First you thaw the octopus in the fridge for a day or so. Then bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil -- don't bother salting it because you will not be cooking the octopus in the water very long.
Once the water is boiling hard, place the octopus in the kettle, cover and return to a boil. How long do you let the octopus cook?
- For baby ones that can fit in your hand, only a minute or two.
- For smaller ones about a foot long and weighing less than a half-pound, boil for 4-5 minutes.
- For large octopus like the one pictured, boil for a good 8-10 minutes.