How can you tenderize an octopus before cooking?

Question

I have overheard that freezing an octopus can help in tenderizing it prior to cooking. Is there any truth to this, and how does it work?

Answer 1

You guys are the best Food/Cooking content at the moment hands down!

Answer 2

I’m reading a lot of professional cooking contents lately. I have never seen something like that before. Now that would be the dish I’d never hesitate to spend my money on. I hope I’ll visit London and also have that experience in person. Brilliant!

Answer 3

Thank you so much for showing the home steaming method! I was able to buy frozen octopus but I did not steam it and it was horrible. Yes, I had heard that freezing it was the best method but they left out the steaming trick! You dang Chefs always got a special trick dontcha?

I want that method served over hand-stirred polenta with lots and lots of butter!

Answer 4

I love octopus. And while them being tender is the best, I honestly I also like them when they are on the opposite end of tenderness

Comments

same

Answer 5

Once I am in London I need to visit you guys. You have become my favourite Food content creator, and especially thanks for all these in-depth explanations. Awesome work.

Answer 6

As a Galician, I'd swap the garlic sauce for good quality potatoes and simple seasoning as they amplify the delicate flavour to the utmost degree :) Polbo á Feira, though admittedly simple (sliced octopus over Galician cachelo potatoes boiled in the same water, served on a wooden platter and drizzled with olive oil, paprika and coarse salt), is a must-try if visiting Galicia, where it's cooked in large copper cauldrons, and best enjoyed while attending the weekly markets (fairs) it's named after: a national treasure.

Answer 7

My favourite Portuguese dish is polvo a lagareiro. Different to the dish you showed which is also spectacular. Polvo a lagareiro is super simple to make, plenty of recipes online and the result is magnificent.

Answer 8

I’d like the record to show - I had sorta weird feelings about eating octopus for this reason, but then you made this comment about pigs and it genuinely opened my mind up more to the idea. Cheers.

Answer 9

I love how you guys share techniques and experience and create actually really amazing content (even production-wise), when you are running multiple great restaurants at the same time. For example, just this amazing tip with octopus terrine pizza... I can see many local small bistro's trying this. So cool :)

Answer 10

Thanks! I got two large spanish ones in the freezer, so testing this weekend!

Answer 11

Love reading about these guys work.

Answer 12

Definitely gonna try that terrine. Thanks!

Answer 13

most satisfying method looked like the last dish... i could eat that every day lol

Answer 14

The best I've ever seen. Thank you for sharing

Answer 15

I developed a taste for octopus when living outside of Naples and also in S Korea for several years, thank you for some great ideas for preparing a tasty snack!

Answer 16

GREAT content! In Hawaii where I live, the favorite is boiled and cooled octopus sliced thinly and mixed with chunky cucumber, and kim chee paste. Tako Kim Chee, Cheap and delicious!

Answer 17

Thank you! Love octopus and I have been looking for a way to prepare it and can't wait to try these techniques! Cheers!

Answer 18

Love it, best i've had was in Cyprus. Didn't know it could be this easy.

Answer 19

Would love a Morel guide since its in season and im foraging as many as i can lol

Answer 20

Octopus carpaccio pizza is pretty gangster. Keep up the good work lads