beemer
Well-Known Member
Cook it like a running shoe and it probably will taste like one! People have been eating octopus around the world for thousands of years. It's all in the prep.
beemer
octopus
- Thread starter trophywife
- Start date
Cook it like a running shoe and it probably will taste like one! People have been eating octopus around the world for thousands of years. It's all in the prep.
beemer
Bassblaster
Active Member
Agreed there Beemer.
My kid is a chef and he says the biggest problem with octopus and squid is that almost everyone cooks the hell out of it. A couple minutes after the meat turns completely white and its done, just like white-meated fish. All you need to do is bring the internal temp on the meat to 160 degrees for safety and after that you're pretty much over cooking it.
My kid is a chef and he says the biggest problem with octopus and squid is that almost everyone cooks the hell out of it. A couple minutes after the meat turns completely white and its done, just like white-meated fish. All you need to do is bring the internal temp on the meat to 160 degrees for safety and after that you're pretty much over cooking it.
pescador
Well-Known Member
Here's a couple of other tips. Firstly, octupus will shrink dramatically when cooked. Probably loses half its size. Another recommendation is to cook it in a pressure cooker as opposed to boiling it in a large pot. Times differ, but, 10-15 minutes can do most smaller octupus. Once its cooked, remember to clean it. That is, you pull off the skin, tenacles etc before you cut it up into chewable size pieces. You'll be left with clean white meat. Then put it into a bowl and cut up in small pieces of onions, red and green peppers, tomatoes, olive oil, vingar and lots of fresh squeezed lemons and then salt and pepper. Its call Pulpo al la Pipi Rana. Great is fresh salads...
MILLERTIME
Member
Whenever I catch one I cut a tentacle off and throw it back, it grows it back in no time.
Favorite recipe ; sauté in butter and garlic with squid prawns scallops and Hali cubes.
As already mentioned not overcooking is most important.
Slow cook over super low heat until butter and garlic caramelize and gives everything that golden brown color.
Served with rice fresh asparagus and lemon juice.
Thing of beauty.
Favorite recipe ; sauté in butter and garlic with squid prawns scallops and Hali cubes.
As already mentioned not overcooking is most important.
Slow cook over super low heat until butter and garlic caramelize and gives everything that golden brown color.
Served with rice fresh asparagus and lemon juice.
Thing of beauty.
I made a decent CAlamari by breaeding strips of it in a 50/50 mix of coconut flour and garlic powder. Roll them in whipped egg, into the breading, into the egg and breading again. Worked out alright.
Rob H
Active Member
A friend of mine used to get the odd octopus while diving years ago. He would de-skin the tentacles then cut into small pieces. He would then put the pieces through a meat grinder he had then mix the ground octo with fish "shake and bake" (don't know proportions). He would then make patties and pan fry them in butter. The patties were tasty and not chewey as the meat was pre-ground.
...Rob
...Rob
I have some japanese friends that love Tako (octupus). I will tell you the secret right now to making it nice and tender. Marinade in whiskey - satori times preferred.
Other marinades work too as long as there is some acid ie. lemon juice or vinegar or wine
I really enjoy tako and it seems a waste to use the edible portions for bait. I like the idea of just taking an arm and letting it grow back.
Other marinades work too as long as there is some acid ie. lemon juice or vinegar or wine
I really enjoy tako and it seems a waste to use the edible portions for bait. I like the idea of just taking an arm and letting it grow back.
trophywife
Crew Member
Don't take the wrong arm, could end the little guys sex life!!
Lucky Tiger
Member
I tried cooking the octopus but aside from Japanese bubble gum we ended up using it for bait. It was deadly on lingcod thats right cooked octopus go figure. Raw skinned octopus is the best bait for halibut.
Dave H
Well-Known Member
As a 17 year old during the winter of 1962-63 I "fished" octopus to make spending money just south of Campbell River. I was taught how by a local commercial fisherman who took me out and showed me what to look for and how to handle one when spotted. Back then one could buy a C Commercial license for $2.00 at the local DFO office so that's what I did.
I caught quite a few that year and once made $28.00 in three hours, which was awesome for a kid in 1962.
I sold all I caught to Tulloch-Western, who had a fish buying barge moored in Campbell River back then.
Biggest one I caught was about 10' across and weighed 52 lbs. cleaned. I made extra money on that one as I'd met a guy who had just bought a local garage and had never seen an octopus who asked me to bring one for him to see when I could. As fate would have it that 10'er was the one and the guy took several pictures of it, including one with the octopus spread across the hood of his car, which still had Saskatchewan plates on it as they were new arrivals. He gave me a five dollar bill for bringing it around and I got $5.20 when I sold it. We got 10 cents a pound for cleaned octopus back then although if you could find a commercial halibut boat about to head out you could sell direct and get double that.
I recall that around that same era, early '60's, a diver caught two huge octopus one day not far from Prince Rupert.
One weighed 400 lbs and the other 600 if my memory is correct. It was 32 feet across and the diver caught them by swimming in and under the octopus wherein the air bubbling from his regulator filled up the octopus somewhat like an umbrella. It came to the surface and the diver's tender gaffed it and whacked it. The diver went back for the other and basically did the same thing.
