Grilled Octopus

[Trencher man]

I'd like to grill some octopus, but it's a pain to get a hold of. I noticed that Goya has canned octopus in olive oil and I was wondering if that would work? Has anybody tried this and, if so, what were the results like?

[MrsCris]

I love grilled octopus too, but as rcallner says, there's a lot of work involved to get the octopus to the point where you grill it. The Goya brand is quite nice, but just as c oliver says, the pieces are quite small so you'd need to thread them on a thin metal skewer to get the grilled effect. Even so, many of the pieces are just too small.
I have taken the Goya brand and thrown the whole tin into a saucepan and broiled it to get some of that smokey flavour. It works and is darn tasty, but it's not quite the same effect as chunks on the grill.

[Phurstluv]

Or use a mesh grill pan. Then you can throw the whole drained can in it and grill away.

[c oliver]

Shut up :) After seeing those in the WS catalog, I've lusted after but have resisted. Bad you.

[Phurstluv]

Oh, c, you must get one. They are AWESOME!!! Don't get the one with the hinged lid, not necessary, and it actually broke and I returned it for credit.

But the larger sized roasting pan is great - we use it all summer to grill all kinds of things that are too much of a pain to "skewer" anymore. And, we bought W-S skewers for the grill and wouldn't you know it, the plastic on the ends "melted" from the heat of our weber. So they ended up being expensive AND useless in the end!! You would LOVE one of those baskets, get your gourmet son to get you one for Christmas, you will be grateful!! You can thank me later LOL!!! ;)))

[c oliver]

Gourmet daughter, but yeah, definitely needs to be on the wish list. Maybe one for her also. The other one likes food but is backpacking and rock climbing for six weeks so you get that picture :)

[Phurstluv]

Nice, yes, she would def. appreciate it as well, if she grills often. Put that one on the list, friend!!

[rcallner]

Goya canned octopus is very nice fried in olive oil with paprika, parsley, and garlic, so I don't see why you can't grill it. Raw octopus needs to be seriously subdued to overcome its tire-rubber toughness, so the canned gives you a leg up on the process (or 8). I'd brush it with olive oil, have fresh lemon to squeeze over, and probably some Spanish style toasted bread on that same grill, rubbed quickly with a sliced garlic clove, fresh tomato, and a sprinkling over toast and octopus with a good finishing salt. Yum.

[c oliver]

I just looked at a photo of a tin of it. It's tentacles sliced crosswise. Seems like you'd have to put on skewers in order to grill. ?