When there is really fresh squid at the market it’s time to take out the grill… 
Here is one of the simplest dishes I can think of to make but it is also incredibly delicious. Start with very fresh squid and clean out the “bone†or the long clear plastic looking structure inside the squid’s body. Wash out the “stuff†in the body so you don’t have any squishy, squirty feel when you bite into the squid. Marinate the squid in a mixture of soy sauce, kalamansi (or limes), sprite or 7up (for a little sweetness and a nice glaze) and some cracked black pepper for about 1 hour before you put them on the grill. Right before cooking, string them onto barbecue sticks that have been previously soaked in water (so the stick doesn’t burn up completely).
When the fire is ready, set the grill a bit further from the flames so that it is not too hot. 
Grill the squid until just cooked, usually not longer than 3-5 minutes. If you don’t cook it enough it has an unpleasant raw chewiness, if it goes too long it becomes like chewing gum. The perfect point is when it has a few grill marks, the skin is cooked through but it is still light and spongy in a way. Trial and error will get you there eventually. Serve the squid hot with several different dipping sauces such as spicy vinegar, soy sauce and kalamansi, patis or fish sauce, etc. Another easy grilling recipe is to marinate the squid in olive oil, crushed red pepper flakes, salt and lemon then grill as above, slice and serve over baby arugula with a vinaigrette dressing – that tastes delicious as well. Both recipes are totally healthy.
11 Responses
I do mine the greek way..just salt, pepper and lemon with a dash of good olive oil.
By the way is octopus popular? If so how much?
Schatz amazing you should ask! At the market last weekend they had several small octopus for sale but I didn’t know how to tell if they were fresh and how to cook them! Have any easy ideas? I see them occasionally in the markets, not that often…perhaps our reefs are not as hospitable as they used to be.
will email you recipe of my sisters greek mother in law!!!
marketman, i recall a korean dish of baby octopus
in a sweet spicy glaze. can’t recall the recipe though.
just on the grilled squid in olive oil, pepperoncini, salt and lemon route,i find that flat leaf parsley is an essential part of the equation : )
i have a dish of marinated baby octopuses two years ago in a mediterrenean resto called mati (rockwell center). i love the taste but still unable to replicate it. could you advise me how to clean these octopus (they are an inch long, small in size) . thanks
Jenny, sorry for this VERY late response, I must have missed your comment. Unfortunately, I have not cooked with octopus yet. I would imagine they are similar to squid and their innards have to be removed. If there are other readers out there, pls leave a comment if you know what to do… thanks!
You just gave me yet another simple and very much filipino recipe to enjoy and share with the family. We’re going up to the trailer this weekend for Victoria Day weekend, this is just so perfect, we have a bit of pork, burgers and hotdogs for the kids and seafood too, not only grilled shrimps but grilled pusit for a change! :) thank you so much!
this is such an awesome dish. Im having bbq this weekend and am planning to prepare this, so I thank you for the recipe. However, over the past years I’ve been applying a much different type of recipe for this. And that is, stuffing the squid w/ vegetations, such as ginger, green onions, tomatoes. when it’s cooked, I slice it up like calamares, and viola! With the additional flavor from the stuffing, this gives it more life to it.. & make sure to have your vinegar w/ chili pepper and garlic for sauce..
ok, can you give me the scientific name of that squid? just for my project, thanks!
—fred—
do you just mix the vinegar, chili pepper and garlic or you still cook them? if so, how do you do it?
gamefanatica, I think fred just uses the vinegar chilis and garlic as a dip, no need to cook.