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What is the cooking time for octopus?
Do you know how to cook octopus perfectly? Neither overcooked nor undercooked. Get perfect results!
In this post, we'll discuss the ideal cooking time for octopus, taking into account its weight and the type of pot.
It's not the same to cook a fresh or frozen octopus, just as it's not the same if it only weighs a kilo or more.
If you don't know how long to boil octopus, we'll help you achieve the perfect cooking point.
How to cook an octopus
Before knowing how to cook an octopus we must know if the octopus is fresh or frozen.
If it's frozen octopus, let it thaw overnight in the bottom of the refrigerator for optimal results.
From then on, it's the same process, since the cooking time for frozen octopus is the same as for fresh octopus.
First, wash and rinse the octopus thoroughly to remove any debris. You can use a colander. Then, bring a pot of salted water to a boil.
The first step is to "scare the octopus." When the water is boiling, dip it in and out of the pot, repeating the process three times. It should be submerged in the water for about three seconds.
Then, we begin cooking it by leaving it in the pot, and the cooking time for a 1 kg octopus is approximately 20 minutes in a traditional pot.
If you want to save yourself all this process, we recommend our cooked octopus tentacles which are very flavorful and ready to serve.
How long does it take to cook an octopus?
Normally, the cooking time for one kilo of octopus is usually 20 minutes in a traditional pot with previously boiled water.
Since it's not an exact science, here's another example: the cooking time for a 3kg octopus is approximately 40 minutes.
These cooking times refer to a normal pot and an octopus that we have previously “scared”.
This reference is useful if we are looking for the cooking time of Galician-style octopus , for example.
Below, we'll guide you through cooking times in a pressure cooker and a quick cooker.
How long should octopus be cooked in a pressure cooker?
The cooking time for octopus in a pressure cooker is 8 minutes for a small octopus of 1 kg.
Another example to make things clearer: the cooking time for a 3kg octopus in a pressure cooker would be approximately 14 minutes.
Even if you're boiling the octopus in a pressure cooker, you'll need to "scare" it beforehand to make it much more tender.
How long should octopus be cooked in a pressure cooker?
Cooking this mollusk in a pressure cooker takes 8 minutes for an octopus of approximately 1 kilogram.
For your convenience, the cooking time for a 3kg octopus in a pressure cooker is 12-13 minutes.
Cooking times are the same in both a pressure cooker and a slow cooker, and in this case, you should also fry the octopus beforehand if you want a good result.
How do I know if the octopus is cooked properly?
Octopus is a very flavorful seafood and the star of any recipe it's used in. But you have to get the cooking time right if you really want to enjoy it.
It doesn't work the same as other seafood dishes like shrimp or prawns, which are simpler to prepare.
Our recommendation is to scare the octopus, and then cook it for 20 minutes per kilo.
And here comes the next important question: how do you know if the octopus is cooked?
The best way to determine if octopus is cooked properly is by using the fork or toothpick test.
Once you've cooked the octopus for the recommended time, insert a fork into the thickest part of the octopus. If the fork slides in and out easily, the octopus is ready.
Another way to check if we have cooked the octopus correctly is to make a cut in it.
We cut a piece of octopus and check if the inside is fully cooked. If it still seems rubbery or raw in the center, we need to cook it a little longer.
It's also important to keep in mind that octopus can continue to cook even after removing it from the heat. Therefore, we recommend removing it from the boiling water and immersing it in cold water to stop it from cooking.
