Easy Beer-Soaked Tender Dried Squid Recipe & Tips

Grilled dried squid is a familiar drinking snack at every party, feast, or weekend gathering with friends. However, quite a few people run into a situation where the squid becomes hard, tough, dry, or easily gets scorched and gives off a burnt smell after grilling. To fix this problem, food lovers have discovered a unique trick: soaking dried squid in beer before grilling.

The combination of beer and dried squid not only helps every fiber of the meat expand evenly and retain moisture, but also brings out an irresistibly delicious flavor. In this article, **Ola Squid** will guide you in detail on how to grill beer-soaked dried squid so it turns out soft, sweet, and perfectly flavored right at home, using 4 simple methods.

Why should you soak dried squid in beer before grilling?

Many people are used to grilling dried squid directly right after buying it. However, the process of briefly soaking it in beer creates a real difference in both the texture and flavor of the dish. Here are the reasons why you should apply this small trick:

• Beer helps the squid soften and stay moist while grilling: During the drying process, dried squid loses its natural water content, causing the muscle fibers to contract. When applying the method of soaking dried squid in beer to soften it, the alcohol molecules and liquid soak deeply into every fiber of the meat, helping the fibers expand and become soft again. As a result, when grilled at high heat, the squid does not lose moisture too quickly and keeps its natural chewy sweetness instead of becoming dry and hard.
• Beer removes the fishy smell and boosts natural sweetness: The fermented malted barley combined with hops effectively suppresses the strong fishy odor typical of dried seafood. At the same time, the naturally fermented sugar in the beer reacts with heat to create a rich fragrant aroma, enhancing the inherent rich sweetness of beer-soaked dried squid.

Learn more: A roundup of 9 ways to soak dried squid to make it soft while keeping its chewy taste

How to choose good dried squid and the right kind of beer

For beer-soaked dried squid to turn out great, choosing the ingredients plays a role that determines 80% of the success. You need to pay attention to the criteria below:

Criteria for choosing good dried squid at Ola Squid

• Thick and straight body: You should choose squid with a thick, straight body and firm, chewy meat. Thick-bodied squid, when grilled and torn apart, gives fluffy, richly sweet strands.
• Natural pinkish color: Good quality dried squid has a white belly, a naturally light pink back, and faint dark spots. Avoid buying squid that is deep red or has unusual dark bruise-like marks.
• Evenly coated white powder layer: Naturally sun-dried squid has a thin layer of white powder evenly coating its body. The thicker this powder layer, the fresher the squid and the more properly it was dried.

What kind of beer should be used for soaking squid

• You should prioritize light golden beers with moderate alcohol content and low bitterness (such as Heineken, Tiger, Lager…). These beers help the squid keep a gentle flavor without becoming bitter.
• Avoid using strongly flavored beer: Avoid dark beers or craft beers with too much hop intensity or excessive bitterness, as they will overpower the squid’s natural sweetness and leave a bitter aftertaste after grilling.

4 ways to grill beer-soaked dried squid so it stays soft without burning

After preparing clean, quality ingredients from Ola Squid, you can apply one of the 4 methods of grilling dried squid below depending on the kitchen equipment available at home.

Grilling with an air fryer

An air fryer is a convenient device that helps you grill squid quickly and evenly without much effort in monitoring.

• Step 1 – Separate the head and body of the squid: Gently tear apart the tentacles (head) and the body of the squid by hand. The tentacles cook faster than the body, so if grilled together, the tentacles will easily get burnt.

• Step 2 – Soak the dried squid in beer: Place the body and tentacles into a large bowl or dish, and pour in beer until it covers the squid. Soak for about 10 to 15 minutes to let the squid absorb enough moisture. Then take it out and use a paper towel to blot off the excess beer on the surface.

• Step 3 – Grilling dried squid with an air fryer: Arrange the squid body on the grilling tray. Preheat the fryer at 180°C for 3 minutes, then place the squid body in and grill at 180°C for about 3 to 4 minutes. Continue by adding the tentacles and grill for another 2 minutes until fully cooked.

• Step 4 – Pound the squid loose: As soon as you take the squid out of the fryer while it is still hot, wrap it in clean newspaper or plastic wrap, and gently and evenly pound it with a wooden mallet so the meat fibers loosen and become soft.

• Step 5 – Final result and enjoying it: Tear the squid into small strips along its width. Squid grilled in an air fryer gives off the aroma of malted barley beer, and the meat is soft, chewy, and sweet.

Grilling with alcohol

Grilling dried squid with alcohol is a traditional grilling method that delivers authentic flavor, helping the squid keep its distinctively delicious aroma.

• Step 1 – Separate the head and body of the squid: Separate the tentacles from the body so the grilling temperature can be controlled most accurately.

