Can You eat Humboldt Squid, and how does it taste? PS. Do they attack people???
I’m asking this because I read a news report that GIANT SQUID are invading the Califonia shores.
I guess these squids grow to be seven feet long and weigh up to 110 pounds and they eat the same fish that the sharks and tuna do, meaning there will be less food for them and less fish for the fishermen to catch. If we can eat these squids, what’s the big deal? I’m hungry. John
2 Responses
im4realez
23 Mar 2010
EtOHRx
23 Mar 2010
I cannot say if they taste good but if you are hungry go for it.
No, they generally do not attack people. But if they decide to attack, you are DEAD. IO seen them on a Discovery Channel special. It was In the Gulf of California in Mexico. One took one of the researchers my the leg and pulled him down 30 feet in a flash then let him go. They have a razor sharp beak that can rip flesh from any animal. But they seem to be more curious about human than see us as prey. But if they are hungry…
Squid
People tend to be really put off by the idea of eating squid -after all, they look totally alien. Even the name is icky. Generally, if you catch squid at the East Cape they will be giant squid (calimar grande, technically Humboldt squid), Squid are very aggressive animals, and extraordinarily easy to catch. They’re also nasty, and will happily cover you in ink and squid crap and do their best to take a chunk out of you (they’ve got a beak like a parrot and their suckers have claws). If you get into squid, be sure to let the boat crew handle them.
Now, if you’re like most people, the only reason you’d consider catching squid is for bait. But they are really good eating as well. The giant squid give nice thick steaks, and the tentacles are tasty, too. The texture is rather different, more like shellfish (squid is a mollusk, after all), but the flavor is very mild and excellent.
The knock on squid is that it is tough and chewy, but again this is mostly the result of overcooking. Overcooked squid is a disaster – seriously, you could retread truck tires with the stuff. Properly cooked, it is quite edible, though some people may find it a bit firm. If you’re worried about this, there are a couple of ways to tenderize squid steaks, which you can do individually or in combination. The first is beat it with a hammer – I’m serious. Wrap the squid steak in plastic, and pound it with a meat tenderizer, wooden mallet, or even just a beer bottle. The other thing is to use a marinade containing something acidic, like lemon juice or vinegar.