Cooking time for boiled squid. How to cook squids so that they are soft, and how much? How right? Rules for choosing squid for cooking at home

In modern nutrition, the desire for healthy food prevails; therefore, healthy foods are preferred, rich in vitamins and all kinds of nutrients, but light, not fatty. The cooking technique involves a minimum of processing and fat. This determines today's pace, and mode of life, employment. At the same time, it is important that the dishes are prepared as quickly as possible and not difficult, however, in terms of taste and aesthetic characteristics, they were, as they say, on top. These can be attributed to squid. Amazingly tender and full of valuable substances, the product is easy to digest, light, satisfying and quick to prepare. In addition, they are devoid of the characteristic marine aroma. However, ignorance of what is right and, most importantly, how much does not allow this seafood to take, say, eligible leadership positions in the kitchen, corresponding to its capabilities and characteristics: nutritional, taste, dietary and visual. Meanwhile, squid is an almost universal product. It is put in salads, complemented with all kinds of soups, can be fried in spicy batter or breading, stuffed, made cutlets, risotto, served as a separate side dish or an independent dish. At the same time, the determining factor of tenderness will be the indicator of how much to cook or fry.

Many believe, and this is a mistake, that you need to cook squid for about five minutes in general, or 2-3 after boiling water. And they are simply amazed when they get an incredibly hard, almost rubber product, which is really difficult to chew. In the same way, how to cook squid correctly and how much, there are simple, but obligatory subtleties. Firstly, seafood should be dipped only in strongly boiling water for about two minutes. You can count to ten for accuracy, not quickly and not slowly. Take out immediately. It is also noteworthy that you can not throw squid in a crowd, ball or in a row. Boiled one, take it out, wait for the boil, lay the next one. Before cooking, water should boil on its own or in company with herbs, salt, parsley, peppercorns for about five minutes. If the moment, as they say, is missed and more than two minutes have passed, it is better to cook the squid carcass without taking it out for more than half an hour. Then the product will regain the desired tenderness and softness, but significantly decrease. However, when preparing soups, it is quite acceptable. Fried, stewed squids are also no more than two to three minutes or longer.

How and how much to cook squid determines their choice and preparation for processing. It is clear that the product is of poor quality, at least two, at least ten minutes to cook a squid carcass, there is no difference, it will be tough and definitely tasteless. Squids are sold, as a rule, frozen. It is important to ensure that the carcasses are easily separated from one another, that they are not stuck together in an incomprehensible lump, which indicates their repeated, one might say, unauthorized defrosting. Such a product, no matter how much squid is cooked, will give bitterness, heterogeneity and stiffness during processing. Squids must be frozen once when harvesting. The film shell of the squid comes in different tones: gray, pinkish, purple and their transitions. At the same time, the meat is only white, clean, without streaks and shade. If the color even slightly differs from white and is similar to the color of the film, the squids have been defrosted, which is unacceptable.

Again, squids should be cleaned before cooking, otherwise stiffness is ensured. Cleaning them is much easier than you think. Almost defrosted carcasses just need to be poured or poured over with boiling water, then cleaned, removing the film with a stocking, it leaves almost on its own under running cold water. Do not forget to take out the chord - a transparent bar. All.

Squid meat is very nutritious and healthy. Many different dishes are prepared from it, but most often salads. So that squid meat does not turn out to be “rubber”, it must be boiled correctly.

Useful properties of squid

Squid meat has a delicate taste, it contains a lot of protein and polyunsaturated fats valuable for the body. Squid meat contains B vitamins, it contains a lot of potassium, which is necessary for the normal functioning of the heart. In addition, these inhabitants of the seas are rich in phosphorus, iodine and iron, so their meat is recommended to be included in the menu for all adherents of a healthy lifestyle and rational nutrition.

Squid meat contains taurine, which is involved in the processes of fat metabolism, helps to reduce cholesterol in human blood, and regulates blood pressure. Vitamin E, as well as selenium, protect the body from aging, help older people maintain a good memory longer.

The price of squid is cheaper than many other seafood, which makes them affordable for almost everyone.

How to choose fresh squid?

Squid meat is usually sold in the form of frozen carcasses. Sometimes with tentacles. Like any frozen product, squid meat should not be thawed during storage and then cooled again. Improper storage spoils its taste, it has a bitter aftertaste and an unpleasant smell of old fish. During cooking, such a product spreads under the hands and foams during cooking.

