Checking for octopus freshness?!
Checking for octopus freshness?
I bought an octopus and when cleaning it I found "foam" under the skin. Is this a sign of the octopus going bad?
The smell test is not an option for me as I am not really good at that.
Answers:
I can't really help you, if you skinned it while it was still raw. I clean an octopus by putting it in a bowl of salt. (Not used for seasoning. Salt allows you to grip the oct since they are slippery and slimy. Rub it down to remove the slime, and then rinse in water.) Now put it in a pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down, cover the pot, and simmer for about 5 minutes. Cut about 25% to 33% of the tentacles off at the tip end (they're venomous). Cut the mantle open, and remove the innards. Cut the beak off, and you've got a clean octopus.
I've never noticed any foam using this method. So I can't help you. Sorry.
Wash it, rub it with salt, to tenderize it beat it with a rolling pin cover with a tea towel, in Greece they beat them on the sidewalk along the sea next to the fishing boats, and I have seen places use an old washer set on spin to beat them for a few minutes.
Depending how your cooking it to finish cooking, a blanching in boiling water, if your grilling it, let it cool, then marinate it in olive oil, garlic, oregano and lemon juice for 2-3 hours, then BBQ it for 10-15 minutes. It will curl, but watch it does not get to dark
It is the same rule for octopus as for calamari, you either cook it short and fast or long and slow, I love the stewed octopus with lima beans in a tomatos sauce I had on Mikonos, with a bottle of Retsina, just let me die in the bowl???
if it straddled your face it's fresh, if not I can't help