. If some pieces get tender sooner, remove them with some of the stock and put aside. It's really easy to do. I'm Japanese and we never used corks! My octopi always come out super tender with an excellent flavor! The reduced stock contains a lot of collagen and will be a pretty purply-pink color. Fri Jan 16 13:42:25 -0800 2009 1582616 236254 paizley 2 4333986 ok, now i'm tossing my corks! Sat Jan 17 03:07:26 -0800 2009 4332926 105717 alkapal 3 4334062 I've only cooked an octopus twice, and used a cork both times, using the method in Molto Italiano, which includes a cork - my husband said it was the most tender octopus he's ever had. My recollection is that you cook it for about an hour, at most. Sat Jan 17 05:26:52 -0800 2009 4333986 10985 MMRuth 4 4334107 ok, i really hadn't gotten around to tossing my corks just yet. ;-). 'cause if mario says it, i'm there!!! i loved molto mario. Sat Jan 17 06:04:54 -0800 2009 4334062 105717 alkapal 4 5127095 hey mmruth! regarding mario batali's recipe of baby octopus with bavete and little tomato sause or condimento (whatever he call), i thought about boiling time of 15 mins of 2 pounds of baby octopus and imagin them to be very tender but what about the taste of baby octopus. even though baby octoupus became very tender, i think the flavour of baby octopus may be lost during the boiling process. so i am a little confused. when i cooked lobster spaghetti, i warmed the half-cooked lobster meats in tomato sauce, suprisingly the flavour of lobster was infused with that of right amount of tomato sauce. is the boiled baby octoups with wine cork is similar case? Sat Oct 24 06:00:04 -0700 2009 4334062 200474 hae young 1 4332974 Three minutes or three hours. Fri Jan 16 13:57:10 -0800 2009 1582616 36661 Sam Fujisaka 2 4334051 In Spain, one would traditionally beat the fresh octopus (the fishermen would beat the octopi against the rocks on the shore or beat the octopi with a rolling pin at home or throw it against the side of the sink) to tenderize the meat. Common practice now involves freezing fresh octopus to tenderize. The next step is to "scare" the octopus by quickly dipping the octopus in boiling water about 3 times and then boil until tender (for 2lbs, I'd check on the octopus atfter 35 -40 minutes to see if it's tender). I fell in love with Galician style octopus in Spain (Pulpo a la Gallega or Pulpo aLa Feria). It is essentially slices of cooked octopus and sliced boiled potatoes sesaoned after cooking with salt, paprika, and olive oil. Sat Jan 17 05:19:21 -0800 2009 4332974 120164 BigSal 3 4746480 Just came back from Barcelona and I must have eat octopus everyday prepared as described in your method. Will be doing it tomorrow! (I brought back real smoke and hot paprika from Ibiza! Fri Jun 05 14:34:41 -0700 2009 4334051 768300 lucdesaulniers 4 4749977 Welcome back and enjoy re-creating the delicious tastes of Spain! Sun Jun 07 07:54:03 -0700 2009 4746480 120164 BigSal 1 4334160 If you want to saute it, why on earth are you boiling it? I've cooked many an octopus, but only a few were froaen instead of fresh aught, but in all cases I tenderized them by pounding them. But I have no idea whether you're using a recipe. On the other hand, if you were, it would specify cooking times. If you'd like more information on how to tenderize, just ask. Sat Jan 17 06:50:06 -0800 2009 1582616 112096 Caroline1 1 4942924 Boil in salted water. Start checking after an hour. You will know when it's tender because you can cut it with a fork! Best way to gauge is to eat a sample. I usually allow 2 hours for baby octopus. If you have some papain (papaya enzyme), it will speed the process. If cooked correctly, it will not be chewy at all. Afterwards, you can use it any recipe. I keep some boiled octopus in the freezer so I have some whenever I need it. My favorite is in salads. Thu Aug 13 08:08:43 -0700 2009 1582616 236254 paizley