Rubbery squid

Why the curve has two ends

Squid muscle is unusually rich in collagen arranged in tight cross-linked sheets. Heat makes those fibres contract quickly and hard, which is what happens within the first couple of minutes and why it goes from tender to tough so fast.

That collagen then behaves like collagen anywhere else: given enough time and moisture it converts to gelatine and the flesh becomes tender again. That takes thirty to forty-five minutes of gentle simmering.

So there are exactly two correct approaches — very fast, or long and slow — and the failure is landing between them.

The two right answers

Fast

Ninety seconds to two minutes in a very hot pan, on a grill, or in hot oil. Rings, strips or scored pieces.

Slow

Thirty to forty-five minutes at a bare simmer, in wine, tomato, stock or its own ink. Whole or in large pieces.

Wrong

Five to twenty minutes. This is where almost all rubbery squid is made.

Frozen squid

Freezing damages the cell structure and genuinely tenderises it. Frozen-then-thawed squid is often better than fresh for fast cooking.

Size

Small squid suit fast cooking; large ones suit braising.

Cooking it fast

1. Clean it and dry it very thoroughly. Wet squid steams and never colours.
2. Score the body in a fine criss-cross on the inside face if you want it to curl attractively, cutting no more than halfway through.
3. Cut into rings or into pieces roughly the size of a large stamp.
4. Get the pan or oil genuinely hot before anything goes in.
5. Cook in small batches. Squid releases water and a crowded pan boils it, which lands you squarely in the rubber zone.
6. Ninety seconds to two minutes, no more. It should be just opaque with some colour.
7. Season and dress it immediately — lemon, chilli, parsley, garlic.

Rescuing rubbery squid

This one genuinely can be saved, which is unusual.

• Keep cooking it. Add liquid — wine, stock, chopped tomatoes — cover, and simmer very gently for another thirty to forty-five minutes.
• It will come back. The collagen converts and the squid becomes tender and silky.
• Expect it to shrink considerably and to change character. It is now a braise rather than a fry.
• Serve it with the sauce it made, over polenta, pasta or bread.
• Do not turn the heat up to speed it. A hard boil tightens it further.

Cleaning a whole squid

Two minutes each, and whole squid is cheaper, fresher and better than prepared rings.

1. Pull the head and tentacles away from the body. The innards come with them.
2. Cut the tentacles off just below the eyes and keep them. Squeeze out the small hard beak from the centre and discard it.
3. Pull the clear plastic-like quill out of the body and discard it.
4. Peel the purple membrane off the body with your fingers. It comes away in sheets under running water.
5. Pull off the two side fins and keep them — they are good eating.
6. Rinse the body inside and out, and check nothing is left inside.
7. Slice into rings, or split the body open flat, score the inside in a diamond pattern and cut into pieces, which curl attractively and cook faster.
8. Keep the ink sac if it is intact and you want it, though most squid sold in the UK has already lost it.

Common questions