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Grilled calamari is a tasty alternative to the popular breaded and fried version. The squid is usually already cleaned and prepared, and can be grilled whole or cut into sections. It can be marinated in a variety of flavors and grilled quickly over high heat for a tender, plump texture.
Calamari is often synonymous with popular manifestations such as breaded and fried calamari rings, but there are actually many other serving options, such as grilling. Generally, calamari is purchased already cleaned and prepared with meat, meaning there is little work to be done with grilling calamari. Keeping the flavors simple highlights the flavor of the seafood, and grilling it over high heat for a short amount of time ensures that the texture will be plump and tender, not tough and chewy.
When squid is bought in the supermarket or fish market, most of the preparatory work has already been done. The squid will have been cleaned and the tentacles separated from the body; some people are picky about tentacles, but they can be grilled and eaten just like the less intimidating bodies. Usually the tentacles can be grilled as they are, but the bodies should be trimmed in one of a few ways possible before grilling the calamari.
Grilling whole calamari bodies can be problematic if the insides aren’t dried enough before cooking, so it’s usually best to section them in some fashion. More simply, a single cut can be made completely from the top down one side of the body so that it can be laid out on the grate. Another option to leave the squid as intact as possible is to cut the bodies as if you were cutting them into rings, but stopping just short of the edge so the rings are all still connected; this will prevent the strips from falling through the grate while also creating a vent for the liquid to escape from the center of the body. Grilling cut calamari in its familiar rings can be tricky because the rings could slip through the grill and into the fire, but it’s certainly possible with a careful hand and an acceptance of the possibility of some lost pieces. Otherwise, a vegetable pan with a perforated grill will work, but it probably won’t lend much color or leave the often desired charred grill marks.
Before grilling calamari, it can be subjected to any number of possible marinades and flavorings. A simple and popular choice is a blend of lemon juice, olive oil, herbs, salt, and pepper; calamari can be marinated for a few hours before grilling. Even though the calamari is marinated in oil, it’s important to brush the grill surface with oil before grilling the calamari to make sure it doesn’t stick. Since calamari only cooks for a minute or two on each side, the grill should be very hot to make sure they develop a light browning or charring where the meat meets the surface; Grilling calamari on a surface that is too cold will take longer to develop grill marks and the resulting calamari will be overcooked and tough. The calamari is prepared when it is plump, slightly firm and just opaque.
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