Confit and Grilled Octopus Recipe

Servings: 6-8
Prep time: 15 minutes
Total time: 3 hours and 30 minutes

1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
3 bay leaves
1 head garlic, cloves separated and peeled
1 lemon, sliced into ¼-inch thick rounds
1 lime, sliced into ¼-inch thick rounds
1 orange, sliced into ¼-inch thick rounds
½ bunch fresh thyme
1 bunch fresh sage
1 large octopus (about 4 pounds|1.8 kilograms), cleaned, beak removed
12 cups|2 liters 840 ml olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
grilled vegetables, to serve

1. Heat the oven to 300°F. Place the peppercorns, bay leaves, garlic, citrus rounds, thyme, and sage in the bottom of a large, deep baking dish.
2. Remove the head from the octopus. Separate the tentacles from one another. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Boil the tentacles for 5 minutes, just until the skin tightens. Straighten the tentacles and place on top of the citrus mixture. Cover with olive oil and seal tightly with foil. Bake until the octopus is tender, about 1 hour and 45 minutes. Remove the octopus from the oil.
3. Light a grill. Grill the octopus, turning as needed (don’t grill the suction-cup side), until charred, about 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a platter and serve with grilled vegetables.

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