What is the secret to cooking calamari?

Soak the rings in a solution of salted milk for 30 minutes (refrigerated) before cooking . I shared this earlier, but this is the trick to tenderizing the calamari meat and it also helps tame the fishy taste. For crispy fried calamari, coat the rings in a mixture of flour, cornstarch, and baking powder!

What makes fried calamari rubbery?

Fried calamari gets tough when even slightly overcooked . The trick is to thaw and bring to room temperature before frying. Soak them in water and baking soda for an hour. Clean them in cold water then dry them.

How do you keep fried calamari crispy?

Just place them on a cooling rack set over a baking sheet . If you've ever seen a high-volume restaurant or fast-food chain kitchen in action, you'll notice that they keep deep-fried foods like crispy, fried chicken wings on perforated trays that act in much the same way as the cooling rack and baking sheet combination.

How do you keep batter from falling off calamari?

Assuming you've got a sifter, dredge the calamari in flour, throw it into the sifter and shake it until all of the excess flour falls through. Pick out the pieces of calamari and toss them into a bowl of beaten egg.

Why do you soak calamari in milk?

The secret is in marinating the calamari in milk overnight! Dairy products like yoghurt and milk are the best natural tenderisers. Cut your squid into rings and place with the tentacles in a large mixing bowl.

Why does breading fall off calamari?

If the oil temperature is too low , the calamari will absorb too much oil and become soggy, or will lose its breading all together. On the other hand, if the oil is too hot, the outside will cook faster than the inside.

What is the best oil to fry calamari in?

What's the Best Oil to Fry Calamari In? Any high-smoke-point oil — like vegetable, canola, or peanut oil — will work for frying calamari. I recommend an oil with a very mild flavor so that the delicate calamari flavor shines through.

How do you know when calamari are cooked enough?

Properly cooked calamari should be tender, with a slightly firm yet yielding texture . It should not be tough or chewy. Overcooking causes the proteins in the squid to contract excessively and expel moisture, leading to a less desirable, rubbery consistency. If calamari is chewy, it is typically overcooked.

Can you fry calamari in olive oil?

Olive oil is also an excellent choice for frying calamari , offering heat stability and a few additional benefits that we will learn about.

How long does it take to cook calamari?

Fry squid in hot oil until light brown, 2 to 3 minutes . Do not overcook, or squid will be tough. Drain squid on a paper towel-lined plate. Serve with lemon wedges.

What is the difference between squid and calamari?

The most common (and accepted) explanation is that calamari (which means "squid" in Italian) is simply the culinary name of dishes containing squid . "That's exactly right," says Blair Halpern of Fortune Fish & Gourmet. "It's no more complicated than that."

How do you tenderize calamari overnight?

Alternatively, tenderise by soaking the squid in milk overnight, covered and refrigerated . Before cooking, bring the squid to room temperature and pat it dry with paper towel. James says if the meat is cold and wet, it will steam and make the meat chewy.

Is it better to boil calamari before frying?

There's no need to boil the calamari before frying, this will make it tough . Set up a dredging station with the whisked eggs in one shallow bowl, and the whisked flour mixture in another. Cover the squid rings in the whisked eggs, then cover with flour. Fry in oil over medium heat until golden and cooked through.

Should I rinse calamari before cooking?

4 Rinse squid body and tentacles before cooking . Slice body crosswise into rings for salads and soups.

Fried Calamari - Best Homemade Recipe (2024)

Home Recipes Fried Calamari – Best Homemade Recipe

by: Kaitlin

37 Comments

Jump to Recipe

Posted:1/12/2015Updated:10/21/2020

Fried Calamari - Best Homemade Recipe (2)

This fried calamari recipe is the best we’ve ever had. It satisfies that restaurant-appetizer itch gloriously. (Y’all know what I’m talking about–when the only thing you want in life is to devour a platter of calamari and a TGI Friday’s appetizer sampler: buffalo wings, mozzarella sticks, potato skins–the works. Is it just me?)

We use the drybreadedmethod, tossing the squid in a mixture of flour, semolina flour, and cornmeal. This blend provides the perfect crunch and depth of flavor.

As for the question of the squid itself, some say that there are two kinds of people in the world–those who like the calamari rings, and those who like the tentacles.

In our family, we’re definitely fighting over the crispiest and crunchiest tentacles. Regardless of your preferences, though, this recipe will produce some of the best, crispiest calamari you’ve ever had!

We like this recipe so much, we also used it to make a Chinese Salt and Pepper Squid so be sure to check that recipe out and maybe make both for an east meets west kind of meal!

Fried Calamari: Recipe Instructions

First prepare your squid. Rinse it well in cold water. Cut the tentacles off using one cut, keeping about a 1/4 inch of the hoodin orderto keep all the tentacles in one piece.