The squid carcass should be dense. The color of its upper skin is pinkish brown or grayish purple. Squid meat inside is white.

Important! When choosing squid in a store, it is better not to take peeled carcasses. At first glance, it seems that peeled ones are more convenient, you don’t need to peel off the skin from them, you can cook faster. But the squid skin is the most important sign by which you can determine its freshness! If the skin is yellow or white-gray, if it is noticeable that the meat is not white inside, but has some shade - such a squid is most likely not fresh.

How to clean squid?

You can clean the squid very quickly if you pour the carcasses with boiling water or dip them (literally for a second) in boiling water. Almost the entire film covering the carcass is immediately rolled up, and the remnants are removed by hand under a stream of cold water. You also need to remove the chitinous plates inside and peel the wings.

How to cook squid?

How long to cook squid? The main thing to remember is to cook squid meat for no more than 2 minutes! If you keep on fire longer, then it becomes "rubber". Squid meat is considered ready after its carcass turns completely white in boiling water.

The second important point is to cook in small portions, take one or two squid carcasses at a time, put them in boiling water, take them out, then the next portion.

When cooking squid, you can use different spices: black and white pepper, cloves, dill (fresh and dried), basil, parsley. The determining factor is the taste and for which dish the squid is cooked.

Method 1. Boil water with salt and spices in a saucepan over high heat. Throw 1-2 squid carcasses into strongly boiling water and hold for two minutes no more. During this time, water usually has time to resume boiling. Pull out the carcasses with a slotted spoon.

Method 2. Pour one and a half to two liters of water into the pan, add salt and spices. Put thawed and prepared 1-2 squid carcasses into boiling water. Cover the saucepan with a lid and remove from heat. In 10 minutes the meat will be ready. The water will cool down gradually and the squid will not be hard. The method is convenient for a small amount of meat.

Method 3. When there is a lot of squid meat, then this method is quite good. Pour enough water into the pan so that the meat fits all, add salt and spices. Lower the prepared squids into boiling water over high heat. Wait until the water boils again, cover the pan with a lid and remove from heat. After 5 minutes the meat will be ready and the water can be drained.

If, nevertheless, a nuisance happened and the squids were digested, then not everything is hopeless. There is one trick to making them soft again: for this you need to cook them for a long time, about an hour (no less than half an hour). True, after such boiling of meat we will become much smaller and it will lose its nutritional value.

What to cook from squid meat?

Most often, salads are prepared from their squid meat, although you can use it as an independent dish, lightly sprinkled with lemon juice. Stuffed squid carcasses can be cooked with any filling, in addition, you can cook everything that can be made from ordinary meat: meatballs, fillings for pies, etc.

Delicious and healthy seafood, rich in valuable proteins and important trace elements, was served at grandiose feasts in ancient Greece. Then the "winged fish" was considered an amazing delicacy, and it remains the same today. Squid have high nutritional value and low calorie content, so carcasses and tentacles are often used as an ingredient in salads, pasta, risotto, stews, ravioli and other goodies. But also often a dietary mollusk serves as the basis for another culinary delight: squids are stuffed, baked in vegetables and herbs, grilled or deep-fried, and even marinated “for a snack”. This amazing seafood is full of amazing qualities and has only one drawback: in the process of bringing the squid to readiness, it is easy to overcook in boiling water or steam, which makes it tough and tasteless. At the risk of refuting advice on long-term digestion of mollusks from old cookbooks, we will still tell you:

  • how long to cook the peeled squid so that it is soft and tender;
  • how to choose a quality product before buying;
  • how to process unpeeled seafood;
  • how to cook frozen squid for salad so that they do not lose their delicate natural taste;

Read tips, tricks, secrets and step-by-step recipes in today's article!

How to choose the right squid carcasses to cook, fry or bake

The first thing to think about before cooking squid is the choice of a quality product. Since fresh clams are sold exclusively in specialized seafood stores or in departments of large urban supermarkets, you often have to be content with frozen ones. Both of them are great for preparing delicious dishes, if properly selected. How to choose the right squid carcasses to cook, fry or bake, we will tell you in more detail!

