Baby octopus, blue swimming crab and squid tube sit in the same corner of the freezer and get treated the same way, which is why so many kitchens turn out rubbery octopus and watery crab curry. They are three very different ingredients with three very different rules, and none of them forgives guesswork.
Baby octopus
Sold graded by the number of pieces per kilo, so a 20/40 grade gives you between twenty and forty octopus in a kilo. The wide range reflects the reality of the catch rather than sloppy grading. Smaller pieces cook faster and suit skewers and salads; larger pieces hold up better in a braise.
The useful thing about buying octopus frozen is that freezing does part of the work for you. Ice crystals rupture the muscle fibres, which is exactly what tenderising achieves by mechanical means. A frozen octopus that has been thawed properly starts out more tender than a fresh one straight off the boat.
The rule that matters
Octopus is either quick or slow, and the middle is where it goes wrong. Under about three minutes over high heat, the proteins have not seized. After about twenty five minutes of gentle simmering, the collagen has broken down and it is tender again. Between those two points sits a long stretch where it is tough, and that is where most kitchens land by accident.
Blue swimming crab
Sold half cut, which is the format that makes commercial sense: the shell is split so sauce reaches the meat, and the pieces portion evenly. It is a smaller, sweeter crab than the brown crab most UK kitchens know, and it is the crab behind Singapore chilli crab, Thai curries and Bengali and Sri Lankan crab dishes.
Half cut crab is not a delicate ingredient. It wants a robust sauce, a covered pan and enough time for the shell to give up its flavour. Eight to twelve minutes simmering in the sauce is usually right. The shell is doing as much work as the meat, which is why crab cooked in a sauce beats crab cooked separately and added.
Worth knowing before you put crab on a halal menu. Shafi’i, Maliki and Hanbali scholars permit crab as game of the sea. The Hanafi and Ja’fari positions restrict it. Squid and octopus fall under the same difference of opinion. This is about the creature, not about processing, so it is worth knowing which of your customers it affects. Think GG covers the related question in our guide to whether crab stick is halal.
Squid
Squid tube is graded by weight, with U/5 meaning under five pieces per kilo, which are large tubes suited to stuffing, scoring and slicing into thick rings. Squid slice trays are the prepared alternative, cut and portioned for sushi counters where consistency matters more than versatility.
Squid follows the same two-speed rule as octopus, only more sharply. Two minutes or forty minutes, and nothing in between. A hot pan and ninety seconds gives you tender rings. A long braise in a sauce gives you tender squid too. Ten minutes gives you something you could resole a boot with.
Cooking times at a glance
| Ingredient | Fast, high heat | Slow, in liquid | Deep fried |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baby octopus | 2 to 3 minutes, dry and do not crowd the pan | 25 to 40 minutes at a bare tremble | Simmer tender first, then 2 minutes for colour only |
| Blue swimming crab | 8 to 12 minutes covered, in the sauce | 15 to 20 minutes, added late to a long curry base | Not recommended, the coating will not hold to the shell |
| Squid tube | 90 seconds, out the moment it turns opaque | 30 to 45 minutes covered | 60 to 90 seconds at 180C, in small batches |
Season octopus and squid after cooking rather than before. Salt draws out moisture, and surface moisture has to boil off before browning starts, which pushes you straight into the tough window.
Thawing, which is where most of the damage happens
Every one of these three is bought frozen and every one of them is ruined more often by bad thawing than by bad cooking.
Thaw cold and slow
Overnight in the fridge on a tray. Warm water thawing cooks the outer layer while the centre is still frozen and pushes moisture out of the flesh.
Drain properly
Thawed seafood releases water. Cook it wet and you steam rather than sear, which is the difference between a browned octopus and a grey one.
Pat dry before high heat
Surface moisture has to boil off before browning starts, and that time is exactly the window where squid and octopus toughen.
Never refreeze
Portion the block before thawing if you only need part of it. Refrozen seafood loses texture badly, and octopus more than most.
Grading at a glance
| Product | How it is graded | What that means in practice |
|---|---|---|
| Baby octopus | Pieces per kilo, for example 20/40 | Lower numbers are bigger octopus. 20/40 suits skewers, salads and braises |
| Blue swimming crab | Half cut, by pack weight | Portion by piece count for consistent plating in curries and stir fries |
| Squid tube | Pieces per kilo, for example U/5 | U/5 is a large tube. Good for stuffing, scoring and thick rings |
| Squid slice | By piece count per tray | Pre-cut and portioned, built for sushi counter consistency |
All of these sit in the Think GG exotic seafood range, alongside lobster tails, golden pomfret and sea-frozen hake in the fish fillet range. If prawns are the bigger part of your order, the king prawn buying guide covers counts, glaze and presentation codes.
Where these belong on a UK menu
The commercial argument for all three is the same: they are recognisably premium, they cost less than the ingredients they sit beside, and very few kitchens in any given town are doing them well. A chargrilled baby octopus starter reads as expensive on a menu and costs a fraction of what a comparable meat starter would. Half cut crab in a chilli sauce is a signature dish that people come back for and talk about. Squid rings are the highest margin item on most seafood boards.
They also travel across cuisines without looking out of place. Baby octopus works in a Japanese salad, a Mediterranean starter and a Bengali curry. Blue swimming crab is at home in Thai, Singaporean, Sri Lankan and Chinese cooking. That flexibility is what makes them sensible stock for a mixed menu rather than a single specialist dish.
Common questions
What does 20/40 mean on baby octopus?
Between twenty and forty pieces per kilo. A lower number means larger octopus. The range is wide because the catch varies in size naturally.
Why does my octopus come out rubbery?
Almost always because it was cooked for a time in the middle of the range. Under three minutes over high heat, or twenty five minutes and more of gentle simmering. The stretch between those two is where octopus toughens.
Is frozen octopus worse than fresh?
For texture it is often better. Freezing ruptures muscle fibres, which does the same job as mechanical tenderising. Thaw it slowly in the fridge and it starts out more tender than fresh.
What is blue swimming crab used for?
It is the crab behind Singapore chilli crab, Thai crab curries and many South Asian crab dishes. The half cut format lets sauce reach the meat and portions evenly for service.
Are squid and octopus halal?
Shafi’i, Maliki and Hanbali scholars permit them as game of the sea. The Hanafi and Ja’fari positions restrict seafood more narrowly. Follow your own school, and check separately for any alcohol-based marinade on prepared or breaded products.
Can I buy these from Think GG without a trade account?
Yes. Buy single packs at the Think GG depot in Longsight, Manchester. Trade accounts are for case pricing and nationwide frozen delivery.
Exotic seafood from Think GG
Baby octopus, blue swimming crab, squid tube, lobster tails and more. Collect in Longsight or ship frozen nationwide.
Browse exotic seafood Contact Think GG
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