Grilled Octopus with Roasted Fingerling Potatotes

Three grilled octopus legs in pool of preserved lemon vinaigrette

5 from 3 votes

Grilled Octopus with Roasted Fingerling Potatotes

Tender and crisply grilled octopus served with a tangy preserved lemon vinaigrette and roasted potatoes. Enjoy this Spanish-style grilled octopus the easy delicious way.

Prep Time20

Cook Time8

Total Time28

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Keyword: Grilled Octopus, grilling, how to grill octopus, main meal, octopus on the grill, seafood

Servings: Servings

Author: Pat Nyswonger

Ingredients

1 pound octopus legs pre-cooked, frozen/vacuum packed
2 tablespoons olive oil
2-½ pounds fingerling potatoes
Fresh salad greens
3 tablespoons Preserved Lemon Vinaigrette
Salt/Pepper to taste

Instructions

For the Octopus Legs:

Thaw the octopus legs in the refrigerator in it’s vacuum-sealed package. Allow 5-6 hours per pound, or overnight. When ready to serve, remove it from the package and rinse under cool water.
Pat the octopus legs with paper towels to remove excess water. Place on a plate, brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Reserve while preparing the grill.

For the Roasted Fingerling Potatoes:

Heat the grill to 450°F. Let it preheat for about 15 minutes to get the grill grates hot. If you are using a pellet grill, Oak wood pellets are great with octopus and potatoes.
Scrub the potatoes and pat dry with paper towels. Place on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for about 20 minutes until tender.

Grill the Octopus Legs:

When the potatoes finish, increase the heat on your grill to high heat at about 475°F to 500°F. Close the lid and let the grill grates heat up for about 5 to 10 minutes.
Place the octopus on the hot grill grates and cook for a few minutes on both sides until the octopus is well browned, but still remains moist, 3 to 4 minutes per side.
To Serve: Transfer the octopus to a cutting board, cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces, and arrange on serving plates with roasted fingerlings and salad greens.
Drizzle preserved lemon vinaigrette over each serving and garnish with lemon wedges.

Notes

Frozen precooked octopus should be thawed on a dish in the refrigerator in the vacuum-sealed package. This is the safest way to thaw food, and it allows the octopus to retain all of its natural juices, which are essential for exceptional flavor. Never thaw octopus at room temperature or under hot water. Thawing time is 5-6 hours per pound.
After it is thawed, rinse it under cold tap water and it is ready to eat sliced for sashimi, into salads or heated on a grill or skillet.
Un-frozen, precooked octopus is available in the glass display sections of fresh fish markets. It should be dark purple and the flesh should be white. It should smell slightly briny like the ocean and not overly fishy. Rinse it under cold water and pat dry and use it in your preferred recipe.

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