Don't Skip This Important Step When Grilling Octopus

Because it's a little less common in home kitchens, octopus has an unfair reputation as a particularly challenging dish. However, as with smoking a brisket, from the protein spectrum's opposite end, low and slow is still the way to go. Octopus requires a lengthy preparation before it even hits the grill, but that advance work is pretty hands off, as seasoned, simmering water works to tenderize the tentacles. If you can't skip the saltwater mollusk at restaurants (where octopus might still appear less frequently than something like squid), it's worth learning how to make it at home. So we reeled in hospitality professional Ryan Ratino, executive chef of Hive Hospitality, to share a few exclusive tips for top octo-achievement.

"I think it's important to cook octopus as a braise before grilling," Ratino says, "this will tenderize the meat." Tenderize is the operative word here, as "chewiness" is the chief complaint about less successful octopus. To beat the rap, you might need to run it through that hot water bath for more than an hour, depending on its size. Smaller selections, of course, will be ready sooner; your fish counter personnel should be able to advise. Tiny or mighty, it's only ready for a turn on the grill after this crucial step. Plenty of recipes will swap the water with stock, wine, or another liquid, depending on the desired effect.

Properly cleaned octopus does not require any elaborate butchery on your part, once you get it home. "Leave the suction cups and the "skin" on the back of the tentacle," Ryan Ratino says. "This keeps the octopus from drying out." We'll bite, as Ratino serves an abundance of seafood at his restaurants Jônt and Bresca in Washington, D.C., Ômo by Jônt in Winter Park, Florida, and Maass in Fort Lauderdale. Plus, the less work, the better. And when properly, lightly charred, those cups pack a tremendous texture punch. You just don't want to overdo it in that regard, either.

"If you slow braise first on the grill you are just looking for some char," Ratino says. "I would also cook from cold in order to ensure some char without overcooking." So, while that simmer is clutch, you want to chill the octopus before firing for the best result. Although octopus has its place in all manner of recipes, super-simple and elaborate alike, we like it less adorned. The light flavors of the braise and the kiss of flames from the grill should be enough to amplify its signature near-sweetness with a whisper of smoke.