How to cook squid for salad: secrets and rules. Rules for storing boiled squid. How long to cook unpeeled squid

How to cook squid correctly

How to properly boil squid for salad? First of all, throw away all those stupid books that teach you to cook squid for 3-5 minutes or more. Such advisers should be brought to justice for false information or intentional sabotage. I am sure that most of the “non-fans” of squid have tried them prepared in these savage ways.

Take cleaned and defrosted squid.

Boil water in a separate saucepan. Add salt, bay leaf, and peppercorns to the water. Drop the squids into boiling water one at a time. Lower one first. Count quickly to ten and remove the squid with a slotted spoon. Wait for the water to boil again and lower the next squid.

Boiled squid:

Some of my friends don’t cook squid for salad at all. They simply pour boiling water over the already cleaned squids again, then drain the water and sprinkle the half-raw carcasses with vinegar.

For those who doubt it, I conducted a small experiment. I took two identical squids and cooked them differently.

This is squid cooked using my method:	And this is a squid that boiled for exactly three minutes:

Is there a noticeable difference? Now imagine what will happen if you boil it longer? A small and wrinkled piece of rubber.

There is one more feature. Squid protein has such a structure that if it is cooked for more than two minutes, it hardens. If more than 30 minutes, it softens again. But with prolonged cooking, the mass decreases by more than half. Whereas squids cooked using my method lose very little weight.

Squid salad with cheese and nuts

Today we are preparing a very simple squid salad with cheese. A few toasted walnuts and sesame seeds will add a festive touch to it.

I read that squid cannot be overcooked. Different sources indicated different cooking times - from 3 to 10 minutes (!!!).

I believed the printed word, at first I cooked it for 10 minutes - rubber squids, I cooked the next batch for 5 minutes - the same thing, I cooked it for three minutes - it’s not a fountain...

So I left this idea. And when I was visiting, I never treated myself to dishes with squid. Many years have passed since then, and once, at a friend’s house, I tried the “Neptune” salad, not suspecting that it contained squid. I really liked the salad, and the look and taste of the squid simply surprised me. A friend told me how she prepares and boils squid.

Everything turned out to be not simple, but very simple. Now I remember my “squid” suffering with a smile. Perhaps my experience will be useful to someone else.

Squids on sale can be either peeled (white and shiny) or unpeeled, not very appetizing in appearance and brown in color. The difference in price between them is insignificant and amounts to approximately $0.2-0.4.

First secret Making delicious squid is simple - the cooking time is calculated not in minutes, but in seconds. And these seconds should be no more than 20-30. The friend quickly counts to thirty and removes the pan of squid from the heat.
Second secret- having cooled the squid in cold water, she cuts them into thin strips and places them in a marinade of soy sauce, lemon juice, ground black pepper, vegetable oil and a clove of garlic crushed with a knife (not chopped) for an hour.

Properly cooked squid turns out very tender and tasty.

After this, squid can be used in any salad. It must be said that after the marinade, the squid is very tasty on its own.

But today, we will still prepare squid salad with cheese.

We will need:

There were nuts and sesame seeds in the muffin tins, but by the time the photo was taken, they had gone to fry in the pan.

Squids 4-5 pcs (small size)
Green onion - 1 small bunch
Hard cheese - 150 g
Mayonnaise - 2-3 tbsp. spoons
Nuts - 1 tbsp. spoon
Sesame - 1-2 teaspoons

Marinade for squid:

Soy sauce - 1 tbsp
Lemon - ½ pc. (or 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar)
Vegetable oil - 1 tbsp. spoon
Garlic - 1 clove
Ground black pepper - to taste

Squid salad with cheese is very easy to prepare. First, boil the squid according to the method described above, cut them into strips and marinate for 1 hour. Then mix with grated cheese, finely chopped onion, nuts and mayonnaise.

Sprinkle the finished salad with toasted sesame seeds.

Bon appetit, I hope you enjoyed this simple and delicious salad.

Squid is a wonderful product with all those magnificent qualities for which seafood is so valued. Healthy, tasty and very easy to prepare if you know some features. It is precisely because of the specifics of processing that these marine inhabitants are not very popular in our region. In terms of beneficial properties, they are in no way inferior to sea fish and lean meat. I suggest you learn everything about squid - how much to cook, how to choose, store, etc.

