Name: Greek Grilled Octopus
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 85 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 500 g Octopus, cleaned; 1 Bay Laurel Leaf; 6 Black Peppercorns; 3 tbsp Olive Oil, divided; 2 tbsp Lemon Juice, fresh; 1 tsp Dried Oregano; 1 clove Garlic, grated; 2 tbsp Parsley, chopped; to taste Salt; to taste Black Peppercorns, freshly crushed; as needed Water, for simmering

1 hr 25 mintotal

1 hr 15 min hands-on10 min hands-off

Prep 15 min · Cook 1 hr

Serves: 2
Difficulty: Hard
Spice: Mild

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Method

Place the octopus in a pot with bay leaf, peppercorns, and enough water to cover.
Simmer gently until the octopus is tender when pierced with a knife.
Drain and rest for 10 minutes, then cut into serving-size pieces.
10 min
Mix olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, garlic, salt, and black pepper in a bowl.
Coat the octopus pieces with part of this mixture.
Grill or sear on a hot grill pan until the edges are lightly charred.
Drizzle the remaining lemon-oregano oil over the octopus and finish with chopped parsley.

How to tell it's done

The octopus should be tender inside, lightly charred outside, and not rubbery.

Getting it right

Tip

Tenderize the octopus first by simmering gently, then grill quickly for char; this gives the best texture.

What to serve it with

Serve with lemon wedges, salad, olives, and bread.

Common mistakes

The octopus is rubbery.: Simmer it gently until tender before grilling, then sear quickly just for charred edges.

Substitutions

Use pre-cooked Octopus if available, reducing the simmering time and focusing on grilling.
Use a grill pan on the stovetop if an outdoor grill is unavailable.
Do not rush the simmering step; grilling alone will not make octopus tender.

Storing and reheating

Refrigerate cooked octopus for up to 2 days. Reheat briefly in a pan or serve chilled in salad; freezing after grilling is not recommended.

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Ingredients