Rules for choosing squid for cooking at home

  • Unpeeled squid can be gray, pinkish, lilac, spotted or speckled. But, nevertheless, the taste of the product does not depend on the color of the upper skin;
  • From fresh seafood, it is better to choose small specimens with a natural smell and whole skins. Cloudy eyes or a sharp stench are a sign of staleness;
  • Before buying a fresh squid, you should lightly touch it with your fingers. If the skin is sticky, the product has overdue its expiration date;
  • Frozen squid fillet should be white or slightly greyish. The yellow color of the mollusk indicates poor quality, long storage or violation of freezing conditions;
  • When choosing frozen squid carcasses for boiling, frying or baking, see if they were stored correctly. If parts of the mollusk (tentacles, carcasses, rings) stuck together, the product was most likely thawed, which is a gross violation of temperature conditions. It is better to buy separately frozen fillet, not covered with a thick layer of “glaze”.

How to prepare fresh unpeeled squid to cook properly

Having bought even selected squids, you can spoil them in a matter of minutes by improper pre-treatment. They cut it off, torn it off in the wrong place, threw away the wrong parts - and that’s it: the seafood lost all its valuable properties and turned into solid minced fish. It's time to learn how to prepare fresh unpeeled squid to cook properly.

Step by step preparation of fresh unpeeled squid before cooking

  1. Rinse fresh squids thoroughly in cold running water.

  2. With one hand, grasp the head of the mollusk between the eyes, with the other, grasp the carcass. Carefully remove the head with tentacles and entrails from the "mantle".

  3. Cut off the tentacle part just below the squid's eye level. Take out the silver bag with black ink, it can be useful for coloring dough, rice and other dishes. Drain the ink into a small glass container.

  4. Find a hard beak at the place where the tentacles are attached and gently push it out. Throw away this unnecessary part.

  5. Get to the fins. The "wings" of the squid can be carefully trimmed with a sharp knife or simply pulled off with your hands.

  6. From the inside of the carcass, take out a long transparent ridge - a chord. Feel the fillet so that there are no hard parts left.

  7. Run the blunt side of the knife from the tail to the wide end to squeeze out any remaining innards.

  8. Pour boiling water over the fins and carcass, then lower it into cold water. After that, it will be easier to remove the dark skin from all parts.

  9. Now you can rinse fresh, prepared and properly cleaned squid meat, cut and boil.

How long to cook squids after boiling water so that they are not hard

Squid is pure protein! Like other protein foods, shellfish meat quickly becomes dry and tough during heat treatment. Long cooking can turn the most tender fillet into a rubber sole. But not everything is so clear. According to the assurances of experienced chefs, after 4 minutes of boiling, the squid hardens noticeably and decreases in size, but after 25 minutes it softens and increases again. Owners of a large limit of free time can check the fact for accuracy. Others are advised not to go to extremes. How long to cook squids after boiling water, so that they are not hard, read in the basic recipe.

Necessary ingredients for classic squid cooking

  • drinking water - 1 l
  • salt - 1 tsp

Step-by-step instructions on how to cook squid so that they are not tough

  1. In a deep saucepan, collect 1 liter of clean drinking water, add table salt. Set the pot on the fire and bring the water to a boil.
  2. Place pre-cleaned and fully prepared squid carcasses in boiling water for 1.5 - 2.5 minutes.
  3. After the allotted time, carefully catch the seafood with a slotted spoon or discard it in a colander.

How long to cook squid fillet until steamed

Necessary ingredients for steaming squid

  • squid carcasses, peeled - 500 g
  • black peppercorns - 3 pcs.
  • Lavrushka leaf - 1 pc.

Step by step cooking steamed squid

  1. Fold the cleaned and well-washed squid carcasses into a double boiler container.
  2. In clean water, add a leaf of lavrushka and a few peas of pepper.
  3. Install the bowls in the device and set the timer for 10 minutes.
  4. If there is no kitchen assistant, use a pressure cooker or the usual combination of a pan and a metal sieve. In this time, the squid fillet will need to be cooked for 7-10 minutes until fully cooked.

How to cook peeled squid for salad so that they are not tasteless

The most common problem associated with improper cooking of seafood is the complete loss of flavor and aroma. Choosing squids as one of the main ingredients of the salad, we rely on their delicate taste and delicate texture, and as a result we get rubber rings that have nothing to do with the delicacy. Such incidents can be avoided by learning in advance how to cook peeled squid for salad so that they are not tasteless.