Choosing the right one

To make your dishes tasty, you first need to know how to choose the best from what is offered in stores.

The most ideal option is freshly caught squid that has not been subjected to any processing. They don't look great on the outside, but they taste great! And it’s difficult to buy such seafood stale – the smell will give it away.

Uncleaned frozen carcasses are a little worse.

When choosing, take a closer look at the color of the pulp under the purple outer film - it can be white, pinkish, but in no case yellow.

If the squids are packaged, then the quality is easy to determine - if there is a lot of “snow” inside, then these sea inhabitants have been frozen more than once.

In stores you can find already peeled frozen squid. It's better not to buy these. Most likely, they were treated with various chemicals to remove the film. And the layer of ice on them is almost always thick (the so-called “glaze”) - we buy water at the price of delicacies. Of course, if there are no other options, then this will do, but it’s better to look in other stores.

Squid tentacles are also available for sale. Usually they also come unprocessed. An excellent product, but it is better to choose larger ones - with small ones there is too much fuss during pre-processing.

Preliminary processing

Before you start cooking, the squid needs to be processed. The essence of the preliminary work can be expressed in two words - defrost and clean. It is clear that if you are incredibly lucky and the product is purchased fresh, then there is no need to defrost it. I don’t even dream of such luck - I live very far from the ocean, so defrosting is an obligatory stage for me.

It is best to defrost at room temperature. You can leave it in the refrigerator overnight. If time is pressing, then place the squid in a sealed bag and put it in warm water. The water temperature should not be higher than 40 degrees!

The next stage is cleaning. If you purchased peeled squid, you can proceed directly to cooking. Otherwise, pour boiling water over the carcasses or tentacles for 30 seconds. We drain the liquid and remove the film with our hands directly under running cold water. If you have tentacles, then we also remove the suction cups.

The tubes have a chord - a transparent plastic or cellophane-like strip. We throw it away too. All that's left is pinkish-white meat.

Cooking

How to cook squid so that its meat is tender and soft. It's all about the boiling time. The secret is simple - do not overcook them in boiling water.

I have met and tried different cooking methods, differing in small nuances. But I will only describe the one that I use myself. I think it’s better to remember one method than several and then get confused.

We immerse the cleaned and washed carcasses or tentacles in already boiling salted water with spices. There should be a lot of water so that when lowered it does not stop boiling. Take it out after 2 minutes! If you wait more than 3 minutes, the squid will become tough. If there are a lot of carcasses, then it is better to cook them in batches of 1-2 pieces.

Cook the squid tentacles.
You can also use kitchen helpers. Personally, I really like cooking in a double boiler (I have a special rack in my multicooker). I pour water, add the prepared sea inhabitants and in 5 minutes everything is ready.

A microwave is also used for boiling, but it is difficult to figure out how many minutes to cook them - both the quantity of products and the technical characteristics of the microwave oven influence. The average recipe looks like this: place the carcasses in a container with a lid, add a little salt, sprinkle with lemon juice and olive oil. Turn on the microwave at full power for 1-1.5 minutes. The result is squid cooked in its own juice.

Squid boiled using this method can already be eaten. Cut into convenient pieces, pour over some tasty sauce and serve. But, of course, it’s better to cook something tasty out of them – a lot.

Is it possible to store boiled squid?

Ideally, boiled fillets, tentacles and rings are used immediately. But storage in the refrigerator for about a day is allowed. Be sure to close it tightly!

As a last resort, you can put the product in the freezer. The taste will deteriorate slightly, but within a couple of months it is a completely suitable product.

How to cook seafood delicacy for salad

Separately, you need to dwell on boiling squid for salad. In principle, any of the methods described above is suitable. But I cook it a little differently for salads. A chef friend suggested this to me.

In all recipes for salads with seafood, the latter must be chopped into cubes, rings, strips, etc. This is what I do, but just before boiling. Place the chopped squid in a colander or metal sieve with a handle and place it in boiling salted water for 20 seconds. Then I take it out, rinse it right under running cold water, and the soft, tender fillet can be added to the salad.

