Pan-Seared Octopus

This pan-seared octopus is braised with lemon and pepper until tender and then seared. It's perfect for your next food adventure!

Are you feeling adventurous?  Let's talk octopus. 

That's right, those eight-legged sea monsters that spend their days looking like they've escaped from a Jules Verne novel.

The husband talked me into buying one on a Jungle Jim's trip, and that's how our invertebrate adventure began.  This recipe for pan-seared octopus with lemon pepper seasoning is easy, and sure to leave you with a tender and flavor-packed meal.

Looking for another adventurous meal? Try these langostino lobster rolls, seared duck with mustard sauce, whole slow-roasted duck and salmon steaks with teriyaki sauce.

Is Octopus Chewy?

Here's the thing about octopus. It can either melt in your mouth, or taste like little bits of rubber if overcooked.

If you've ever had calamari, you've already eaten squid.  Octopus has a similar texture. 

As with calamari, if your octopus is chewy, it's probably been overcooked.  It should fall apart in your mouth.

Can I Make This Pan-Seared Octopus Ahead of Time?

This recipe takes around an hour to prepare start to finish, but most of that is very hands-off.

I find it's easier (if I've planned ahead), to braise it the day before, and then just grill or pan sear it quickly before dinner the next day.

Will Adding a Wine Cork to the Braising Liquid Keep The Octopus Tender?

Maybe?  It's an old wives' tale, and I've never done it.  That said, it won't hurt a thing, so if you want to, go right ahead.

Just make sure you're using a CORK wine cork, and not a plastic one.

How to Make Pan-Seared Octopus

Octopus should be cooked low and slow or hot and fast.  For this recipe, we're doing a combination of both techniques.

This pan-seared octopus is actually cooked twice. Once braised on the stove top over low heat to tenderize it, and then cooked very quickly at high heat in a hot pan.

Braise the Octopus

First, braise the octopus.  You'll be cooking it in a bath of wine, lemon and peppercorns.

Simmer the octopus until it's tender. Plan on this taking anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour, depending on the size of your octopus.

Once the octopus is tender, remove it from the braising liquid.

At this point, you can either discard the liquid OR use it as a seafood broth. I like to use it to cook rice or pasta.

Curl the Octopus Tentacles

Optionally, take a few minutes to curl the octopus tentacles. This step doesn't affect the flavor at all, but if you want to make a more impressive serving plate, this is a nice trick!

Bring a small pot of water to a simmer. Use metal tongs to dip the tentacles into the water for a few seconds until they begin to curl.

Pan-Seared Octopus

Finally, you'll want to cook it quickly over very high heat.  Place the braised octopus on a hot pan and sear for a couple minutes per side.

Serve the octopus right away, and enjoy this fabulously freaky seafood!

Looking for side dishes? Try serving this pan-seared octopus with this ginger sesame mushroom salad or with French lentils tossed in a Dijon vinaigrette.