Grilled Octopus (Χταπόδι Ψητό)

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Total time: 1 hour 25 minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Country of Origin

Greece

Description

A Greek seaside favorite: whole octopus braised low and slow in its own juices until tender, then charred rapidly over hot coals and dressed simple with olive oil, oregano, and red wine vinegar.

Presentation & How It's Eaten

Sliced diagonally into bite-sized tentacle pieces on a wooden board or platter, drizzled with olive oil and vinegar, and sprinkled with sea salt and oregano. Eaten as a classic meze alongside Ouzo.

Ingredients

• 1.2 kg (2.6 lbs) whole octopus (cleaned)

• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar

• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 1 tbsp dried Greek oregano

• 1 bay leaf

• Sea salt and cracked black pepper

• Lemon wedges for serving

Step-by-Step Directions

1. Braise Octopus: Place cleaned octopus and bay leaf in a dry pot over low heat (no added water needed). Cover tightly and simmer gently for 50–60 minutes in its own rendering juices until tender when pierced with a knife.

2. Cool & Separate: Remove octopus from liquid and let cool. Slice tentacles away from head.

3. High-Heat Char: Preheat a grill or cast-iron grill pan to ultra-high heat. Brush tentacles with olive oil.

4. Grill: Grill tentacles for 3–4 minutes per side until skin develops a dark, smoky char.

5. Dress & Serve: Cut tentacles into pieces, toss immediately with olive oil, red wine vinegar, Greek oregano, and sea salt. Serve warm.

Cooking Tips

• No Added Water: Octopus releases a substantial amount of natural liquid during slow simmering; cooking it in its own juices yields maximum flavor.

Nutrition Facts

(Estimated per serving)

• Calories: ~260 kcal

• Total Fat: 14g

• Saturated Fat: 2g

• Cholesterol: 140mg

• Sodium: ~680mg

• Total Carbohydrates: 4g

• Dietary Fiber: 0.5g

• Sugars: 0g

• Protein: 28g