Grilled Hot and Spicy Squid

Any excuse to grill is a good excuse! This recipe makes use of a homemade sauce consisting of garlic, ginger, soy sauce, red chilies, and hot sauce. Grilled Hot and Spicy Squid is quick and easy; the squid is super tender with a few char marks. Use freshly prepared squid or frozen squid tubes here!

It’s easy to think of squid prepared just the one way. We hear the word squid and most of us automatically think of calamari. Most seafood lovers adore calamari, but squid can be so much more than something you batter and deep fry until it becomes chewy and rubbery. Take, for instance, this Grilled Hot and Spicy Squid; it’s so fast, so easy, and so delicious. And, I promise you, it will not be rubbery at all!

Growing up in Newfoundland I had my fair share of squid. I can’t ever remember having them battered, but my mom would often prepare pan fried squid rings. She would also prepare them by stuffing them with a savoury bread-based mixture and baking them in a roasting pan. I think that was my favourite way to eat them. I’ve learned that grilling squid is a great way to keep them tender. Last summer, I was hooked on this Lemon Pepper Squid!

In my entire life I never had the opportunity to catch a squid – or squid-jiggin’ as it’s called in Newfoundland. But, I knew people who did and was always able to get a few from them. I would clean them and slice them open so that they lay flat before soaking them in salted water overnight. They would be dried in the sun until they had the consistency of very thin jerky. Pop one or two of those in a toaster oven just to warm them through and they were delicious!

FROZEN VERSUS FRESH SQUID

Unless you know of a good fishmonger, you will most likely be purchasing your squid from the frozen section at your local grocery store. That’s just how I got these. Use a trusted brand and purchase only squids that are in a see-through package! Otherwise, you’re likely to end up with a large percentage of just tentacles.

Now, if you’re able to do so, buy fresh squid that has been already cleaned. It’s certainly easier and less messy to do it that way. However, if you want the freshest squid you can get, you might have to learn how to clean it yourself. I’ve cleaned many squid when I was younger. And, I’ve cleaned a few in my adult years. I’ll walk you through it. It’s not a pleasant task and if you’re squeamish at all, skip over to the next section now.

HOW TO PREPARE SQUID

First, position your thumb and finger down into the neck of the squid. On either side, you’ll feel a little connective tissue. Get your thumb and finger right up against it and forcefully twist. This will break the tissue. You’re then able to pull the head off and it should pull most of the innards with it.

You can discard this entirely, or you can cut off the tentacles and grill them too. I’m not a fan of the tentacles unless they are battered and fried, so I always discard them. The next thing to do is to remove the tail. Firmly grasp the tail from the widest end and break through the connective tissue with your thumb and finger. Pull it off and discard it.

Next, turn the body of the squid inside out. The easiest way is to push the narrow end up into the cavity and out the top, open end. Remove any small, clear bones. Using a knife, gently scrape the interior of the squid to remove any leftover tissue. Turn the squid out so that the reddish-brown skin is on the outside again.

YOU’RE ALMOST DONE! HERE’S THE HARDEST PART!

This next step is the hardest part. I always hate removing the skin! Here’s how I do it. Cut about a half inch off the narrow end. Insert the sharp end of your knife under the skin where you made the cut. Cut in an upward motion, away from the flesh. You should now be able to peel the skin off. It’s tedious and takes practice.

Once the body of the squid is free of skin, lay the tubular squid flat and slice off the top 1/4 inch to completely get rid of any skin. Now, you’re ready to prepare the squid as per the recipe you are working on! Congratulations. Now, you understand why I prefer to buy them already cleaned!

INGREDIENTS NEEDED FOR THIS RECIPE:

The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this Lemon Pepper Squid recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.

• Squid – Purchase tubes rather than rings here. You can use fresh or frozen.
• Vegetable Oil – This is only a suggestion. I use it because it has very little flavour and will not interfere much. Use any oil you like.
• Garlic – Fresh garlic will result in the best flavour every single time. 
• Ginger – Fresh ginger is the way to go. It adds a warming, spicy flavour to recipes.
• Dried Red Chili Flakes 
• Gochujang – You can find it in many big chain grocery stores and most certainly in Asian markets. It’s also available on Amazon.
• Low Sodium Soy Sauce – If you only have regular, cut it with half soy sauce and half water.
• Honey – Honey sweetens the sauce, but also helps to keep it smooth and sticky.
• Water

HOW TO MAKE GRILLED HOT AND SPICY SQUID

Start with the sauce. Add the vegetable oil, minced garlic, and grated fresh ginger to a small saucepan. Over medium heat, fry the garlic and ginger until fragrant. Do not brown the garlic or ginger! Once the oil starts to sizzle, only cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add the remaining ingredients to the saucepan and whisk until everything is mixed well. Place the pan back on the burner and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring often and remove it from the heat when done. In the meantime, prepare the squid.

If you are using frozen squid tubes, they should be fully thawed. If you are using fresh squid, they should be cleaned and skinned. Using a sharp knife, carefully insert it into the wide opening of the squid. Slice all the way down the side, cutting through the narrow opening of the tube. Next, lay the squid flat and cut it in half lengthwise. Working with one half at a time, slightly score the squid in a criss-cross pattern, making score marks about a half inch apart. Score only one side of the squid! Repeat until all of the squid tubes have been halved and scored. Pat them dry with paper towels and transfer them to a bowl. Pour half of the sauce mixture into the bowl with the squid and toss well to coat. Set aside. Preheat your grill to 400 degrees F. Once hot, lightly grease the grill with non-stick cooking spray or vegetable oil.
Using tongs, set the squid on the grill, score side down. Don’t overlap the squid. Grill for 3-4 minutes before turning to grill for another 3-4 minutes. Because of the honey in the sauce, the sauce will char a bit. That is not only expected, it’s desired. Once fully cooked, transfer the squid to a serving plate and spoon over some of the remaining hot and spicy sauce. Garnish and serve immediately.

WHAT IS GOCHUJANG?

Gochujang is one of my new favourite ingredients.  Don’t worry; it’s not too spicy at all and you can totally control how much you’re adding to your recipes.  So, what is gochujang?   It’s basically a savory, sweet, and spicy sauce made from red chilies, soybeans, barley, etc.  It’s spicy and sweet all at the same time.  Oh, and a little goes a long way!

I’m a weakling when it comes to spicy and heat toleration, so if I can handle it, so can you!  Gochujang is also very easy to find.  It’s at every Asian supermarket and even some of the larger national grocers. If you can’t find it, you can substitute it by mixing 1 tablespoon each of chili powder, ketchup, soy sauce, and sugar.  Add 1/2 teaspoon of dried red chili flakes and whisk together.  Let it sit in the fridge for a few hours to marry together.

Gochujang cannot be completely replicated in substitute form, but that little recipe will give you a decent substitute without the depth and complexity of the original gochujang flavour.  Trust me, Dear Reader, it will still be delicious!