Does the location of where an octopus was imported from determine the flavor/quality of the meat?
I recently bought frozen octopus that was caught and imported from Portugal because the local stores were sold out of the octopus from Spain. There was also a package of octopus imported from Vietnam but the seafood department employee said that wasn't as good. Does anyone know if there is a difference in taste or quality of the octopus meat depending on where it was caught? If so, how extreme is the difference and would the difference be apparent to the person eating it?
Best Answer
actually seafood's country origin does make a very relevant difference. Why? ocean floor type, water tempearture, tradewinds, upwelling and feed availability. Best octopus comes from Spain and Portugal (actually portuguese octopus is the best) Viet, China, Indonesia or Mexican octopus live in hot water. Portuguese coast has a very mild water temp, from 10 C to 20 C and a lot of sun exposure that triggers phytoplankton blooms. I could expand on this as I am a professional fisherman. Now, any country can import any seafood from anywhere and then label it as "theirs" so one must know which species are native to a certain location. Sustainability is also very imnportant and both Portugal and Spain are EU members where sustainability is a very serious matter.
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Where do the best octopus come from?
The best octopus comes from Portugal but octopus from Spain and Greece are also good. Size doesn't matter but cooking time will vary by size and variety; it is important for it to be tender.Where does Spanish octopus come from?
OCTOPUS, ALSO KNOWN AS PULPO, IS A CEPHALOPOD harvested and highly-prized among many fishing communities worldwide. Fished from the white sands off the Canary Islands, the warmer waters here yield a naturally smaller and sweeter-tasting species than those found in Asian waters.What kind of octopus do we eat?
There are three edible species of octopus, but the common octopus, Octopus Vulgaris is the most commonly availble and the best eating. It can grow to 300 cm or nine feet long. On the fishmonger's slab, look for the double row of suckers.Is octopus a delicacy?
From the Mediterranean to the Sea of Japan, octopuses are considered a culinary delicacy, and demand is growing.Grilled Spanish Octopus – Bruno Albouze
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Answer 2
Usually spanish and portuguese octopus is "Octopus vulgaris" and vietnamese octopus is "Eledone"
And yes, there are gastronomical differences. Eledone is smaller, with less muscle and tougher.
By the way, 80% of fresh octopus sold in Spain and Portugal (Octopus vulgaris) come from Morocco and Mauritania
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