This simple method helps to save a lot of time. Seafood is ready in literally a minute - no need to fish it out of boiling water, wait for it to cool, etc.

Watch the video. Another way to add to your piggy bank:

Why are squid bitter?

Sometimes cooked squid can have a bitter taste. This happens most often with those purchased in ready-made, peeled and frozen form.

There is only one reason - inappropriate storage conditions. Simply put, defrosting and freezing were done several times.

Bitterness may also appear if the carcasses have been cooked for more than 5 minutes. The meat of these individuals contains a substance that, if cooked incorrectly, when combined with water, gives such a taste.

Cooking secrets

At the end, I’ll tell you a few more little tricks that will make the squid always tasty and soft.

If suddenly you did not have time to remove the squids in time during cooking, that is, you overexposed them in boiling water, then do not rush to take them out. Cook for another half hour and only then take it out. Yes, they will greatly decrease in volume, and the taste will not be as rich, but they will not definitely be tough.

What you should never do with squid is defrost it in boiling water. This way the product will not turn out soft, and the inside may also be damp. This rule is also the answer to the question of how to cook unpeeled squid. No way! First we defrost, then we clean and only then we cook.

As you can see, there are no difficulties. A little attention and healthy dishes will turn out perfect!

Extraordinary decapod cephalopods are record holders for the content of vitamins PP and B6. There are even more of these substances in squid than in fish. In addition, their meat contains minerals that promote intensive secretion of gastric juice. And as a result - high-quality digestion of food and uninterrupted functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.

Unconditional benefit

Shellfish meat is a storehouse of proteins: per 100 g of product there are 18 g of protein, which is the basis for the construction of new cells and helps build muscle tissue. That's why this seafood is so loved by gym regulars. The set of vitamins contained in squid is also impressive and varied. They contain almost everything that the human body needs for normal functioning - from iodine and iron to manganese and potassium. The latter is worth mentioning separately. Without this substance, the heart muscle is unable to pump blood efficiently. It is potassium that helps the heart “pump” work clearly and smoothly, like a clock.

Well, as a test shot, an interesting fact: there is practically no fat in squid! Athletes and diet enthusiasts can rejoice, since shellfish meat is one of the few delicacies that can be safely enjoyed even during fasting days.

We choose thoughtfully

The master class on the topic “How to properly cook squid for salad and other dishes” begins with the right choice of seafood. In most domestic supermarkets this delicacy is sold frozen. And it is extremely important to know that the squid carcasses were frozen only once, and not more. There is always a risk of purchasing a product that was incorrectly stored, defrosted, and then frozen again. Therefore, before you go to the checkout with a bag filled with carcasses, carefully inspect the seafood you are going to buy. Focus on four key points.

Form. The squid carcass should be smooth and not crumpled. If the fillet is twisted, this is a clear sign that the product was not stored correctly. Apparently, it was subject to unscheduled defrosting, and then froze again. There can be no other reasons for the distorted shape of squids. And it's not just a matter of aesthetics. Violation of storage rules leads to the fact that seafood becomes slightly bitter and may smell like old fish. If the squid foams in the pan during cooking, it means that its quality really leaves much to be desired.
Density. The shellfish carcass should not fall apart in your hands. And if this happens, then you are holding an old fillet. Fresh squid fillet is dense, pleasant to the touch, glossy, and free of any damage or irregularities.
Color. Fresh sea clam has a brown outer skin with a slight pink tint. Gray with a purple tint is also considered acceptable. The inside of the fillet should be white - no variations.
Availability of skin. Some people prefer to buy squid already cleaned, without the outer skin. Allegedly, at home you won’t have to clean such squids from the film. This is not entirely correct. Firstly, the skin is the only indicator that can point you to a stale product. And secondly, cleaning seafood is a matter of seconds.

The yellowish or white-gray color of the upper skin is evidence of not the first freshness of the seafood.

Cleaning without problems

It is not difficult to clean a sea mollusk from its film. But if you have a frozen product at your disposal, you will need to defrost it first. Under no circumstances use warm, much less hot, water for defrosting. Any, even the most insignificant heat treatment of the fillet will lead to its deterioration. The result will be sad: the squid rings will become rubbery and unyielding for human teeth.

