Crispy Pan Fried Calamari

🔪How To Clean Squid Before Cooking It

Squid will take about 5-10 minutes to fully clean and prepare for frying. Once prepared and sliced, you can use it immediately or place it into a freezer safe bag for later use. Here’s how to clean it:

1. On a large cutting board, place the whole squid. Grasp it tightly but gently, by the mantle and slowly pull up from the head to release it as well as the innards. You may need to twist slightly to separate the innards from the body
2. If there’s any innards left after removing the head, gently squeeze them out of the opening
3. Next, cut right above the space where the tentacles attach to the head, but below the eye, to remove the tentacles.
4. Then you’re going to look under the tentacles to find the beak, squeeze and gently pull the beak out. It should come out fairly easily
5. Next, it’s time to remove the cartilage. The cartilage is just a thin, flat piece of bone that you’ll find at the mantle opening. All you have to do is pull it out
6. Now, clean the skin off and remove the fins. The fins are edible, so you can cut them into slices
7. Lastly, thoroughly rinse the mantle and tentacles in cold water, making sure to clean both inside and out.
8. You now have cleaned and prepared squid and you can cut the mantle into rings and turn it into delicious fried calamari!

📝Expert Tips For The Crispiest Fried Calamari

• Don’t cut the calamari rings too thin. You want them to be thick enough that you can get a nice, crisp golden brown coating and the squid inside still stays super tender
• Soak the cut squid in a salted milk mixture. By soaking it for at least 10 minutes, it’s long enough to tenderize squid and also help to subde any fishy smell
• Keep the oil hot! You want it to be at least 350 degrees F before you start frying, and I suggest leaving a thermometer in the pot so you can monitor the temperature and make sure it doesn’t drop too much
• Don’t overcook! The calamari only needs to fry about 3 minutes, any more and it will be tough and rubbery
• Serve immediately. Fried calamari is best serve piping hot, fresh out of the fryer with a squeeze of lemon juice

😋 My Layered Taco Dip and my Cold Spinach Dip are both popular party dips people go crazy over!

🛒Ingredients

• Squid: I prefer to purchase my squid already cleaned and cut, but in case you buy it whole, I’ve included instructions on how to prepare it.
• Milk: You add salt and lemon to the milk and soak the squid in it to make your fried calamari flavorful and tender.
• Lemon: The zest is used to season the squid and the juice is great for squeezing over the calamari once it’s cooked to add a level of freshness.
• Flour: The soaked squid is dredged in a seasoned flour mixture and once fried, it is what gives the squid it's crunchy golden brown crust.
• Spices: I keep my seasoning simple by just using salt, pepper, and dried oregano in the flour dredge, and finishing the fried calamari with a sprinkle of fresh parsley
• Oil: Choose one that has a relatively high smoke point like canola, vegetable or peanut oil.
• Peppers: I like to fry up a mixture of bell peppers and jalapenos in my recipe and mix them into the calamari for a fun, fresher option that always surprises my guests. (It's the best part.)
• Marinara: You absolutely can’t serve fried calamari without warm marinara! My favorite brand to use is Rao’s marinara sauce, but any kind will work.

✔️How To Make The Best Fried Calamari

1. Add cleaned, sliced squid to a medium size bowl with milk, salt, and lemon zest. 
2. Place the bowl into the fridge and let it rest for 10 minutes
3. While the squid is tenderizing in the salted milk mixture, prepare your flour dredge by mixing flour, salt, pepper, and oregano in a shallow bowl
4. Next, add the olive oil to a large skillet and heat over medium/high heat
5. Heat olive oil to 350 degrees F, (you can check with a thermometer)
6. Take the squid out of the milk and place it into the breading mixture. Use your fingers to toss it in the flour until all sides are coated
7. Carefully place the floured squid into the hot oil and cook for 2-3 minutes, until it is golden brown and crispy
8. Take the calamari out of the skillet and lay it on a plate lined with a paper towel
9. Finish frying any squid, then prepare the peppers for frying
10. Slice bell peppers and jalapeno peppers into strips, quickly soak them in the milk mixture, then dredge in the seasoned flour and place into the hot oil
11. Fry for 2-3 minutes until golden brown, then serve on a platter with the hot calamari, a side of marinara, fresh parsley, and a squeeze of lemon juice.