Freshly cleaned


Nice looking one


Into a roundux 


Flip and into the oven for an hour 15

Oh thats against forum rules and called teasing.   ; )

Where is Jon.
Edit  - wait he is just as bad with some of his figs !

That's the octopus he's suppose to bring to my house at the gathering. You still owe me one.

Fresh from roasting ready for the grill 
Its a ploy I am trying to generate business for my spot

Hey Dan,that looks great! I think you will have to explain that process in more detail. I would like to try that out. 

So after you kill the octopus by slicing the back of its head open you leave it in a sink to de ink it's self. 
Then under cold running water you wash out the head and pinch the eyes pulling out the only bone it has. Then flip it over and pinch it againfor king the beak to come out. Pull that off and the muscle that surrounds it.
Next salt and pepper themands get a large sauce pot hot NO OIL open them up and toss them in one at a time until they are all in there. Cook them with a squeeze of a lemon until they shrivel up a little then flip them on their heads cover with foil and put the whole pot in the oven at 350 for 1 hour -1 hour 15 all this depends on the size. I usually use 1-2 lb pulpo for this. The ones for bass were 8 lb each. Let them cooltown and cut them in half 4 legs and 1/2 a head per. oil them lightly and throw on a charcoal grill until they are hot and have slight charred toss in
Lemon olive oil salt and pepper serve over crostini or choped baby spinach 

I ate it one time when they left the beak in! I was so PO I walked out.

Thanks Dan! I'm guessing when the first go in the pot the don't need oil or water becuase liquid will come out of them? I don't know where I would find live ones so I guess I won't have to worry about killing it, but just soaking it.

Yes the liquid will come out of them.Frozen works ok too but they tend to lack flavor that the fresh or live ones have. If you do it's worth the extra money for the Portuguese octopus over the philapino stuff 

This is drumming up business? I think I would run out if I saw this stuff yuk. No offence Celt but this looks more like bait than dinner

BlB i have to disagree 100% .
But were all different.

Mmm.  It reminds of a great Italian marinated octopus salad they used to serve at arestaurant near me, but they don't any longer.  What are you going to make with it?  Any recipes for the salad?

I am truly glad you guys like this, none for me, thank you very much

Celt,
Thank you very much for the photos. Now I have to get some. I have cleaned many in my day so I know the routine. My dad when I was a youngster having lived by the sea in Italy took that knowledge with him when he moved to the US. Then after meeting my mom and them hooking up together he used to go to Philly just before the Xmas and Easter holidays buy them. At that time no one that I knew of in that small town was ware of eating those creatures. Epically the Squid. Now a lot of years later many of the eateries here have the squid on their menus but it still tough to find the octopus. If I go to where Bass lives there you can find it in many more eateries I am only 27 miles away from Bass

Celt again I want to thank you for those great photos.  I sent the information to my oldest son and he said we should hook up and visit your place for the octopus. Last time I was in Philly was three months ago to apply for Italian citizenship. My wife and two sons are now citizens of Italy.
Pleasantly surprised
Lou   Lehighton, PA

Hi Dan
Those are great looking appetizer, Wish I was there!
Vito

Cool, Im at the beach for a few more days when I come back I'm making this, be ready for me to text you if i have questions. If they are alive how do you handle them? Do they put up a fight? I think the only ways I have had pulpo is in seafood salad or my inlaws boil it and then eat it hot with lemon. 

Lou
That is great that I can bring back memories like that.  Did your wife get duel citazenship? Either way congratulations. 

Celt,
Because of the date we where married it allowed her to apply at the same time as me so yes she and my two boys got it as well. I think one of these days we are going to visit the It. counsil there and apply for Italian passports
Lou