Before cooking...

To defrost, simply place the carcasses in a deep bowl and place them on the bottom tier of the refrigerator. After some time, the product will be completely ready for preparing delicacies. We carry out cleaning in five stages.

We take the defrosted carcass and press it tightly to the cutting board with one hand.
With your second hand, using your fingernail or a small knife, lightly pry up the top skin. Having felt the edge, the rest of the skin can be removed easily, like a stocking.
We clean the wings of the clam in the same way.
We take out the chitinous plate from the inside and the internal organs adjacent to it.
We wash the fillet under cold running water - first from the outside, and then from the inside.

...or after it

You can clean the squid after boiling. The technology for cooking unpeeled shellfish is exactly the same as cooking skinned fillets. But know: you will still have to remove the skin from the top side. This element of squid is not suitable for food. After heat treatment, the carcass must be washed under running water and with a slight movement remove what should not be on it.

Why do squids taste bitter after cooking? If you decide to cook the squid unpeeled, do not forget to remove the chitinous plate and entrails from inside the mollusk. Otherwise, the finished dish will be unpleasantly bitter.

How to cook squid deliciously so that they are soft

How to properly boil squid and is it necessary to add salt during cooking? On the World Wide Web you can find many recommendations that say that you need to cook squid after boiling water for five to eight minutes. This is another myth that has caused thousands of spoiled meals. In fact, you need to cook peeled squid very quickly - less than a minute. After all, even a few extra seconds that the clam spent in boiling water will make its meat tasteless and tough.

In Asian countries, squid is eaten raw, seasoned with various sauces.

10 Seconds…

Peculiarity. Many people think that 10 seconds is negligible. In fact, this time is quite enough for the squid meat to be ready. Understanding the correctness of this method of heat treatment usually comes after several culinary fiascoes with capricious seafood. But the fact remains: long-term “bathing” of squid in boiling water (for three to five minutes) kills all the benefits in the product and makes it rubbery.

Cooking algorithm

Put a tablespoon of salt, a few black peppercorns and a few bay leaves into a pan, fill it with water and put it on the stove.
After boiling, dip the squid fillet in water for ten seconds and immediately remove it.
We wait for the water in the pan to boil again, and do the same with the rest of the carcasses.

Squids tend to absorb the smell of the foods they come into contact with in the refrigerator. If the carcasses are saturated with a fishy smell or any other unusual aroma, you need to add a bunch of parsley to the boiling water for cooking. If a slight odor remains even after heat treatment, it can be eliminated by sprinkling the finished carcasses with a few drops of lemon juice.

...or 10 minutes

Peculiarity. Another way to properly cook boiled-frozen squid or fresh shellfish fillets is to infuse the carcasses in hot water with spices. To do this, you will need the same set of products - peppercorns, salt and bay leaf. But the cooking technology itself will be somewhat different.

Cooking algorithm

Pour water into the pan, put spices in it, add salt and turn on the gas.
Bring the water to a boil, add the shellfish to it and immediately remove from the heat.
Cover the pan with a lid and infuse the seafood for ten minutes.

The boiled product is stored in the refrigerator for no more than two days, placed in the same broth in which it was boiled.

If you don't have time to defrost

Peculiarity. Often there is no time for defrosting (especially technologically correct - in the refrigerator). In this case, you can boil frozen squid without removing the ice glaze from the carcasses.

Cooking algorithm

Place salt and spices in a saucepan and bring the water to a boil.
Place the shellfish fillet into boiling water and cook for exactly 60 seconds.
Turn off the heat, cover the pan with a lid and let the squid steep in spicy boiling water for three to four minutes.

Unpeeled squid must be cooked for exactly the same number of minutes as the peeled product, depending on the method you choose.

Other ways to prepare shellfish

Squid can be cooked not only on a gas or electric stove. For heat treatment, a slow cooker or double boiler is quite suitable. In a pinch, a microwave oven will do.

