OCTOPUS help!

[-DEADLY SUSHI-]

I have a fresh, whole octopus. How should I cook it? I want to make it now so a quick reply would be the best. Thanks!

[JDP]

I didn't know Lake Michigan had Octopus. I haven't worked with whole octopus but if they are anything like squid you would cut off the tenticles where they join the body. Then you would make a slice up the body and scrape the insides out with your chef knife held at an angle careful not to cut into the flesh. Then cut the body into slices. Now you could bread the pieces and deep fry like calamari depending on the size of the the octopus. You could probably even do a quick stirfry kind of thing with soy, sesame seed oil, crushed red chili and vegeis.

Just a thought,

JDP

[-DEADLY SUSHI-]

Oh boy. I JUST bought it.... and it stinks like fish.
Not VERY stong.... but enough. I threw it in a pot of boiling water a now my place smells like fish.
Is this octopus still edible?

[JDP]

Good seafood should not have a strong a oder. Eat it at your own risk.

I'll stand by to call 911

JDP

[-DEADLY SUSHI-]

Oh boy. Im tossing it.

[Candocook]

I watched Greek fishermen throwing their octopus down on the quay to tenderize it.
It is cooked either VERY quickly as in frying. or a long slow braise. It shouldn't stink. But if you wash it off and it doesn't smell bad it should be fine.

[boufa06]

Originally Posted by -DEADLY SUSHI-

Oh boy. Im tossing it.

I hope I'm not too late to stop you from throwing the expensive octopus away. First you need to clean the octopus by taking out its eyes and mouth then wash it well. Put it in a pot without any water first to boil it. Add water and continue cooking until tender. It's normal for octopus to give off a strong flavour, so what you are smelling is not from rotting. Put your cooker hood on if you cannot take the smell. Once cool, cut into pieces and marinate with EVOO, vinegar and pepper. Yum!

[Ayrton]

I adore octopus, but of all the sea creatures I've learned to clean, octopus isn't one of them! I have a husband and son to do that for me. After all, those two are the ones that catch them spear-fishing (and terrorize me with them thereafter ... see the foreign lady running screaming down the beach?)

Yep, beaten on a rock to tenderize, then hung out to dry a bit. Remember to wipe down the line before you hang your delicates, though.

Don't recall a nasty smell. Fishy, perhaps, sea-ish for sure. But nasty? Do you maybe just not like the smell of fresh seafood?

[Michelemarie]

Sushi, where did you get a whole octopus around here?

And whatever possessed you you to do such a thing?

[BreezyCooking]

I can't believe you just threw it out!!! Did you do any websearches aside from this site before doing so? Here are 2 sites I found that might have helped you, but there were many more as well.

Anytime I purchase a food item that I'm unfamiliar with, I ALWAYS do a thorough search thru my cookbooks & the internet, otherwise, it's just money & a new food experience thrown away.

And if you were seriously concerned that it was spoiled, you should have returned it to the market & gotten a refund. That's what helps to keep fish markets honest.

Octopus Demystified: The Splendid Table

Cooking with Octopus