Necessary ingredients for cooking delicious squid in a salad

  • peeled squid carcasses - 500 g
  • drinking water - 1.3 l
  • juice of half a lemon
  • table salt - 1 tsp
  • dried thyme - 0.5 tsp

Step-by-step instructions on how to cook delicious squid for salad

  1. In 1-1.5 liters of clean drinking water, add the juice of half a lemon, fine salt and your favorite spices (thyme, coriander, bay leaf, allspice).
  2. Place a saucepan of liquid on the stove and bring the marinade to a boil.
  3. Dip the cleaned and washed squid carcasses in boiling water and boil for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. During this period, the seafood for the salad will boil, will be more or less dense, but not tasteless.
  4. After 4 minutes, remove the clam fillets to a plate and cool completely before slicing into a dish. Such peeled and well-cooked squids will never be tasteless in a salad.

How to cook frozen squid for salad without defrosting

Even a strictly limited time for preparing lunch or dinner is not a reason to refuse frozen seafood. We know how to cook frozen squid for salad without first defrosting. And we are happy to share the secret with you.

Necessary ingredients for cooking frozen squid in a salad without defrosting

  • frozen squid - 700 g
  • water - 2.5 l
  • salt - 2 tsp
  • vinegar - 2 tbsp.
  • spices to taste

Step-by-step instructions for cooking frozen squid on a salad without first defrosting

  1. Remove the squid carcasses from the freezer and arrange in a single layer in the sink.
  2. Boil 2.5 liters of water with salt, vinegar and spices.
  3. Pour some of the boiling water over the frozen carcasses. Then flip the squid to the other side and pour again so that half of the "marinade" remains in the pan.
  4. Place the bowl back on the burner, and in the meantime peel the seafood from the skin and thin ridge.
  5. Put the finished fillet in a saucepan with spicy water and boil for 2-3 minutes.
  6. Take out the finished product with a slotted spoon. In this universal way, you can quickly cook any amount of frozen squid for salad without first defrosting.

How to cook frozen squid so that they are soft after cooking

Squid is a versatile ingredient for a variety of dishes. Separate parts of seafood (fillet rings, fins or tentacles) are boiled for salad, fried as a side dish with vegetables or rice, baked in spices with a delicious filling, or cooked in breading in boiling oil. Since the soft, refined mollusk has a huge amount of nutrients, it is better to defrost frozen squids in a natural way before cooking. So the pulp will retain vitamins and minerals, and the structure will remain intact.

Necessary ingredients for cooking soft squid after a long freeze

  • frozen squid rings - 700 g
  • water - 2 l
  • salt - 1.5 tsp
  • lemon juice - 2 tablespoons
  • dill greens - 3-4 sprigs

Step-by-step instructions on how to cook frozen squid so that they are soft

  1. Transfer the frozen squid rings from the freezer compartment to the refrigerator. Leave for a few hours to thaw.
  2. Boil 2-2.5 liters of water with salt and lemon juice in a wide saucepan.
  3. Send dill sprigs to boiling liquid for 10-15 seconds. Then scoop them out with a slotted spoon and discard.
  4. Drain the liquid from the seafood and place the rings in boiling water. Keep the pot on the heat for another 45-60 seconds and discard the contents in a colander.
  5. Now you know how to cook frozen squids so that they are soft after cooking. Rings need 1 m of cooking, small pieces - 30 s, carcasses - 2-3 m.

How to cook squid tentacles with vegetables and spices

Regardless of the composition of the dish, during its preparation, squids are placed in the pan last. Prolonged processing harms both the taste, the structure of the fibers, and the useful composition of the product. But unlike carcasses or fins, squid tentacles are denser, so you can cook them with vegetables and spices for longer than 3-5 minutes. Take our following video recipe as an example: watch how to cook squid tentacles with vegetables and spices in your home kitchen.

How to boil squid rings in milk: a step by step recipe

It turns out that squid rings can be boiled not only in water or broth, but also in milk, as in our next step-by-step recipe. This makes seafood even more tender and delicate, with a delicate aroma of spices and a slight aftertaste of vegetables.

Necessary ingredients for boiled squid in milk with vegetables

  • fresh squid - 300 g
  • milk - 1 tbsp.
  • bulb bulb - 1 pc.
  • carrot - 1 pc.
  • honey - 1 tsp
  • salt - to taste
  • ground and allspice

Step by step preparation of squid rings boiled in milk with vegetables and spices

  1. Soak fresh squid rings in boiling water for 1 minute.
  2. Boil grated carrots and diced onions in a saucepan with milk.
  3. Put the squid rings into the vegetable base, add honey, salt and a mixture of peppers.
  4. Simmer everything together under the lid for 4-5 minutes.
  5. In this simple way, you can quickly boil squid rings in milk (a step-by-step recipe is suitable for any part of the mollusk).