In a slow cooker

Peculiarity. Preparing the delicacy in a slow cooker will take no more than half an hour in total. On the gadget you need to select the “Cooking” mode and strictly follow the algorithm outlined below. Otherwise, the tender meat will be completely spoiled. If everything is done correctly, the result will be a dish that is no worse than the classic one cooked on the stove.

Cooking algorithm

Place salt and spices in a special bowl, pour in water, select the “Cooking” mode on the gadget and boil the water.
After boiling, throw the defrosted squid or shellfish rings into the bowl, close the lid of the multicooker and do not touch it for exactly two minutes.
After the specified time, disconnect the gadget from the network and do not open the lid for another three minutes.

In a steamer

Peculiarity. The double boiler method is the longest. Steamed squids take seven minutes to prepare. But even here it is important not to waste time and disconnect the kitchen device from the network in time. It is recommended to grease the bottom of the cooking container with vegetable oil. Preferably olive.

Cooking algorithm

We pour water into a special container, salt it and throw in spices and herbs.
Place clam fillets on one or more tiers and turn on the device.
After seven minutes, turn off the steamer and do not remove the carcasses for another three minutes.

In the microwave

Peculiarity. This is the most not recommended way to cook squid. But sometimes, in the absence of other kitchen appliances, there is no choice left. A product cooked in a microwave oven turns out to be quite tough. Therefore, before serving, it is recommended to fry it in batter or lezone.

Cooking algorithm

Sprinkle pre-defrosted carcasses with a mixture of vegetable oil and lemon juice with the addition of spices.
Place the fillet in a special container that is suitable for cooking in the microwave.
Turn on the microwave oven at 1000 W and set the timer for three minutes. If the electrical appliance has less power, the timer must be set for five to six minutes.

Stuffed

Peculiarity. Stuffed squids can become an amazing delicacy if you prepare them correctly and choose a harmonious filling for stuffing. They stuff shellfish carcasses with whatever they like: sprat mixed with white bread, minced chicken, minced meat, and a mixture of canned corn and crab sticks. The taste and color, as they say. But it is extremely important not to overdo it with spices. Squids have one peculiarity: the meat of the mollusk instantly absorbs the taste of the products adjacent to it. And by stuffing the fillet with ingredients with a strong taste, you can end up with an overly rich dish.

Cooking algorithm

We wash fresh squid under running water, pour boiling water over it and remove the skin.
Lightly beat the fillet with a kitchen hammer.
We stuff the carcasses with a mixture of mushrooms and boiled eggs or vegetables and shrimp and fill the inside of the squid by 2/3, no more.
Seal the edges with toothpicks, place on a baking sheet, add a small amount of water and simmer until done.
Five minutes before turning off the oven, you can sprinkle the stuffed fillets with cheese to form a golden brown crust.

Fried

You can serve beer with pre-cooked and then fried seafood. You already know how long to cook defrosted squid. Now is the time to learn the three most successful ways to fry shellfish.

In laisonne. Cut the boiled seafood into rings and dip in sour cream pre-whipped with spices and eggs. Then roll the rings in breading and place them in a frying pan with heated butter for about five minutes.
Breaded. Frying in flour batter is similar to frying in a lezone: the rings are dipped in a mixture of flour and eggs and placed in a frying pan with vegetable oil. Breadcrumbs are not involved in this method. The rings are hearty and crispy with tender flesh inside. The tentacles can be prepared in the same way.
Grilled. Marinate boiled and cut into rings clams in a mixture of lemon juice, finely chopped garlic, paprika and black pepper. Place in a container and keep in the refrigerator for two to three hours. Then fry the pieces on the grill or in an electric oven.

Experienced cooks draw the attention of beginners to the fact that not all spices are combined with squid meat. The most successful combination can be created by using white pepper, dill, basil, cloves, dried or fresh parsley. If the final dish should be neutral in taste, it is best to give preference to the traditional tandem of salt and black pepper.

If you didn’t know how long to cook the squid and overcooked the shellfish, don’t rush to replenish the contents of the trash can with carcasses. There is a way out even from a hopeless situation: put the pan on the fire and cook the fillet for about 30 minutes. The squid will become half the size, but at the same time will gain the desired softness, and you will still be able to enjoy the taste of this seafood.