If you’re using larger squid, you can cut these pieces in half lengthwise in order to make them bite-sized. Having each piece roughly the same size is important for achieving the same cooking time for each piece of calamari.

In a medium-sized deep pot, add enough oil so that the level of oil reaches 4 inches up the side of the pot. Heat the oil until itreaches 325 degrees F.

While you’re waiting for the oil to heat, mix up your dry mixture. Combine the all-purpose flour, semolina flour, cornmeal, Old Bay, salt, and black pepper in a bowl. Set aside.

When the oil reaches temperature, you’re ready to start dredging your squid. Work in batches of small fistfuls of calamari. Gently squeeze off any liquid and dredge the squid in the dry mixture.

Using a long-handled sieve or slotted spoon, lower the calamari into the hot oil. Gently move the calamari pieces back and forth. Let them fry until golden brown–about 2 to 2 1/2 minutes. Remove all the calamari and let drain on a paper-towel-lined plate. Taste one piece of calamari for saltiness (Be careful, it’s hot!). You can sprinkle more salt immediately after frying to your taste. Continue frying in these small batches until you’ve fried all the squid.

Fried Calamari

Homemade fried calamari satisfies that restaurant-appetizer itch gloriously. This fried calamari recipe makes the best & crispiest calamari you've ever had!

by: Kaitlin

Course:Fish and Seafood

Cuisine:American

serves: 4 servings

Prep: 10 minutes minutes

Cook: 10 minutes minutes

Total: 20 minutes minutes

Rate

Ingredients

▢ 1 1/2 pounds baby squid (680g, with the hoods cut into rings and the tentacles separate)
▢ 5-6 cups vegetable oil (for frying; plus 2 tablespoons)
▢ 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
▢ 1/2 cup semolina flour
▢ 1/3 cup plain cornmeal
▢ 1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
▢ 1/2 teaspoon salt
▢ Black pepper (to taste)

Instructions

First prepare your squid. Rinse it well in cold water. Cut the tentacles off using one cut, keeping about a 1/4 inch of the hood in order to keep all the tentacles in one piece. If you're using larger squid, you can cut these pieces in half lengthwise in order to make them bite-sized. Having each piece roughly the same size is important for achieving the same cooking time for each piece of calamari.
In a medium-sized deep pot, add enough oil so that the level of oil reaches 4 inches up the side of the pot. Heat the oil until it reaches 325 degrees F.
While you're waiting for the oil to heat, mix up your dry mixture. Combine the all-purpose flour, semolina flour, cornmeal, Old Bay, salt, and black pepper in a bowl. Set aside.
When the oil reaches temperature, you're ready to start dredging your squid. Work in batches of small fistfuls of calamari. Gently squeeze off any liquid and dredge the squid in the dry mixture.
Using a long-handled sieve or slotted spoon, lower the calamari into the hot oil. Gently move the calamari pieces back and forth. Let them fry until golden brown--about 2 to 2 1/2 minutes. Remove all the calamari and let drain on a paper-towel-lined plate. Taste one piece of calamari for saltiness (Be careful, it's hot!). You can sprinkle more salt immediately after frying to your taste. Continue frying in these small batches until you've fried all the squid.
Serve with marinara sauce or tartar sauce and a few lemon wedges on the side! Proceed to marvel at the fact that you can now have enormous portions of restaurant-quality calamari appetizers at home.

nutrition facts

Calories: 461kcal (23%) Carbohydrates: 42g (14%) Protein: 32g (64%) Fat: 18g (28%) Saturated Fat: 12g (60%) Cholesterol: 396mg (132%) Sodium: 367mg (15%) Potassium: 517mg (15%) Fiber: 2g (8%) Sugar: 1g (1%) Vitamin A: 55IU (1%) Vitamin C: 8mg (10%) Calcium: 58mg (6%) Iron: 3.3mg (18%)

nutritional info disclaimer

TheWoksofLife.com is written and produced for informational purposes only. While we do our best to provide nutritional information as a general guideline to our readers, we are not certified nutritionists, and the values provided should be considered estimates. Factors such as brands purchased, natural variations in fresh ingredients, etc. will change the nutritional information in any recipe. Various online calculators also provide different results, depending on their sources. To obtain accurate nutritional information for a recipe, use your preferred nutrition calculator to determine nutritional information with the actual ingredients and quantities used.

Did You Make This?Tag us on Instagram @thewoksoflife, subscribe to our email list, and be sure to follow us on social for more recipes!

@thewoksoflife

Fried Calamari - Best Homemade Recipe (2024)

Fried Calamari: Recipe Instructions

Fried Calamari

Ingredients

Instructions

nutrition facts

nutritional info disclaimer

You may also like…

About Kaitlin

FAQs

What is the secret to cooking calamari? ›

What is the difference between squid and calamari? ›