I remember hearing about it at the time and then hearing about it again on a CBC Radio repeat around 1989 or so when I was living in Sandspit. I was driving to work one morning and they played an interview between Dr. Murray Newman (I think) curator of the Vancouver Aquarium, and the diver who caught the two giants. Can't recall his name but it was Scottish-like as I recall and I remember thinking the guy had more guts than Dick Tracy to do what he did. Then I thought it through and realized how clever the diver actually had been to do what he did, knowing that octopus aren't aggressive by nature and that to one he, in his wetsuit and tanks, probably felt like a log or something.
Anyway, I had fun wrestling a few of them when I tried fishing them from an 8' punt one day. Every movement of my 14' pike-pole with a gaff on it acted like an oar so it was real tricky trying to stay on top of my quarry whilst getting positioned to gaff it. Then, once I'd gaffed one and pulled it off the bottom I had to deal with getting it in to the punt and the box I carried to hold them. Most times I ended up poling ashore and wrestling it off by hand and then sticking it in the box after dispatching it.
Scared the heck out of a couple of girls I convinced to come out with me at different times too. LOL
Apparently having tentacles wrapped around your leg can be upsetting to some members of the fairer sex.
Good eating and great bait for halibut.
Take care.
I caught quite a few that year and once made $28.00 in three hours, which was awesome for a kid in 1962.
I sold all I caught to Tulloch-Western, who had a fish buying barge moored in Campbell River back then.
Biggest one I caught was about 10' across and weighed 52 lbs. cleaned. I made extra money on that one as I'd met a guy who had just bought a local garage and had never seen an octopus who asked me to bring one for him to see when I could. As fate would have it that 10'er was the one and the guy took several pictures of it, including one with the octopus spread across the hood of his car, which still had Saskatchewan plates on it as they were new arrivals. He gave me a five dollar bill for bringing it around and I got $5.20 when I sold it. We got 10 cents a pound for cleaned octopus back then although if you could find a commercial halibut boat about to head out you could sell direct and get double that.
I recall that around that same era, early '60's, a diver caught two huge octopus one day not far from Prince Rupert.
One weighed 400 lbs and the other 600 if my memory is correct. It was 32 feet across and the diver caught them by swimming in and under the octopus wherein the air bubbling from his regulator filled up the octopus somewhat like an umbrella. It came to the surface and the diver's tender gaffed it and whacked it. The diver went back for the other and basically did the same thing.
I remember hearing about it at the time and then hearing about it again on a CBC Radio repeat around 1989 or so when I was living in Sandspit. I was driving to work one morning and they played an interview between Dr. Murray Newman (I think) curator of the Vancouver Aquarium, and the diver who caught the two giants. Can't recall his name but it was Scottish-like as I recall and I remember thinking the guy had more guts than Dick Tracy to do what he did. Then I thought it through and realized how clever the diver actually had been to do what he did, knowing that octopus aren't aggressive by nature and that to one he, in his wetsuit and tanks, probably felt like a log or something.
Anyway, I had fun wrestling a few of them when I tried fishing them from an 8' punt one day. Every movement of my 14' pike-pole with a gaff on it acted like an oar so it was real tricky trying to stay on top of my quarry whilst getting positioned to gaff it. Then, once I'd gaffed one and pulled it off the bottom I had to deal with getting it in to the punt and the box I carried to hold them. Most times I ended up poling ashore and wrestling it off by hand and then sticking it in the box after dispatching it.
Scared the heck out of a couple of girls I convinced to come out with me at different times too. LOL
Apparently having tentacles wrapped around your leg can be upsetting to some members of the fairer sex.
Good eating and great bait for halibut.
Take care.
Gunsmith
Well-Known Member
I would say Dave you would have some interesting stories to share. I have heard similar stories about this and am still curious as to how you handle them. I think that if too many people get past the looks and have properly prepared octopus they might end up as threatened.
A friend of mine who is in his 70's used to catch them when he was a diver and he said he grabbed them around the mantle and tipped them upside down they had no fight, I still don't think I can grab them. I sure would like to have one for food someday.
A friend of mine who is in his 70's used to catch them when he was a diver and he said he grabbed them around the mantle and tipped them upside down they had no fight, I still don't think I can grab them. I sure would like to have one for food someday.
Copper Moon
Well-Known Member
It was Murray Newman. He lived down the street from me in Norgate Park in the fifties. Neat guy he used to ID all the creatures we would bring home.
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Cuba Libre
Well-Known Member
Hey Dave-- thanks for stimulating some well buried memory cells!!! Many years ago, before my wetsuit shrank, I used to dive. (How long ago??? Well, I had to train on a double hose regulator as well as a new fangled single hose reg!) I got interested in octopus after seeing a couple of devilfish while diving around Hornby Is. Not knowing what they would do-- I left them alone. I learned more about them later from Portugese Joe in Comox. He would gaff them under the large rocks in Seal Bay when he found a pile of crab shells near a hole under a boulder.