Reviews: “Tender and tasty squid rings go well with beer”

I put the raw squid in a pan, pour boiling water over it, leave it for a minute, drain the water, clean the squid (it’s easy to clean), then cut it into rings, dip it in the egg (I mix the egg with onion and pepper to taste, you can chop the garlic finely, if you like ), then into the breading and for one minute in a heated frying pan (with a small amount of oil). You get tender and tasty squid rings for beer. The recipe has been tested more than once. Quick and a good snack to go with beer.
Lisalisa, http://forum.awd.ru/viewtopic.php?f=381&t=200047

I cook squid like this: I defrost it, clean it of all the films and entrails and put it in boiling salted water, adding bay leaf and allspice. Bring to a boil and simmer for exactly 2 minutes. Let it sit under the lid for another minute. All! Drain, cool and cut into a salad. And also, I buy medium-sized squids, pinkish or lilac (not white, they are peeled, in my opinion the taste is not right).
I don’t know if this is according to the rules or not, but the squid always turns out very soft and tasty.
Fileshechka, http://forum.say7.info/topic34792.html

I love squid very much, I cook it often. I scald frozen or already thawed squids (stockings), each separately, let them stand for 1-3 minutes, then use a knife to peel off the top layer, and cut the inside into shreds or ribbons, onion half rings and carrots (large grater), sauté in vegetable oil, lay out the chopped squid, simmer for 3-5 minutes over low heat, you can add a little salt, add boiled rice to the finished mass. I mix. When ready in a plate, you can season it with soy sauce (it contains salt), mayonnaise or ketchup. The longer the squid cooks, the tougher it becomes. Bon appetit.
Marina, http://cook.ladycity.ru/doc/2044/

If you want to prepare stuffed rolls, then it is better to remove the inner film after boiling (literally after a couple of minutes). This will maintain the natural curve and improve the “twist” for the roll.
RAD&K, https://edamore.com/kak-pravilno-prigotovit-kalmary/

Squids are cooked in boiling water - covered.

Or you can cook squid according to this rule: cook for half a minute after boiling, turn off the heat and leave for 10 minutes.

Thaw frozen squid rings and cook.

How long to cook squid

Cooking fresh squid
1. Rinse the squid, cut off the skin from the outside and inside of the carcass and fins with a sharp knife.
2. Boil water, add salt and spices.
3. Place the squid in a pan of water and cook for 1-2 minutes depending on the size.

Cook squid as quickly as possible
You can cook squid for just 30 seconds by dipping them in boiling water. During this time, the squid will be cooked and will hardly lose any size. In the photo: on top of the squid after 2 minutes of cooking, on the bottom - after 30 seconds of cooking.

Cooking squid without defrosting
1. Do not defrost frozen squid (either a whole carcass, or rings, or cleaned squid).
2. Pour enough water into the pan to fit all the frozen squids.
3. Place the pan on the fire and bring the water to a boil.
4. Add salt, pepper and bay leaf to the pan.
5. Place the squid in boiling water and cook for 1 minute.
6. Turn off the heat under the pan, cover with a lid and leave the squid for 10 minutes.

Squid recipe in a slow cooker
1. Pour water into the multicooker container and set the gadget to the “Cooking” mode.
2. Add salt and spices.
3. Place thawed carcasses or rings of thawed squid in boiling water.
4. Close the multicooker with a lid, cook for 2 minutes, then do not open the lid for 3 minutes.

Cooking squid in a steamer
1. Fill the water tank, add salt and spices.
2. Place the squid in the steamer tray - in 1 row.
3. Cook the squid in a double boiler for 7 minutes.

Quick squid in the microwave
This method is recommended if there is no stove and the softness of the squid is not important.
1. Sprinkle defrosted squid with oil, lemon juice and spices.
2. Place the squid in a microwave-safe container.
3. Set the multicooker to 1000 W, cook for 1-3 minutes depending on the number of squids (1-3).

Fkusnofacts

How to cook for salad
The cooking time is the same, 1-2 minutes, but there is a subtlety. Squids dry out instantly after cooking, so if you don’t want the squids in the salad to be crunchy, cook them at the very end of preparing the salad - and immediately after cooking, cut the squids. Or keep the squid in water. Rings are good for salad - you don’t need to peel them, just cut them into smaller pieces.

