Whole octopus dried on the line then chargrilled over wood until the tentacles caramelise and the body tenderises. Served with lemon, oregano, and a cold carafe of tsipouro.

The chargrilled octopus is a pan-Aegean tradition present in every fishing community from the Adriatic to the Turkish Aegean coast. In Thessaloniki it is the signature tsipouradiko accompaniment, inseparable from the cold tsipouro ritual that begins every evening in Ladadika and along the waterfront tavernas of Nea Krini.

Where to eat Htapodi Sti Schara (Chargrilled Octopus) in Thessaloniki

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Make it at home

Serves 41 hr 30 minIntermediate

Ingredients

  • 1 whole octopus, about 1.2kg, cleaned (fresh or frozen and thawed)
  • 1 yellow onion, peeled and halved
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tbsp black peppercorns
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 100ml red wine vinegar
  • 1 wine cork (the old taverna trick to tenderise)
  • 100ml extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar (to finish)
  • 2 tsp dried Greek oregano
  • 1 lemon, cut into wedges
  • Flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Country bread, to serve

Method

  1. If the octopus is fresh, freeze it for 24 hours and thaw before cooking; the freezing breaks down the fibres and saves you 30 minutes of pounding.
  2. Place the octopus, onion halves, bay, peppercorns, cinnamon stick, vinegar and cork in a wide pot. Add no water; the octopus releases its own liquid.
  3. Cover and cook over low heat for 50 to 60 minutes until a skewer slides through the thickest part of a tentacle with no resistance.
  4. Lift the octopus onto a board, brush off the spices and let cool 10 minutes. Cut into individual tentacles plus pieces of the head.
  5. Heat a chargrill or barbecue until very hot.
  6. Rub the octopus pieces with 2 tbsp of the olive oil. Grill for 2 to 3 minutes a side until the suckers caramelise and char marks appear.
  7. Pile onto a platter. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and 2 tbsp vinegar, sprinkle generously with oregano, salt and pepper.
  8. Serve immediately with lemon wedges and country bread, and a cold carafe of tsipouro.

Editor tip. Do not boil octopus in salted water; the salt toughens it. The Mediterranean tradition cooks it dry with vinegar and aromatics in its own juices.