Preparing the pulpo – how to make it particularly tender!
Preparing pulpo is not as difficult as you might think. All you need is a large pan and a sharp knife. You can’t go wrong with my step-by-step instructions – in this pulpo recipe, I’ll show you how to prepare it perfectly and cook it gently so that it’s tender as butter.
Prepare pulpo to perfection – guaranteed to be tender
Pulpo, also known as octopus, belongs to the squid family and, along with calamari, is a popular delicacy from the sea. Prepared correctly, it is tender as butter and takes spices and roasted flavors particularly well.
In the Levant, octopus is prepared in a rather minimalist way: grilled over charcoal and served with olive oil, lemon and za’atar – often as part of a colorful mezze.
Grilled pulpo is an integral part of the Mediterranean diet. This is not really a diet, but a healthy way of eating with lots of fresh ingredients. You can find out more about this in the article Mediterranean diet.
Of course, you need a nice octopus to prepare pulpo. I used a frozen one that I defrosted overnight in the fridge.
And this is how you prepare the octopus gently so that it is nice and tender:
- Wash the pulpo and remove the eyes, innards and beak.
- Dip the pulpo in hot water a few times and then cook in hot water until tender.
- Cut the pulpo apart and use the pulpo arms, for example, to make a deliciously aromatic pulpo salad.
My tip: Make sure you do the knife test. Similar to potatoes, for example, pierce the thickest part of the squid with a sharp knife – if the knife goes in and out easily, the pulpo is ready. If not, it needs a few more minutes.
With these instructions for the perfect preparation of pulpo, you can get started right away and conjure up that Mediterranean flair on your plate. If you liked the pulpo recipe, I would be delighted if you would rate it and write me a comment telling me how you prepared the squid.
Have fun with the preparation and, of course, bon appétit.
Recipe for preparing pulpo
Equipment
- 1 very large pot
Ingredients
- 1 Pulpo (octopus) approx. 2 kg
Zubereitung
- Lay the pulpo straight and cut out the eyes with a wedge cut.
- Turn the head (mantle) of the pulpo inside out and remove the innards, if they are still present.
- The mouth, which looks like a hole, is located directly in the middle between the arms. In the mouth you will find the so-called beak (which looks like a stinger). You have to carefully push this out from the opposite side and remove it.
- With fresh pulpo, you need to knock open the tentacles with a meat mallet or wooden spoon. Don't hit them too hard, they should only be loosened up.This step is not necessary with frozen pulpo, as the texture has changed during freezing.
- Bring the water to the boil in a large pan, add salt and turn the heat to medium. The water should remain hot, but should no longer boil.
- Hold the pulpo by the head, dip it briefly into the hot water for 3 seconds and then take it out again straight away. Repeat this three times and then carefully place the pulpo completely in the water. Now cook the pulpo for around 20-30 minutes per pound. Do the knife test: Insert the knife into the meat. If the knife goes in and out easily, the pulpo is cooked.
- Remove the pulpo from the water and cut off the tentacles. The rest of the pulpo can also be further processed, e.g. pulpo salad.
- Place the tentacles on the hot grill or in a non-stick frying pan for about 2-3 minutes and fry. Charcoal gives the pulpo the best flavors. Season the pulpo with salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
Nährwerte
Your pulpo will be even tastier with these 3 tips
- Fresh or frozen pulpo? I actually recommend frozen pulpo because it saves you a step. With fresh octopus, you have to beat the tentacles gently to make them tender. You don’t have to do this with frozen octopus because the cell structure changes and becomes softer during the freezing process. You can also freeze the octopus yourself and then defrost it slowly in the fridge one day before cooking.
- Flavor the water: In my recipe, the squid is only cooked in salted water. However, you can also flavor the water with bay leaf, onion, garlic, peppercorns, juniper berries, white wine or celery, for example. This makes the pulpo even tastier and you can use the stock for risotto or soup, for example.
- Grill or roast: The pulpo gets great smoky and roasted flavors on the grill. Simply brush it with a little olive oil to help it caramelize and prevent it from sticking to the grill grate. Alternatively, you can sear it briefly in a pan over a high heat. But not too long, otherwise it will become tough. It should only be roasted a little all over to make it even more aromatic.
- It tastes even better with these sauces: if you toss the prepared pulpo briefly in the pan, you can then simply serve it with some Lebanese garlic cream toum and toasted flatbread. The spicy coriander sauce Zhug or the fruity mango sauce Amba also go very well with pulpo.
You can also follow me on Instagram for even more inspiration about Levante cuisine.
