The Best Fried Calamari At Home - Using Fresh Squid
Tools & Ingredients you will need:
A home fryer, or 6qt heavy pot if you do not have a home fryer
Candy thermometer that reads up to 400F
2 quarts of frying oil of your choice, or enough oil to cover the squid completely when frying
Breading Basket – To shake off excess breading from the squid
12qt bowl – for the breading
2# Intershell Fresh Cape Cod Squid Cleaned – Defrosted if frozen
A plate lined with paper towels to absorb the oil from the fried squid
Lemon wedges, tartar sauce, & french fries – For serving
Serves 3-4 People
Cook time: +/- 2 Minutes per batch. Fry until golden brown
Cooking Instructions:
Small batches are recommended! We find that cooking Intershell’s fresh squid in about 4 batches (or more) will give you good results without letting the squid stick together or lose their breading as the frying occurs.
Clean the Fresh Squid, click here for step-by-step instructions.
Heat 3 inches of oil to 350 Degrees F in your home fryer or stove top pan. Use the thermometer to check the oil temperature.
Into a 12qt bowl, dump the breading.
Prop the basket up to one side of the bowl.
Moisten the squid with water before dropping them into the bowl with the breading.
Drop about ¼ of the squid in the breading and carefully - with your fingers – coat the squid with breading making sure all the squid are covered and separate.
Toss the breaded squid in the basket, and lightly shake the basket with the squid in it to remove the excess breading before frying. Make sure the squid is completely coated, separated from one another, and don’t get stuck together.
Transfer the ‘shaken’ squid into the fryer basket and carefully drop it into the 350F frying oil. Cook for approximately 2 minutes until golden brown, remove the squid from the frying oil.
Carefully spread the squid on the paper towel lined plate and repeat steps 6 & 7 to cook the rest of squid in 3 more batches. Do your best not to overcook!
Serve fried calamari (squid) while hot with red sauce or tartar sauce, fries, and lemon wedges.