Should octopus be cooked twice?
When I see any recipe for octopus, it's almost always boiled first. Harold McGee says to chuck it in the oven (dry)
The point is, when ever any one fries/BBQ's octopus, they always fry/BBQ cooked octopus.
My question is about why does it have to be this way? My research potentially suggests one of 2 things, but I'm unsure.
- By boiling/oven first, you get a more even cook
- Frying only would make it chewy
In my case, I don't (think) I want to cook the entire octopus, but instead, semi defrost it (until I can chop the arms off (so it would remain mostly frozen)), remove the arms, refreeze and cook the arms as and when needed
If I were to cook an arm only by frying, is there any danger here or do people cook it twice (when frying) for taste/texture?
Best Answer
Actually, Harold McGee supports brine-and-simmer as an alternative to baking, and explains the texture-related goal behind both: octopus contains a lot of connective tissue, and both that and the muscle need to be softened.
I've read elsewhere (can't remember the source right now) that octopus muscle fibres contract and drive out their water at unusually low temperatures, such that the ideal cooking temperature is 55C. You're going to want long cooking times at those temperatures, so we're talking either sous vide or deep-fat frying in a temperature-regulated fryer.
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Can you reheat octopus?
You can safely reheat seafood for up to 4 days after it has been cooked. Seafood dishes with garlic or onions can taste even better the second time around. The only challenge to reheating seafood is that it can dry out or get a fishy smell.Does octopus get more tender the longer you cook it?
Cook until octopus is tender enough that you can pierce the thick part of a tentacle with a paring knife with little resistance, about 1 hour; keep in mind that this time is a rough estimate, and the octopus may be done sooner or it may take longer, but it will get there. Let octopus cool in the cooking water.How do you heat up already cooked octopus?
In the microwave: take the octopus out of the vacuum bag, slice it and put it on a plate, then heat it for 2 or 3 minutes on high power. All you have to do is season and serve! In a bain-marie: boil the vacuum pouch for 5 minutes. After cooking, after taking it out of the vacuum pouch, slice it, season and serve!Signature Dish: Twice Cooked Octopus at La Bandera
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