Yes, you can grill octopus without boiling it. Octopus is almost on every seafood lover’s list. It is not something you can only order at a restaurant. You can cook it at home as well. Whenever I want to serve an exotic dish to my guests, I always go for an octopus.

Moreover, Cooking an octopus does not require much hassle once you get the hang of it. My friends are always in awe whenever I serve them grilled octopus. There are always a bunch of questions regarding the recipe for grilled octopus.

In most cases, you need to boil the octopus for it to be tender. Only after boiling can you ultimately grill or sear the octopus.

Grill Octopus Without Boiling

To begin with, you should refrain from throwing the raw octopus into the grill directly. Octopus flesh is initially rubbery. To get rid of the rubbery flesh, you need to boil it for a certain amount of time.

An octopus has to be boiled until its tender before grilling. So, for those asking, “can you grill octopus without boiling?” the answer is a big No! Unless you like rubbery, burned, and shriveled tentacles.

For those who want to grill octopus at home but need help figuring out where to start, I am here to help you out. Follow the instructions given below to grill octopus at home.

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Ingredients

1. Octopus (1kg)
2. Salt
3. Olive oil (120ml)
4. Lemon
5. Garlic
6. Bay leaves
7. Oregano leaves(1 teaspoon)

Preparing the Octopus

When you buy an octopus, put in mind that the octopus will reduce in size while cooking. So, if you plan to serve the octopus as a main course, get a bigger size. One way to tenderize the octopus is to freeze it overnight.

Most often, you will find a frozen octopus in the supermarket. One of the cons of frozen octopus meat is it will tenderize when you thaw it. Make sure to defrost the meat and thaw it in the fridge for 24 hours. 

Clean the Octopus

Wash it in cold water, and ensure that all the grit is gone. Grab a sharp knife to cut the head. Be careful while cutting the octopus. Raw tentacles are very slippery, so make sure your hand is steady.

After that, remove the beak along with the eyes and separate the tentacles. If you want, you can also cut it after cooking. It is easier to cut the octopus that way. 

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Tenderize before Cooking

There are other methods to help tenderize the meat aside from freezing. Most sushi chefs massage the tentacles for 20 minutes with salt. You only need to do this laborious work if you are a sushi chef. You can also try beating the octopus with the meat tenderizer.

Boil the Octopus

Add salt and herbs like coriander seeds, bay leaves, and garlic cloves in hot water. Then dip the octopus in the boiling water. Do it several times so that the tentacles curl up. Boil it with a lid on. Pierce the flesh with a fork to check whether the meat is ready.

It would be best to boil the octopus till it is tender to get great results. Boiling the octopus takes a considerable amount of time. The meat is rubbery because it is packed with cross-linked collagen.

Thus you need to simmer it for 1 hour. You can also use a pressure cooker. In that case, it will take up to 15-20 minutes. Cooking for a long time will make the meat mushy. On the other hand, cooking too little will make the meat tough.  

Marinate the Octopus

After boiling; you should cool down the octopus in its cooking liquid. It is necessary to do that because the skin becomes very fragile after boiling. Even if you handle it gently, the skin might come off. Chilling the meat will help set the skin.

It depends on the individual’s choice of whether they want to keep the skin. Some may prefer the meat without the skin.

Cooling the octopus will help drain and dry excess liquid on its surface. It will only slow down the crisping and browning process if there is any liquid residue. You can use a towel to pat dry the meat. Also, letting the meat air dry for a few hours in the fridge can help.

When the meat has cooled down, you can start marinating. Marinate with olive oil, parsley, garlic, lemon zest, bay leaves, and coriander seeds. Put the marinated meat in a container and store it in the refrigerator. 

Grilling the Octopus

Preheat the grill for 5 minutes. After that, oil the grilling grate. Lightly season with salt and drizzle olive oil all over the tentacles. Place the octopus on the grill for a few minutes on each side. Grill the tentacles until both sides have started to roast.

Grilling time will depend on the temperature of your coals. When the grilling is done, transfer them to a serving plate. You can have it as a whole or cut them into smaller pieces.

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Journey

You can eat your octopus raw, sauteed, grilled, or fried. It is up to you how you cook and like your octopus.

Cooked octopus from the supermarket is already boiled. Thus, you do not need to boil it again. Only by buying cooked octopus from the supermarket can you grill octopus without boiling it.