Let's talk about squid. This is a wonderful tasty delicacy. It is rich in vitamins and proteins, minerals, microelements. In addition, it is low in calories but very nutritious, which has made it popular among those on a diet. However, not everyone's dishes with this ingredient turn out delicious. Why? But because not everyone knows how to cook them. and cook them - we will discuss in detail later), so to speak, are very demanding in terms of processing, and not every housewife, especially a beginner, will cope with the task when planning to treat her family to a tasty and healthy dish. However, this is not a reason to deny yourself pleasure. We will share with you the main secrets.
Oh that squid...
Many people know how to clean and cook these representatives of marine fauna. Theoretically... But as soon as it comes to practice, problems begin. Cooking gurus naturally have their secrets. We are not one of those, but, as they say, we will help in any way we can.
It is believed that these shellfish are difficult to cook, but this is not so. We want to debunk this myth. There is nothing complicated about the technology, you just need to have certain information. Basically, it all comes down to one question: “How to cook and clean correctly?” Squids are very capricious. If you keep seafood in hot water, it will become rubbery and the dish itself will become tasteless. And when cooked correctly, they are very tasty and nutritious.
So, let's start by figuring out: are squids cleaned or boiled first? What is the right thing to do? In general, unrefined ones are considered more useful and of higher quality. After all, in factories they are subjected to heat treatment, due to which they become more rigid. However, residents of Mediterranean countries know a lot about their preparation. So, they advise doing this: first defrost the seafood to room temperature, and then dip it in boiling water for a couple of minutes (the skin should curl), drain off the unnecessary liquid and send the carcass now into cold water. Believe me, after these manipulations, the curled skin can be removed very easily. Then the insides are removed. And now our squid is almost ready. The hardest part is already done. This method, in our opinion, is the best; it allows you to preserve the softness, juiciness and tenderness of the product.
Time matters
We have already figured out how to clean squid. How much remains to be seen. And this is how it is done. A pot of pepper, salt and, of course, bay leaf are placed in the water. Next, you need to wait until the liquid boils, then you need to lower the carcass into it for literally ten seconds and quickly remove it. You need to do this with each piece.
Difficult? Not at all. However, that's not all. It would seem, what else should the hostess do to prepare these seafood, other than peel and cook? Squid, especially properly cooked, is a delicious delicacy. But in order to feed your relatives exactly this, and not “rubber,” it is advisable to practice. This requires skill. Try to cook the shellfish at least a couple of times using the method we described above. And you don’t have to spoil the whole carcass, just cut off a couple of pieces. And remember: long-term heat treatment (more than 3 minutes) is contraindicated! It completely deprives the seafood of any taste, let alone nutritional qualities. The tender meat turns into a piece of sole that is impossible to chew.
That's how capricious it is - a squid. How to clean and cook these cephalopods is probably already clear. But, as they say, there is no limit to perfection, which means we will continue to get acquainted with the tricks of culinary art. So...
Another way to cook
There are actually many ways to prepare squid. However, let's be honest, they are not all good. We want to offer you another option worthy of attention. We need to bring the water to a boil with spices and salt, and then put our shellfish there. Immediately remove the pan from the heat. And let them stand in boiling water for about ten minutes.
Speaking about what a wonderful product squid is, how to clean and cook it correctly, it is impossible not to mention another method of preparing it - without the defrosting process. To do this, you just need to dip the carcass in boiling water for literally one minute, then turn off the heat and keep it in the water for another two to three minutes.
We not only cook, but also fry
Squid is a versatile product from which you can make a lot of delicious dishes. All of them are very diverse and not so difficult to prepare. And now you will see this.
So, you have a squid on your table. We figured out how to clean and cook it, let's now find out how to fry it correctly.
You might be surprised, but shellfish should be boiled before frying. To do this, use one of the methods described above. Next, cut them into rings or into strips. Dip each piece in a beaten egg sauce with salt, sour cream and spices, roll in breadcrumbs and fry in vegetable oil, or better yet, butter, but no more than five minutes.
Squids baked in the oven or on a wire rack are wonderful. But for this cooking option, they must first be marinated for several hours. You can use lemon juice, garlic, pepper and paprika as a marinade. Then the shellfish are placed on a wire rack and baked, pouring over the remaining liquid.
