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How-tos Kitchen

How to clean fresh whole squid (calamari)

Published: 08.21.2010 » Last updated: 06.22.2022

If you like squid (or if you're just a fan of crispy calamari), knowing how to clean fresh whole squids is an indispensable skill. See our illustrated guide.

Fresh whole squids on chopping board

This is a tutorial I wrote back in 2010. I know the photos aren’t exactly the best and I haven’t taken new ones because we are now able to source fully cleaned frozen squid rings which are super convenient but pricey. If you prefer to buy your squid whole, this is what you should do to make sure that you don’t up serving inedible parts of the animal to your family.

How to clean fresh whole squid (calamari): pulling out the entrails

Rinse the squids, drain and place on a cutting board. With one hand, hold the squid’s body. With the other hand, grab the tentacles and pull to remove the squid’s entrails.

How to clean fresh whole squid (calamari): pulling out the cuttlebone

Next, feel around inside the cavity until you locate the cuttlebone (the animal’s spine) — a stiff, transparent, plastic-like strip embedded in the squid’s flesh. Pull it out and discard.

How to clean fresh whole squid (calamari): peeling off the skin

Take a knife, make a very light incision on the squid’s body to open up the skin. Then, peel off the skin. It might not come off with one pull but once part of the skin has been removed, it is easy to remove the rest by alternative scraping and peeling.

How to clean fresh whole squid (calamari): trimming the tentacles

Now, your squids are clean. But what about the tentacles? Should they be thrown away. No, they are edible. Separate the edible tentacles from the rest of the head. I cut off between the eyes and tentacles and squeeze off, and discard, the round white ball of substance inside.

How to clean fresh whole squid (calamari): cutting the squid tube into rings

With the squid body and tentacles cleaned and trimmed, just cut everything into whatever shape or size you desire. You can cut the bodies into rings. Or slit them down the middle, open them up, make criss cross patterns all over the surface, dice and use in a stir fried dish.

How to clean fresh whole squid (calamari): pressing squid rings between stacks of paper towels

Whichever shape you cut the cleaned squids into, and however you intend to cook them, make sure to rinse the squid again to remove as much of the sliminess as you can. Then, press the cut squid between stacks of paper towels to remove excess surface moisture.

Crispy calamari with dipping sauce

Crispy calamari

Subtly spicy and citrusy with light-as-a-cloud coating. Squid rings are tossed in lemon pepper seasoning, dipped in batter made with beer and vodka, and deep fried until golden.

Get the recipe u0026rarr;Crispy calamari

Connie Veneracion

Lawyer by education. Journalist by accident. Writer by passion. Photographer by necessity. Good food, coffee and wine lover forever. Read more about me and Umami Days. Find me on Flipboard, Substack and Pinterest.

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