Exact cooking time for squid What do you eat in squid?
1. The carcass is the largest and most obvious part of the squid. It is often sold already peeled.
2. Fins are the harder and meatier parts of the squid than the carcasses.
3. The tentacles are the most delicate part of the squid that requires careful cleaning. Tentacles are cheaper than carcasses, usually due to the upcoming difficulties in cleaning - a squid carcass is much easier to clean than each of the numerous tentacles. In addition, the tentacles have suction cups that also need to be cleaned.
Accordingly, everything else is not suitable for cooking. The head, gladius (long translucent cartilage) and intestines are not suitable for food.

Should I remove the skin from squid?
- Squid (especially those that have a color other than white) have skin and skin. When cooked, the squid skin curls into foam and after boiling the squid should only be washed. But there is also a skin - a thin film that covers the squid inside and out. The question arises: is it necessary to remove the skin - and if so, why? Taste preferences are the main reason here. Sliced pieces of boiled squid with skin will be slightly springy at the beginning of the bite. In addition, when chewed, the thin but very elastic skin of the squid can get stuck between the teeth or become too long for comfortable swallowing.
In Mediterranean countries, it is customary to peel squid; the skin is not peeled off. Another thing is that the freshest Mediterranean squids are cleaned in 2 movements - you just need to run a knife along the carcass. However, chilled squid or frozen carcasses are brought to domestic stores; to process them, it is recommended to pour boiling water over the defrosted seafood before cleaning.

What to do if squid is overcooked
When cooked for more than 3 minutes, squids tend to shrink in size and turn into tight rubber. However, if you accidentally overcook them, cook them in total - then the squid will return to softness, although it will decrease by another 2 times in size.

What is the best squid to cook?
- It is important that the squid must be frozen the first time. If you suspect that they have already been thawed previously (this may be confirmed by the fact that the carcasses are stuck together or broken) - do not buy them, they will taste bitter and burst when cooked.

The squid skin can be any color, but the meat can only be white. Boiled squid meat should also be white.

The highest quality squids are unpeeled and with skin. It's rare to see them on a bed of ice in high-end grocery stores. More often than not, unpeeled squids are sold completely frozen, and here again you need to monitor the quality of the freezing. This determines how soft and juicy the squid will be.

Large white cubes are sold in stores under the guise of squid. This is a low-quality seafood product that has a bitter taste and a crumbly consistency. If the squid smells strong
Most often, the smell of squid deteriorates due to improper storage - for example, together with fish. You can remove the unpleasant odor with the help of herbs (adding it to the water during cooking) or lemon juice (sprinkling it on the boiled squid).

What to cook with squid
After boiling, the squid can be fried along with a side dish (rice, potatoes). Or, just cut them into rings, sprinkle with lemon juice and salt - you will have a ready-made dish.

How to store squid
- Store frozen squid in the freezer. Store boiled squid for 2 days in the broth in which they were boiled, covered with a lid.

Calorie content of boiled squid
110 kcal/100 grams

Shelf life of boiled squid
Refrigerate for 2 days, keep covered.

Squid is a very valuable, healthy, tasty and fairly affordable seafood compared to others, which is used to add to a variety of dishes: for salad, main side dish or just as an appetizer. But to prepare the right dish with this seafood, you need to know how to properly heat-treat squid to prepare a salad. video

Opinions about cooking this seafood vary greatly. Some chefs say that it should only be boiled for no more than a minute, others insist that this product should be heat-treated for at least 10, or even 30 minutes, and still others do not accept cooking at all. But, in fact, at home, squid must be subject to proper heat treatment so that it is soft and, importantly, tasty.

Cooking cleaned squid

Professional chefs have found many ways to cook this seafood. The amount of time and the choice of heat treatment method will depend on the following factors:

Squid size.
Purified or not.
Softness of the product after cooking.

Before cooking unpeeled squid, it must be defrosted and doused with boiling water to make it easier for you to remove the film. Also be sure to remove all entrails, bones and other inedible parts.

