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Grill Dried Squid for an Extra Burst of Flavor – Savory, Tender, and a Hidden Trick

Here are some tips that will help you make delicious and more appealing grilled dried squid.

9 March, 2024

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Choose delicious dried squid

Dried squid usually comes in 2 types: line-caught squid and squid caught by scratching. Among them, choosing line-caught squid will have thicker and sweeter meat, resulting in a sweeter grilled taste.

Good dried squid will have a light white powder on the outside. The back of the squid is naturally pink. The dried squid should be dry, straight, and thick. When holding the squid, the body and head should be firmly attached.

Do not buy wet squid, sticky to touch, head detached from the body, or with a strange smell.

Soak the squid in beer before grilling

Soak the dried squid with beer before grilling.

Normally, dried squid is stored in a dry place or kept in the refrigerator. During storage, the squid will gradually lose moisture and become dry and hard. Therefore, you can soak the squid in beer before grilling. The soaking time in beer is about 10 minutes. This method will help the squid meat expand and become softer and sweeter when grilled. Beer also helps remove the fishy smell and make the squid more fragrant.

If you don’t have beer, you can soak the squid in a little wine or a little fresh coconut water. These ingredients all have the effect of tenderizing the squid.

After the squid is softened, take it out, pat it dry, and prepare for grilling.

Notes for grilling squid

You can grill the squid with alcohol, gas stove, oven, or air fryer. It’s necessary to separate the head from the body for grilling separately since the grilling time for these two parts is different.

If grilling the squid with alcohol, choose 90-degree white alcohol to avoid leaving any odor and being harmful. Pour a sufficient amount of alcohol onto a heat-resistant porcelain plate or heat-resistant trays. Place the squid and ignite the fire. Use long chopsticks to evenly cook the squid. When the squid body curls and gives off a fragrant smell, it is done. If the squid is large and not cooked yet but needs to add more alcohol, you need to wait for the old alcohol to completely burn out and the fire to be completely extinguished before adding new alcohol because alcohol is very easy to ignite and can cause burns when exposed to flames. It is advisable to keep the alcohol bottle away from the grilling position to ensure safety. Alcohol flames often have a slightly difficult-to-observe blue color, so careful attention is needed to ensure that the fire is completely extinguished.

If grilling the squid in an oven or air fryer, you need to put the squid in the oven for about 5 minutes at 160 degrees Celsius. If grilling on a gas stove, make sure to turn the squid constantly to prevent it from burning.

After the squid is cooked, it needs to be crushed and torn into small pieces. You can wrap the squid in a clean sheet of paper and fold it tightly. Place it on a flat surface and use a pestle to crush the squid until it is fluffy, then tear it horizontally into strips. Arrange the squid on a plate and serve with chili sauce.

Frequently asked questions

Avoid buying or consuming dried squid if it appears wet, feels sticky, has a detached head, or emits an unusual odor. These are signs of spoilage or improper handling.

Soaking dried squid in beer for about 10 minutes helps tenderize the meat, making it softer and sweeter when grilled. Beer also enhances the flavor by reducing any fishy smell and adding a pleasant aroma to the squid.

If you don’t have beer readily available, you can use a small amount of wine or fresh coconut water as alternatives for soaking. These ingredients also help tenderize the squid and improve its texture before grilling.

Dried squid can be grilled using various methods, including alcohol, a gas stove, an oven, or an air fryer. When using alcohol, opt for 90-degree white alcohol to prevent any unpleasant odors or harmful residues. Always separate the head from the body before grilling, as they require different cooking times. For an oven or air fryer, set the temperature to 160 degrees Celsius and grill for about 5 minutes. If using a gas stove, ensure constant turning to avoid burning.

After grilling the squid, crush and tear it into small pieces. You can use a clean sheet of paper to wrap and tightly fold the squid before crushing it with a pestle until it becomes fluffy. Then, tear it horizontally into strips and arrange them on a plate. Serve the grilled dried squid with chili sauce for a delicious and flavorful experience.