As a rule, inexperienced cooks are interested in how to properly clean squid: before or after cooking? Of course before, just by first dousing them with boiling water. Knowing this simple secret, you can easily cope with preparing any shellfish dish.
Stuffed squid
First, the squid is cleaned, and then each carcass is beaten. Then you need to stuff the carcass halfway with minced meat. For filling you can take eggs with mushrooms, rice with vegetables, cheese and shrimp, apples and cottage cheese. The edges of the squid can be secured with toothpicks, and then simmered in the oven in a small amount of liquid. A couple of minutes before they are ready, you can sprinkle them with cheese and put them back in the oven to form a tanned crust. When finished, the dish can be topped with wine, cream, sour cream, nut or tomato sauce.
Don’t be surprised that in many recipes you will find unusual things. For example, squid with crab sticks and corn, with minced meat, sprat and bread, dried fruits and nuts.
Any national cuisine has a lot of its own secrets for preparing shellfish. But you always need to remember one rule. Do not overload such dishes with spices. The main ingredient has the ability to actively absorb all surrounding odors. Therefore, your culinary masterpiece may turn out to be too rich.
Cooked seafood itself is not everything; you need to choose the right side dish for it. For example, vegetables, rice, pasta. Then decorate the finished dish with herbs, lemon, and olives. Then the dish will turn out to be harmonious and unique.
How to choose when buying fresh squid?
To prepare a good dish, you first need to purchase a fairly fresh product. Squid meat is usually sold frozen. Carcasses sometimes even have tentacles. Any frozen product should not be frozen and thawed several times. Improper storage conditions can destroy all its taste. Therefore, it is not surprising that an unpleasant fishy smell and bitter taste appear. When cooked, such a mollusk spreads apart in your hands and foams heavily during cooking. A dish made from such squid will not turn out tasty, and it’s not your fault, and it’s not in the recipe. Therefore, carefully inspect the product when choosing it in the supermarket.
The shellfish carcass should have a dense consistency. The top film that you will remove has a brownish-pink tint, and the meat itself inside is white.
Never buy cleaned carcasses. Of course it's convenient. But it is the squid film that is the part by which you can certainly determine its freshness. How? Yes, very simple. Look: if the skin is yellowish and the meat inside is not white, then it is better not to buy such a product. It's probably been on display for a long time.
Little trick
Imagine a situation where you accidentally overcooked squid and the meat became tough. Dont be upset. It's not all bad. Don't throw away the product right away. There is a little trick that will make the carcass softer. For this squid you need to boil for about an hour. Yes yes exactly! Of course, the mollusk will greatly decrease in size and lose almost all of its beneficial features, but you will improve the situation. And you will gain your own experience in preparing these inhabitants of the deep sea.
What delicious things can you make from squid?
Most often, squid meat is used to prepare salads, but they can also be served as an independent dish.
Naturally, seafood salads are not prepared in large quantities. This is a delicious and nutritious product that has a specific taste, because the main ingredient is the squid itself. He must prevail. The remaining components should be put in much less.
Recipe with rice
We have already figured out how to properly cook and clean squid for salad. Let's now look at a few recipes.
To prepare, take:
- Rice - 100 g.
- Eggs - 3 pcs.
- Squid (preferably fillet) - 250 g.
- Green peas (canned) - ½ jar.
- Dill greens - one bunch.
- Salt and pepper are added to your taste.
- Sour cream with mayonnaise.
To prepare, boil the rice. Clean and boil the squid using one of the above methods. Then we cut them into rings. Chop the boiled eggs and mix with squid and peas. Mix sour cream with mayonnaise for dressing, add salt and pepper, and chopped herbs. Mix all ingredients and add sauce. Now the salad is ready.
Squid with potatoes and onions
Let's take the following set of products:
- Potatoes - 0.5 kg.
- Squid (fillet) - 0.4-0.5 kg.
- Vegetable oil.
- Onions - 100 g.
- Green onion.
- Ground pepper.
- Table vinegar.
To prepare the salad, boiled squid carcasses need to be cut into strips. Boil the potatoes in their skins, cool, then peel and cut into cubes. Cut the onion into rings. Combine all ingredients carefully, adding ground pepper. You can also sprinkle a little vinegar. The salad itself is dressed with vegetable oil.
