The other day, while perusing the seafood section of my local grocery store, I stumbled upon a pack of frozen small octopus. Curiosity immediately kicked in, and before I knew it, I was unpacking octopus at home from my grocery bag. In the next few days, I researched the mollusk’s culinary properties, and it became pretty clear that I was playing with a fickle beast. Cook at too hot a temperature for just a tad too long, and you end up with a chewy bit of unpleasantness. It seemed like the primary ways people cook octopus is through simmering for a few hours or roasting with low heat for a long period of time. However, since I had errands to run, and I didn’t want to be stuck in place for the duration of the cook time using those methods, I decided to try the crockpot. Luckily, this was successful, as the low heat and long cook time delivered a nice texture to the octopus. I was able to cut them with a fork, and the “devour” step didn’t give me a jaw workout!
We served these over white rice with a side of Avocado Fries. However, they would also pair very well with Edamame Kimchi Dumplings, Sesame Noodles, or Spicy Sesame Broccoli.
Time: 3 Hours
Ingredients:
- Small Octopus (We used 3 from a frozen pack, so they were already cleaned)
- Rice Vinegar
- Spicy Sesame Oil
- Soy Sauce
Method:
- Defrost your octopui (or clean your fresh ones…Consult Youtube for the method for that)
- Rinse and pat your octopi dry with a paper towel.
- Toss your octopi in a bowl with a little rice vinegar, spicy sesame oil, and soy sauce. Let sit for about 15-20 minutes.
- Lay your octopi in your crockpot/slow cooker, and then pour the rest of your marinade overtop.
- Cover, and cook on low for about 2.5 hours.
- When they have shrunken greatly and become a rich deep purple colour, you’re ready to eat!
- Plate, Devour, and Enjoy!