• Step 2 – Soak the dried squid in beer: Soak the squid in a deep dish filled with beer for 10 to 15 minutes. Take it out and let it drain naturally or blot it lightly dry.

• Step 3 – Place the squid on a plate or pan and pour alcohol evenly over it: Place the squid on an aluminum plate or an old unused pan. Pour a sufficient amount of 90-degree medical alcohol all over the squid’s body and around the plate.

• Step 4 – Light the fire and keep flipping the squid until evenly cooked: Use a lighter to ignite the alcohol flame. Use chopsticks or tongs to keep flipping the squid every 5 to 10 seconds until the alcohol flame burns itself out and the squid curls up, giving off a rich aroma.

• Step 5 – Pound the squid loose: Use a wooden mallet to gently pound the squid’s body right while it is still hot so the meat becomes fluffy.

• Step 6 – Final result and enjoying it: Tear it into small strips, and prepare a plate of spicy chili sauce to nibble on with friends. This grilled dried squid dish paired with beer will surely win over every guest.

Grilling dried squid with a gas stove

Grilling dried squid with a gas stove is suitable for households without an air fryer or alcohol.

• Step 1 – Separate the head and body of the squid: Separate the head and body of the squid. The tentacles cook faster than the body, so if grilled together, the tentacles will easily get burnt.

• Step 2 – Soak the dried squid in beer: Soak the squid in a bowl of beer for 10 to 15 minutes, then take it out to drain.

• Step 3 – Clamp the squid onto the grilling rack and grill: Lay the squid flat on a stainless steel grilling rack. Turn on the gas stove to the lowest flame, keeping the rack about 10 to 15 cm above the flame. Keep flipping the rack evenly so the squid does not get scorched. When the squid curls up and turns a rich golden color, it is done.

• Step 4 – Pound the squid loose: Take the squid off the rack, wrap it in paper, and gently pound it with a mallet so the meat fibers become soft and fluffy.

• Step 5 – Final result and enjoying it: Arrange the squid on a plate, with sweet, chewy strands blending with an appealing light smoky aroma.

Grilling with a microwave

A microwave lets you grill squid quickly in under 2 minutes while still keeping it soft and tasty.

• Step 1 – Separate the head and body of the squid: Clearly separate the body and the tentacles of the squid.

• Step 2 – Soak the dried squid in beer: Soak the squid in beer for 10 to 15 minutes so it softens and expands, then take it out to drain.

• Step 3 – Grilling squid in a microwave:
  • Place the squid body on a microwave-safe plate, turn on Grill mode (or medium-high) and grill for 50 to 60 seconds.
  • Wrap the tentacles in aluminum foil: For the smaller tentacles that dry out easily, wrap them tightly in a layer of aluminum foil and put them in the microwave for about 40 seconds, which helps the tentacles retain full moisture and cook evenly without becoming tough.

• Step 4 – Pound the squid loose: Take the squid out and gently pound it with a wooden mallet while it is still hot.

• Step 5 – Final result and enjoying it: Enjoy the fragrant, soft, and convenient grilled squid dish.

Frequently asked questions about soaking dried squid in beer

How long should you soak dried squid in beer?

The ideal soaking time is 10 to 15 minutes. If you soak it too briefly (under 5 minutes), the beer will not have time to soak deeply into the muscle fibers of the squid. On the other hand, if you soak it too long (over 30 minutes), the squid will absorb too much liquid, causing the meat to become mushy, lose its natural sweetness, and fall apart easily during grilling.

Can other ingredients be used instead of beer?

If you do not have beer at home, you can substitute it with light white wine, diluted food-grade alcohol, or soak the squid in warm water (around 40°C). However, soaking with beer still gives the most delicious flavor thanks to the malted barley yeast that naturally softens the squid meat.

How long can beer-soaked grilled squid be kept after cooking?

You should enjoy beer-soaked dried squid right after grilling to fully experience its soft, sweet flavor. If you do not finish it, you should put the squid in a zip bag or airtight container and store it in the refrigerator’s cool compartment for 1 to 2 days. When eating it again, simply heat it gently in the microwave for about 15 to 20 seconds until warm before serving.

Applying the proper method of grilling beer-soaked dried squid helps you completely fix the problem of squid turning hard, tough, or scorched, while bringing you a delicious, soft, sweet snack with restaurant-quality flavor. Whether you grill it with an air fryer, alcohol, gas stove, or microwave, just a bit of care in the beer-soaking step will give you a plate of delicious grilled squid to enjoy with family and friends.

For the dish to reach its finest flavor, do not forget to visit the trusted Ola Squid store right away. We proudly offer premium line-caught dried squid products, with thick bodies, fully sun-dried, keeping the natural sweetness of the sea intact!