Instead of an afterword
As you can see, recipes for seafood dishes are not at all complicated. The main thing is to properly clean and cook the shellfish beforehand. And further preparation will not be difficult. Use our tips and you will be pleasantly surprised by the results. Bon appetit!
Squids are sea creatures that belong to the group of cephalopods and contain large amounts of protein, vitamins and microelements. This product has a universal purpose and is used for preparing soups, salads and main courses.
In order for the prepared food to be not only healthy, but also tasty, you need to know the rules for choosing and preparing seafood. Novice cooks should definitely consult with experienced chefs who will reveal all the intricacies of preparing and cutting squid.
Should I clean before or after cooking?
When preparing dishes, you need to choose only high-quality freshly caught seafood, which is easy to clean and has a pleasant and delicate taste.
Fresh product is difficult to find in regular grocery stores; most of the goods are presented frozen.
- unprocessed squid with skin and entrails, but no head or tentacles
- cleaned and processed shellfish
A product that the manufacturer has fully prepared for the buyer is certainly more attractive and has a lot of advantages, but experts recommend paying attention to the disadvantages:
- rubbery and tough meat structure;
- altered taste characteristics;
- lack of large amounts of vitamins and minerals.
A product that has been frozen several times has low quality, and the prepared dish will definitely disappoint with its taste characteristics.
Signs of low-quality squid:
- stuck together carcasses;
- meat color – red or purple;
- big size;
- unnatural colors;
- specific smell.
Cooking such a product will give a bitter taste to the dish, the meat will be hard and dry. Experts do not recommend eating squid, which look stale and have an unpleasant odor.
High quality frozen seafood should be easy to separate from each other, have white flesh, be small in size and have a pleasant smell. Long-term storage of peeled squid leads to changes in taste and loss of valuable nutrients.
Removing the transparent film before cooking will preserve the volume of the carcass and avoid the formation of a rubbery meat structure. During cooking, unpeeled squids significantly reduce their size and become hard. Tough and hard meat will definitely spoil the quality of the prepared dish and disappoint invited guests and family members.
How to cleanse correctly?
Proper processing of the product is the key to obtaining a tasty, healthy and aromatic dish. The difficulty of processing squid at home lies in housewives’ ignorance of the basic intricacies of this procedure. After consulting with professional chefs and watching video tutorials from step by step instructions Many novice cooks regret ignoring this seafood for a long time. Carrying out this procedure requires a minimum number of kitchen appliances:
- cold and hot water
- pot
- carving knife
The method for quickly removing film depends on the state of the shellfish - fresh or frozen.
Fresh
Cleaning fresh squid and removing the skin has the least technical difficulties and takes a short period of time. The skin removal process consists of the following steps:
- removing the top film by pulling it off like a stocking;
- cleaning seafood from internal organs and spine.
In order to remove the chord plates, you need to turn the squid inside out and pull out all parts of the spine with your hands.
Frozen
In order to remove the skin from frozen seafood, you need to do this work: observing the following sequence:
- defrost clams at room temperature;
- separate the head from the main part of the body;
- remove tentacles;
- if the tentacles will be used, then the beak and all its parts must be removed;
- cut out the transparent spine;
- rinse the prepared parts under running water clean water and dry them;
- Place the squid in a container of boiling water for a few minutes;
- Remove skin from scalded pieces under running cold water.
It is strictly forbidden to use hot water or a microwave oven to defrost squid. The best option is to place the product on regular refrigerator shelves or in cold water.
If you need to quickly clean frozen shellfish, you need to pour boiling water into one bowl and very cold water into another bowl and place them alternately from one bowl to another. After some time, the skin will begin to come off on its own, and the meat will not be cooked.
To process the already melted product, you need to boil water, adding the necessary spices and salt. Cook the squid for no more than five minutes, first removing all unnecessary entrails. Most of the skin will remain in the pan, but a small amount can be easily removed with the blunt side of a knife.
Cooked
To prepare salads, heat treatment of products with skin is allowed. The main condition for cooking unpeeled squid is to preserve the integrity of the mollusk. Preliminary cutting into portioned pieces is strictly prohibited. Stages of work:
- rinse under running water
- cook the product
- cool down
- remove skin
Boiling unpeeled squid and removing the skin from the finished product is a simple task that does not require much effort or skill. The meat of such a squid will not be as soft and tender as that of a peeled shellfish. This method is used by large food companies that prepare a huge number of dishes every day. For home use, it is recommended to remove the skin from the uncooked product.