The size of a squid is directly related to its species. There are 2 types of it - thin and thick. The fact is that the first type of seafood is more common and can really be boiled for 1-2 minutes. But the second type requires longer heat treatment, because the thick walls of the fleshy part may not be fully cooked in a few minutes. To cook a thick squid you will need at least 10 minutes or a maximum of one hour.

Thin squid for salad can be cooked using the following methods:

Place a small cleaned carcass in boiling salted water with peppercorns and bay leaves, quickly count to ten and remove the product with a slotted spoon. The average time for cooking squid in this way is about 10 seconds.
After removing the finished product, perform the same operation with the remaining carcasses. It is important that the squid is placed in boiling water.

It is worth mentioning that the smallest seafood needs to be thermally processed using this method.

This method has its advantages and, of course, disadvantages, namely:

Thick squid for making salad can also be cooked in this way:

Add salt and other seasonings to boiling water to improve the taste (bay leaf, peppercorns).
We put the seafood carcasses into this boiling water and note the time - it should pass exactly 3 minutes.
Remove the boiled product, cool and cut.

This method is good because in 3 minutes the product has time to boil and it retains all the vitamins, substances and minerals characteristic of it. It is also worth noting that squids are best cooked in small portions - 1-2 medium squids each. If you bought a large product, then cook it one at a time.

Cooking unpeeled squid

You can also cook unpeeled seafood. By the way, it is easier to choose unpeeled squid, because it is the film on it that tells about the freshness. Gray-white and yellowish skin on the product will tell about its staleness. If you can see the color of the flesh inside through the skin, then it will certainly also help in choosing fresh seafood - the meat must be white. Any other shade will indicate long-term storage of the squid. Correctly selected fresh marine life is half the success, since its freshness will allow you to obtain a tasty prepared product.

During the cooking of the product, the film retains more nutrients and vitamins, and after the end of the heat treatment, it better lags behind the squid. Some chefs and cooks are categorically against boiling seafood in film, but this way it will be more healthy.

By boiling unpeeled seafood, you can monitor the process of its readiness yourself - if the skin of the squid turns white, it means it is cooked and can be removed from boiling water. You can determine the freshness and suitability of the product for consumption in this way - during cooking, monitor its condition. The appearance of foam or disintegration indicates long-term storage and unsuitability for consumption.

Unpeeled squid is best cooked using this method:

If you bought frozen carcasses, be sure to defrost them. Once defrosted, place them on a plate.
Place the seafood in boiling salted and seasoned water and cook for exactly 30 minutes.
After completing the heat treatment process, remove the product from the water, cool it and carefully remove the film.

By the way, to quickly boil unpeeled squid without the risk of harming your own body, place it in the freezer and keep it there for a month. Yes, the period is not short, but during this time all pests and dangerous microorganisms will have time to die.

Equipment for boiling squid

In fact, this sea creature can be thermally processed not only in a pan of boiling water, because modern kitchen appliances can cope with such a task at 5+. So, we cook squid using these kitchen gadgets:

In the microwave. Be sure to defrost them thoroughly before cooking so that the product cooks evenly. Sprinkle the chilled carcasses with olive or vegetable oil, lemon juice and spices to taste. Place them in the microwave and boil for 1 minute at full power. You will get a product cooked in its own juice.

In a slow cooker, this seafood can be thermally processed in two ways. 1) Pour water into the device, add all the necessary spices according to your own taste and preference, after boiling the water, place the prepared squid carcasses in the multicooker and boil for 2-3 minutes. At the same time, you can take a closer look at the color of the product - the white color of the meat will indicate its readiness. 2) Place the prepared seafood (cleaned and defrosted) in a multicooker, fill with cold filtered water, add your favorite spices and salt and set the device to “steam” for 3 minutes.

Prepared sea creatures are cooked in a double boiler for 5 minutes.

Squid can also be cooked in a pressure cooker and other kitchen appliances.

After processing squid in any way, it is better to eat it immediately, because after a lot of time has passed, it can become tough. Even after 20 minutes, the product may simply dry out. If there are purple spots around the edges of the product, cut them off, as they can make the product bitter. To give the product a richer and piquant taste, you can lightly fry it in a hot frying pan for several minutes.