Easy Baked Mediterranean Octopus Recipe
This easy, foolproof recipe for tender baked octopus in the oven is the Greek way to cook a whole octopus. Also works with just the tentacles.
Servings: 4
Calories: 289kcal
Ingredients
- 2.5 – 3 pounds (1,1 – 1,4 kg) octopus, fresh (or thawed if frozen)
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Pinch of ground black pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- 5 all spice kernels
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- 1 whole garlic clove, with the skin (optional)
- Some extra olive oil and balsamic vinegar for serving
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 320°F (160°C)
- Clean the octopus (unless it's already cleaned): Using a sharp knife make two cuts below and above the eyes in order to remove them. Then, make a cut through the sac, and remove all the internal organs by pulling them with your fingers. Cut the flesh around the beak and remove it (in many cases you can also press the beak with your finger and it will pop out).Tenderize the octopus by beating with a kitchen hammer (if the octopus was frozen you don't need to that).Finally, wash the octopus under running cold water.
- Wrap with foil: Make a cross with two sheets of foil, about 1.5-2 feet each. Place a piece of baking paper on the center of the cross and place the octopus on top of it. Pour the olive oil and balsamic over the octopus, add the rest of the ingredients and wrap firmly with the foil.
- Bake: Place on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour 30 minutes. Unwrap and check to see if the octopus is fork tender. If it seems a little tough, bake for 30 more minutes.
- Unwrap, take the octopus out of the foil and cut into pieces. Drizzle with olive oil and some balsamic vinegar and serve.
Notes
- Octopus contains a lot of water, so it will shrink a lot during cooking. That's why you'll see a lot of liquid inside the foil once it's baked. Discard this liquid or use it as a broth to flavor seafood dishes and risotti. It will infuse them with a rich, briny taste. Reduce the salt in the recipes accordingly, since this octopus broth is salty.
- The secret for tender octopus: beat it with a kitchen hammer in order to "break" the hard tissue and make its flesh tender. This way it won't be chewy after cooking. Alternatively, store it in the freezer for 10-15 days. The freezer will have the same effect as the beating.
- If you buy frozen octopus, thaw it overnight in the fridge and cook it the next day.
Nutrition
Calories: 289kcal
