How to Sous Vide Octopus?

Place the octopus in a sous vide bag. Add 2 cups of water to the bag, seal it and cook at a low temperature (145 degrees) for about 4 hours.

In this method, the food is cooked sous vide using water immersion.

The idea is that the heat can be maintained at a precise temperature without needing a stove or oven. Food can be cooked in a bath of hot water for hours.

Remove octopus from bag and serve with lemon and olive oil.

How to Cook Octopus Sous Vide?

Steps To Cook Sous Vide Recipe

• Blanch the octopus quickly in boiling water to allow the legs to curl up. Then chill in an ice water bath.
• Season the octopus with salt and olive oil.
• Vacuum seal to remove as much air as possible using a vacuum sealer.
• Cook for 5 hours.
• Remove from sous vide and chill in an ice water bath.
• Dry very well with paper towels. (For best results, let sit  in the fridge overnight to dry out even further).
• Sear on high heat over a grill or in a skillet.

See Also: How to Reheat Prime Rib Sous Vide?

Ingredients

• 1 pound octopus tentacles
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced Nicoise olives
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley

What temperature to cook at and for how long?

Cook at 171°F (77°C) for 5 hours. At this temperature, the octopus becomes very tender and soft. The temperature to cook octopus is 110 degrees Fahrenheit

Tender Sous Vide Octopus with Lemon Butter Sauce

Sous Vide Octopus is the easiest and fail-proof method to cook the perfect octopus – tender and flavorful, with a beautiful char on the outside!

Cooking octopus in the sous vide water bath at 171ºF (77ºC) for 5 hours, and then quickly grilling or searing at the end produces the best octopus EVERY TIME!

It may seem daunting to cook octopus at home due to their very tough tissues. They can easily become chewy and rubbery as they sit in the pot.

But with sous vide method, this seafood is actually quite easy and requires nothing more than time.

Sous vide turns octopus into beautiful and tender curls, and then you can finish up by grilling or searing them to a nice charred exterior with a crispy texture.

Making homemade sous vide octopus is much cheaper than going to a restaurant, and it’s much better as it’s evenly cooked to the precise temperature edge to edge.

So tender and buttery soft. Serve it as an appetizer or main, a perfect dish for the grilling season!

How to prepare octopus

Use both fresh or frozen octopus for this recipe. I used medium-sized fresh octopus, but you can use baby or large ones.

If buying fresh octopus, make sure that it doesn’t have any fishy smell. Wash and clean the octopus, and remove the ink sac and internal organs.

Pull away the beak. For larger octopuses, you can cut them into smaller portions so that they can fit into bags easily.

If your octopus is frozen, it’s most likely that it’s already pre-cleaned. You don’t need to thaw it before sous vide cooking.

See Also: How Many Steaks Can You Sous Vide at Once?

Ways to serve sous vide octopus

• Can serve it cold by cutting it into pieces and add to salad or ceviche.
• Serve it as a tapas-style appetizer.
• Add the cooked octopus over pasta or rice, and pair with green vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and asparagus.

Best Sous Vide Octopus Temperatures and Times

• Slow Cook: 170ºF for 4 to 8 Hours (76.7ºC)
• Fast Cook: 180ºF for 2 to 4 Hours (82.2ºC)

Frequently Asked Questions

How to Freeze a Sous Vide Octopus

To freeze a sous vide octopus, place it in a freezer overnight. It is important to wrap it in foil first.

How to Steam a Sous Vide Octopus

To steam a sous vide octopus, first make sure to soak the octopus in salt water for 24 hours. Then, place the octopus in a sous vide bag with a couple of cups of water. Put the bag in a steamer or stock pot, and cook it for 2-3 hours at 180 degrees.

How to De-Skewer a Sous Vide Octopus

Here’s how to de-skewer a sous vide octopus. First, put your sous vide in a pot with a lid. Next, fill the pot with water and set it on a stove or heat source.

Turn the heat on high and let the water come to a boil. Once the water starts boiling, turn off the heat. Then, place your sous vide into the boiling water for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, remove the sous vide from the pot and place it in an ice bath. When the sous vide is cool, you can remove the tentacles and

How do I sous vide an octopus?

Sous vide octopuses are usually served as appetizers or starters.

How long do I cook octopuses?

You can cook them for as long as you want. They can be cooked for as little as 30         minutes or as long as 24 hours.

What’s the best way to store octopus?

The best way to store octopuses is in the refrigerator. 

What do I do if the octopus gets stuck in the bag?

When the octopus gets stuck in the bag, you will need to cut the bag open and then try to pull the octopus out.