About 25 years ago, I was diving for abalone on the west coast of the Charlottes opposite Queen Charlotte City. I noticed a strange looking rock, that when I got closer I realized it was an octopus, about 20lbs. I sank down to it and gave it the eye for a couple of minutes-- comfortable in its camo pattern, it didnt move. Thats when I made my move! I grabbed it by the mantle and did a quick surfacing !! When I grabbed the critter all hell broke loose.... tentacles everywhere-- pulled my mask off and had a firm grip on my reg hose when I broke surface... My dive tender took one look and yelled "YOU ARE NOT BRINGING THAT THING IN MY BOAT" Thats when I threw it into the boat and clambered in after it. Its amazing how quick they can move when they are heading back to the water!! A few wacks and it didnt go anywhere but into the frying pan!!! Mantle is definitely the best, but pounded tentacles are pretty good too.
I was pretty proud of my adventure until I ran into one of the early BC dive gurus-- Jim Willoughby. I told him all about my 'pus and then got firmly set back on my heels when he got furious !!! "Didn't I know that the octopus is possibly the smartest invertebrate in the ocean???? (well--No I didnt at that time) Turns out he had several pets that he took divers to see...... I walked away with my tail between my legs.......
About 25 years ago, I was diving for abalone on the west coast of the Charlottes opposite Queen Charlotte City. I noticed a strange looking rock, that when I got closer I realized it was an octopus, about 20lbs. I sank down to it and gave it the eye for a couple of minutes-- comfortable in its camo pattern, it didnt move. Thats when I made my move! I grabbed it by the mantle and did a quick surfacing !! When I grabbed the critter all hell broke loose.... tentacles everywhere-- pulled my mask off and had a firm grip on my reg hose when I broke surface... My dive tender took one look and yelled "YOU ARE NOT BRINGING THAT THING IN MY BOAT" Thats when I threw it into the boat and clambered in after it. Its amazing how quick they can move when they are heading back to the water!! A few wacks and it didnt go anywhere but into the frying pan!!! Mantle is definitely the best, but pounded tentacles are pretty good too.
I was pretty proud of my adventure until I ran into one of the early BC dive gurus-- Jim Willoughby. I told him all about my 'pus and then got firmly set back on my heels when he got furious !!! "Didn't I know that the octopus is possibly the smartest invertebrate in the ocean???? (well--No I didnt at that time) Turns out he had several pets that he took divers to see...... I walked away with my tail between my legs.......
Gunsmith
Well-Known Member
Ha Ha good one! My friend is Gary Snider, he did dive a lot around Vancouver and the island. I do believe they are definitely aware of what is going on because I have caught them in my prawn traps and when I was releasing them they seemed to get the idea and did not put up a fight and the only one I was going to kill had this figured out and beat it thru the small gap in the trap!
Just a note. NOT a good idea to bolt for the surface if using scuba. Lungs don't expand if you hold your breath as you get less pressure the closer you get to the top. I'm sure Cuba Libre new what he was doing but just for those that don't know. NEVER HOLD your breath on scuba.
And yes i have ascended 70 feet but slow and blowing air out all the way up. Kind of weird not to run out air as it keeps expanding as you come up. When the Octopus takes your mask off panic can set in quick. Be careful. Love the story CL.
And yes i have ascended 70 feet but slow and blowing air out all the way up. Kind of weird not to run out air as it keeps expanding as you come up. When the Octopus takes your mask off panic can set in quick. Be careful. Love the story CL.
I commercial dove for 20yrs and harvesting octi was a great way to make a few extra bucks,about a dollar a pound in the 80's, my first expereince with these critters is one i won't soon forget ,the other guys i was with at the time were all versed onthis and of course being the new guy i was to proud at the time to ask for advice ,all i new is they were worth money ,the first one i see is about 30lbs out in the open ,i,am harvesting cucumbers ,i've got a mesh bag to put them in ,so i crab this octi and start making my way to the surface ,one problem he's got a couple of legs on a rock holding me down then he begins to intertwine his legs through the cuc bag and around my arms pinning them to my chest and then up to the mask and then pulling on my reg,iam shitting myself i can't grab my knife or try and pull the legs off,so i hit the inflator valve and hope the presue will pull him off,sure as **** it works i'am sure i had somebody looking over my shoulder that day,i dump air out as i hit the surface the dive boat comes alongside there laughing there bags off ,the human prezzel it was very very soon after i learned the proper technique ,you stab them between the eyes ,not even a week later iam off saltspring island diving for swimming scallops and i come across this huge den 2 ft of shells piled up and 3 large box crab shells as well, i go back up and let the other divers know and the most expereinced guy says he will give me hand with him,get back to the spot and i bleach him out and this thing keeps coming and coming its fricken massive12ft plus arms,ive seen and caught 100 lbers and this one was still the biggest ive ever seen,this thing finally comes out and hes pissed bright red and ready to roll i look back for buddy and hes bailed on me mr expereinced ,so its me and him and considering my last try he was left in peace,in hit the surface buddy says that was the biggest octi he's ever seen and there was know way in hell he was tangling with that,i killed thousands of them to support the commercial fishery in the day and now its come full circle as a guide arguing over the right to fish.
Cuba Libre
Well-Known Member
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