How to cut?
In order to properly cut a delicacy, you must know the internal and external structure of the mollusk, as well as study the sequence and technique of performing this work
The main stages of the shellfish cutting process
- placing the product on a wooden cutting board
- pulling out the entrails from the main body, holding the head with your left hand and the tentacles with your right hand
- removing internal organs from the squid cavity
- seafood mantle cleaning
- removal of the transparent chitinous plate
- removing thin skin from the surface of the body with the blunt side of a knife
- making a vertical cut through the squid's body
- removal of the inner skin
- aligning the outer edges and removing any irregularities
- removal of skin by pulling it from the surface of the body
If the recipe for the dish requires the use of tentacles, then you need to remove the outer part from them and beat them with a kitchen hammer.
The liver of the mollusk is also suitable for consumption and the creation of various culinary masterpieces.
The squid head is never used in cooking and is always thrown away.
Squid is a tasty and healthy delicacy, dishes from which will decorate any holiday. This product is not popular and traditional, but modern housewives are increasingly giving preference to it when preparing a holiday menu. Dishes made from squid will surprise guests only if the product is correctly selected, cleaned and prepared.
Each housewife decides for herself what product she needs, but fresh seafood, which is very rarely found on grocery store shelves, has the best taste and a large amount of nutrients. The process of cleaning and cutting the product will not take much time and effort, but the dishes will delight you with excellent taste characteristics.
For more information on how to clean squid, watch the video below.
Squid- These are cephalopods that live in almost all seas on earth. In domestic stores you can currently buy mainly shellfish from the Far Eastern seas. The most common and delicious is Pacific squid. The length of its body without head and tentacles is from 20 to 35 cm. The value of this species is its high protein content and other useful substances.
In addition to this species, Commander squid is also commercially available. On average, its body length is 10 cm longer than that of the Pacific. It contains less protein, but more water. Thanks to this, its meat is more tender after heat treatment.
Southern types of squid are larger, and many of their meat has a specific taste. They are sold less often than Pacific and Commander squid.
In the retail chain you can find very light squid fillets. If there is no information on the packaging that the fillet was cooked at sea, you should not buy such a product. As a rule, caught squid is frozen and sent for processing to China. There the shellfish is thawed, filleted, bleached and re-frozen.
For use in home cooking, it is preferable to cut and clean the squid yourself.
How to clean squid quickly
If the squid is purchased as a whole carcass with head and tentacles, then it is first cut. To do this, cut off the head, grope and remove the hard “beak” from it. The head and tentacles themselves are not thrown away; it can be used in salads, soups and main courses. The entrails are carefully removed from the squid's body. After this, it remains to clean the carcasses from the colored skin. This can be done according to the diagram below.It is more profitable to buy cut up, frozen, but not peeled squid carcasses.
They need to be defrosted at room temperature before cooking. After that:
1. Remove a transparent cartilaginous frog from the carcasses. This is a rudiment of an internal shell.
2. If there are remains of internal organs, they also need to be removed. After this, place the carcasses in a suitable pan and pour boiling water over them.
3. The top skin will curl, all that remains is to rinse the shellfish and use it in various dishes.
How to fry squid in two minutes
You can cook fried squid very quickly. For one serving of fried squid you need:- two peeled squid mantles;
- 3-4 g salt;
- 2 g black pepper, ground;
- 30 ml oil.
2. After a quarter of an hour, heat the frying pan without oil. It is convenient to use either a grill pan or non-stick cookware.
3. Place the squid on a hot frying pan. First put it on the side where the cuts are, and after 40 - 50 seconds turn it over to the other side.
After another minute, the fried squid is ready. Shape them into a tube and serve with any sauce.
How to quickly prepare a simple squid salad
For two servings of squid salad you need;
- 300 g peeled squid;
- 70 g mayonnaise;
- pepper to taste.
2. Cut the cooled squid into rings.
3. Add pepper and mayonnaise. Stir and serve.
It should be added that many seafood are quite expensive. Squids are the most budget-friendly of them, they are available to most consumers. The taste of these shellfish, when properly cooked, is excellent and dishes made from them should be on the family menu.