How to cook squid for stuffing so that they are tender

Stuffed squid is one of the most popular options for preparing this shellfish. Therefore, we recommend that you learn how to cook squid for stuffing so that they are tender - and feel free to experiment with fillings and sauces.

Necessary ingredients for cooking squid for stuffing

  • squid carcasses - 6 pcs.
  • drinking water - 2 liters.
  • salt - 0.5 tsp
  • vinegar - 3 tbsp.

Step-by-step instructions on how to cook soft and tender squid for stuffing

  1. Boil water with salt in a wide saucepan.
  2. Add 3 tbsp to boiling water. table vinegar.
  3. Dip the cleaned and washed squid carcasses into the boiling solution and turn off the burner. Soak the fillet in the liquid for 3-5 minutes and drain in a colander.
  4. Such squids for further stuffing will be quite boiled, tasty and tender in structure.

Each national cuisine knows its secrets of cooking fresh and frozen squid (rings, fins, tentacles and whole carcasses). But there are fundamental rules that are the same for everyone: unpeeled seafood must be cleaned, shellfish cannot be digested - they will become tough, do not forget about spices - squid will be tasteless. In our article today, you read how much time and how to cook squid correctly so that they are soft and tender. It remains to translate the acquired knowledge into salads and other delicious recipes.


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 a salad, main side dish or just as a snack. But in order to cook the right dish with this seafood, you need to know how to heat squid properly for salad preparation. video

Opinions about cooking this seafood are very different. Some chefs say that it should only be boiled for no more than a minute, others say that this product must be thermally processed for at least 10 or even 30 minutes, and thirds do not accept cooking at all. But, in fact, at home, squid must necessarily give in to proper heat treatment so that it is soft and, importantly, tasty.

Cooking the peeled squid

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

  • Squid size.
  • Purified or not.
  • The softness of the product after cooking.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Add salt and other seasonings to the boiling water to improve the taste (bay leaf, peppercorns).
  • We lower the carcasses of seafood into this boiling water and note the time - exactly 3 minutes should pass.
  • We 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 that are characteristic of it. It is also worth noting that squids are best cooked in small portions - 1-2 medium carcasses 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, unpeeled squid is easier to choose, because it is the film on it that tells about freshness. Gray-white and yellowish skin on the product will tell about its staleness. If through the skin you can see the color of the pulp inside, then it will certainly also help in choosing fresh seafood - the meat must be white. Any other shade of it will indicate a long-term storage of squid. The right choice of fresh marine life is half the success, as its freshness will allow you to get a deliciously cooked product.

The film during the cooking of the product retains more useful substances and vitamins, and after the end of the heat treatment, it lags behind the squid better. Some chefs and culinary specialists are categorically against cooking seafood in a film, but this way it will be more useful.

When boiling unpeeled seafood, you yourself can follow the process of its readiness - if the skin in the squid turns white, then 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. After defrosting, put them on a plate.
  • We lower the seafood into boiling salted and seasoned water and cook for exactly 30 minutes.
  • After the completion of the heat treatment process, we take the product out of the water, cool it and carefully clean it from 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 such a time all pests and dangerous microorganisms will have time to die.

Technique for cooking squid

In fact, this marine inhabitant can be thermally processed not only in a pot of boiling water, because modern kitchen appliances can cope with such a task 5+. So, cook squid with the help of these kitchen gadgets:

  • In the microwave. Be sure to defrost them thoroughly before cooking so that the product is evenly boiled. Sprinkle 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 of the appliance. 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 appliance, add all the necessary spices according to your own taste and preference, after boiling the water, place the prepared squid carcasses in the slow cooker and boil for 2-3 minutes. In parallel, you can look closely at the color of the product - the white color of the meat will tell about its readiness. 2) Place the prepared seafood (peeled and thawed) in a slow cooker, pour cold filtered water, add your favorite spices and salt and set the steam cooking mode on the appliance for 3 minutes.
  • In a double boiler, a prepared marine dweller is cooked 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 them immediately, because after a long amount of time they can become tough. Even after 20 minutes, the product may simply dry out. If purple spots remain on the edges of the product, cut them off, because they can give bitterness to the product. To saturate the product with a richer and more piquant taste, you can lightly fry it in a hot frying pan for several minutes.

