Octopus is an acquired taste. People who enjoy it really love the meaty texture and slightly sweet taste. Here we’ve cooked it in oil flavored with garlic and smoked ham hocks. We like the gentle nutty flavor of rice bran oil, but you can substitute the vegetable oil or fat of your choice. The slow, gentle cooking leaves you with incredibly tender and flavorful meat.
Ingredients
serves 4 as an appetizer
Step 1
Put the oil, ham hocks, and garlic in a medium heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Bring the oil to 212°F (100°C), then turn the heat down to low; the garlic and the ham will bubble gently. Cook for 2 hours, until the garlic is dark golden brown. If the garlic begins to get too dark, remove it and let the hocks continue cooking. After 2 hours, turn off the heat and remove the garlic.
Step 2
While the oil is infusing, rinse the octopi and cut off their heads. Remove the beak, which is at the union of the eight legs. Put the octopi in a medium bowl and season with the salt and cayenne. Toss to coat evenly, then refrigerate for 2 hours.
Step 3
Remove the octopi from the refrigerator and rinse off the salt mixture. Dry with paper towels. Put the octopi into the pot of oil with the ham hocks. Put the pot over medium heat and bring the oil to 181.4°F (83°C). This takes about 30 minutes. Turn the heat down to medium low to maintain this temperature and cook for another 90 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the octopi cool in the oil.
Step 4
When the octopi are cool, use a fork to gently remove them from the oil and place in a storage container. Strain the oil over the octopi, discarding the ham hocks and any sediment from the pot. Refrigerate overnight.
Step 5
The octopi can be served at room temperature as part of a salad or quickly grilled to warm them. The infused oil can be decanted and frozen for another use. Make sure to discard any octopus liquid.
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