Greek Grilled Octopus (Htapodi sti Skara)
Authentic Greek grilled octopus with tender, char-grilled tentacles dressed in olive oil, red wine vinegar, and lemon. Chef Niko's method from Kos: freeze, simmer, then finish on a scorching grill.
Ingredients
For the Octopus
- 1 whole octopus 1-1.5 kg / 2-3 lbs, cleaned
- 1 bay leaf
- 6 black peppercorns
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar for poaching
- water to cover
For the Dressing
- 3 tablespoons Greek extra virgin olive oil plus more for brushing grill
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 lemon cut into wedges
- flaky sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- dried Greek oregano for finishing
- fresh flat-leaf parsley roughly chopped, optional
Instructions
- If using fresh octopus, freeze overnight. Thaw completely before cooking.
- Place octopus in a large pot and cover with cold water. Add bay leaf, peppercorns, and 3 tbsp red wine vinegar. Do not add salt. Bring to a gentle boil, reduce to a low simmer.
- Simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a knife slides easily into the thickest tentacle with little resistance and the octopus sags when lifted.
- Remove from the pot and rest on a rack for 20-30 minutes. Pat dry.
- Heat grill (or cast-iron grill pan) to the highest heat possible. Brush grates lightly with oil. Brush octopus with olive oil.
- Grill 2-3 minutes per side until charred and crisped at the edges. Rest for 2 minutes, then cut tentacles at the joints.
- Arrange on a plate. Dress immediately with olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, pepper, dried oregano, and parsley. Serve with lemon wedges.
Notes
Most octopus sold at fishmongers and Asian grocery stores has already been frozen at sea, which is to your advantage - the tenderizing work is largely done. If not, freeze overnight before cooking. Don't salt the poaching water - salt toughens the skin. The red wine vinegar in the poaching liquid helps tenderize and subtly colours the surface.
Nutrition
Calories: 220kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 10g | Sodium: 480mg