    Squids are not only very useful, but also very tasty. True, there are some subtleties in their preparation, which, in fact, are the key to turning squid meat into a delicacy. For example, if they are cooked too long, squids will become tough. However, speaking about the secrets of the correct and successful preparation of squid, it is worth noting not only its heat treatment.

    Selection and preparation of squid

    The key to successful cooking of squid is the choice of a quality product. When buying, you need to pay close attention to the color of the meat. In a good fresh squid, it is whitish, even completely white. Yellowness will indicate that the carcass has been stored for too long, even in the refrigerator.

    When buying a squid in ice glaze, you need to inspect it. If there is an ice crust on the surface, then most likely the glaze layer is too thick and after defrosting it turns out that not so much meat was bought. And it also happens if the squid carcasses are thawed and then frozen again. In this case, you can not eat them at all.

    The most juicy and tender after cooking will be small-sized squid meat - it is them, first of all, that you should look for in the store.

    It is best to buy squid without tentacles and heads. Then, after defrosting, you just need to remove the film from them. If you still bought whole carcasses, you will have to cut them yourself. This is not difficult. You need to take the head of the squid, grabbing your fingers in the eye area, and then pull, holding the rest of it with your other hand. Thus, you clean the carcass from the insides. Then you need to remove the chitinous film. It is easily groped by hand, so there are no special problems with the release of the squid carcass from it.

    The worst thing is to remove the outer reddish-white film. To facilitate this stage, you can go for a trick: pour the squid with hot, but by no means boiling water, and after a minute remove it from the water and rinse under the tap. After that, the film is easily picked up with a knife and thus removed from the carcass.

    Cleaned squid meat can be prepared in many ways.

    Cooking squid in a double boiler

    Perhaps the most tender squid is obtained in a double boiler.

    For 2-3 small squid carcasses, you need to take 3 bay leaves and 3 peas of hot pepper. Put the cleaned squids in a double boiler. Pour water into an appropriate container, put pepper with bay leaf there. Set the timer to 9 minutes. Do not open the steamer during cooking

    By the way, if there is no double boiler, then it is quite possible to create its likeness from a saucepan, gauze and a colander. Thus, it will take not 9, but 6 minutes to cook squid. We take out the finished meat, salt it and serve it on the table.

    Cooking squid in the microwave

    For those who like to cook everything in the microwave, there is great news - squid meat is no exception at all. You will need 90 ml of water, 2 small carcasses, salt to taste and 20 g of freshly squeezed lemon juice.

    Squids should be washed and dried on a paper towel. Mix water with lemon juice and salt. We put squid meat in a container, pour it with a mixture of water and lemon juice and cover with a lid that has a steam removal function. Then we put it in the microwave and cook. For a power of 700 watts, 2-3 minutes is enough, if you have more powerful equipment, then, accordingly, the cooking time is reduced.

    Cooking squid on the stove

    This is the traditional way of cooking squid meat. For carcasses with a total weight of 900 g, you need to take 2 liters of water and 25 g of salt. It's just over 1 teaspoon. We put the water with salt on the fire, and when the liquid boils, we immerse the previously prepared squids into it. After 2 minutes, the product is ready, it must be removed from the water and allowed to cool.

    How to cook frozen squid

    There are two options here - with and without defrosting. In the first case, you need to cook using any of the methods described above, but only after the carcasses are defrosted. Do not use warm water or microwave to defrost. We'll have to wait until the process goes naturally.

    If it is decided not to defrost the meat, then you will first need to pour boiling water over it on both sides, then rinse it under running water - this will help remove the film. We put frozen squid carcasses in boiling water and after 2.5-3 minutes they are ready for use.

    Cooking squid rings

    You can cook squids not whole, but cut into rings. In this case, it is best to cook them in water with the addition of lemon juice and herbs. For 2 liters you will need 30 g of salt and 40 g of lemon juice, as well as 20 g of any greens. We put all the ingredients in water, as soon as it boils, we throw squid rings into the pan. They are cooked for no more than 1 minute, and if the rings are thin, then about 40 seconds. They need to be removed from the water and allowed to cool.

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