Squid is a delicious seafood, an excellent source of protein and iodine. However, many housewives think that they are too difficult to cut and clean. And in vain, because you just have to remember a couple of subtleties, and everything will work out!
How to quickly and easily clean squid
The squid carcass is entirely covered with a film that needs to be removed. Why do this? The fact is that when cooked it becomes very hard, literally rubbery, and spoils the taste of the product. Peeling the skin of fresh squid is very simple, just grab the skin along the edges of the body and pull it, it will come off like a so-called stocking.
Removing film from frozen product
Most often found on store shelves are squids that have been frozen. The main condition for their successful cleaning: first the carcass must be defrosted. Then we follow the instructions.
- With one hand we hold the carcass tightly, with the other we pull by the head, removing the entrails.
- The middle between the tentacles is inedible, cut it out and throw it away.
- Squids have a flexible spine - a chitinous plate. It looks like a thin strip of plastic and can be easily felt. This organ is not suitable for food, so we remove it.
- Now we only have the edible parts of the squid - the tentacles and the carcass. We prepare two containers: with boiling water and ice water.
- Place the squid meat in boiling water for a few seconds and immediately transfer it to ice water. Now the film is easily removed from the carcass.
- We clean the whole carcass, not forgetting the tentacles.
- Ready! The squid is cleaned and you can start cooking.
How to peel and cut raw squid - video
How to remove the skin from a fresh carcass correctly: home secrets
There are several secrets that help you quickly remove the film from squid.
- Thaw the squid before cutting it up. The film from a frozen raw product is practically not removed.
- Pay attention to the color of the carcass: white ones without pink spots are easier to clean.
- Use a stiff brush to remove the skin: rub the surface of the squid and the film will come off.
Carefully remove all the innards: when cooking, they give the dish an unpleasant taste.
Cleaning squid seems to be an unusually difficult task for many, and as a result, this tasty and healthy product is not included in the diet often enough. But you can cook many everyday and holiday dishes from squid! You just need to learn how to clean them correctly.
What kind of cleaning do squids need?
Structure of the mollusk
These are cephalopods. They usually range from 0.25 to 0.5 m in length. They live in both northern seas and subtropical waters. Squids have 5 pairs of tentacles and a torpedo-shaped body. Supporting cartilage runs along the body. The tentacles have suction cups. Squids are a commercial fish and are widely used in cooking.
Appearance of squid
The difference between cleaning fresh and frozen products
The squid's body and tentacles are edible. Entrails, head, jaws are thrown out. The tentacles are cut off at eye level and, if they are intended to be used, are cleared of suckers.
Fresh squid
As a rule, you can buy unfrozen squid where they are caught. Most often, frozen squid is found in stores, but freezing allows you to preserve its beneficial properties and taste. The skin can be easily removed from fresh, unfrozen squid, but frozen ones will take a little more work.
It is best to defrost squid in the refrigerator, transferring it there from the freezer overnight.
A few words about buying frozen squid. Squid meat, defrosted more than once, has an unpleasant taste and smell, so, first of all, you need to evaluate them by appearance. The skin of the carcass should be brownish or have a pinkish-purple tint, but the meat should only be white. If it turns yellow or has a purple color, then this is a sign that it has been thawed.
How to properly cut a whole carcass
To clean a squid, you need to grab it by the head with one hand and the body with the other. Tentacles extend from the head of the mollusk. If you pull the head, it quickly separates along with the insides.
Removing the head and entrails of the squid
Squid tentacles cut off
The jaws are hidden between the tentacles. They must be removed.
Between the tentacles are the squid's jaws
There is a transparent plate in the squid's body that needs to be removed. Then you should carefully remove all the films, including the thin, transparent ones that cover the squid’s body outside and inside.
Removing Film
This will require two containers. You need to pour cold water into one of them, you can even add ice. In the second - put squids, pour boiling water over them and quickly transfer to cold water. Films against temperature changes are easily removed.
You can also put the squid in a container, add hot water and keep it there for no more than two minutes, otherwise they will be “rubbery” and tasteless. The squid skin curls up and is then easily peeled off under running water.
Cleaning options at home on video
How to clean a whole squid (not frozen)