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Interesting Squid Observation?


SydneyIsSkyBlue

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Hi everyone,

So curiosity has got the better of me...

I had the afternoon off work today and decided to take myself down south to target some squid. I stated at Gymea Baths and nabbed a smallish arrow squid with my first cast just at the turn of the tide. After about an hour, things started going quiet so I thought I'd move to a more coastal environment and again, first cast I was on to a decent calamari. This was follow by a slightly smaller calamari a few mins later and then my first ever tentacle being retrieved by my jig (whoops!). 

I usually dispatch the squid immediately with the ikijime method if I'm going to be taking them home but I've noticed that the last few times I've caught the arrow squid, after about 1 hour of sitting in a bucket with fresh water from wherever I'm squidding (which I tend to change every 15-20 mins) they tend to go a solid white colour and go extremely rigid - I'm guessing this is some sort of rigor mortis response? Interestingly though, both the calamari I caught didn't have that same response and they were kept in the same bucket for a few hours. The best way I can explain it is almost the texture of how squid goes if it is over cooked (rubbery?).

 

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Edited by SydneyIsSkyBlue
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Hi SydneyisSkyBlue Try marinating your squid in mashed kiwifruit for about 2 hours, then remove kiwifruit and cook normally. This tenderizes it and is a quicker method than using milk and garlic which is best left for a few more hours. Also doesn't leave your fridge smelling like garlic! Onion also works as a tenderizer but the kiwifruit are best and never get rubbery calamari again!

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28 minutes ago, SydneyIsSkyBlue said:

Thanks mate - will try that! :)

Any ideas why the arrows react that way once dispatched?

Are you dispatching the arrows then letting it float in a bucket? Once dispatched the arrows lose their camo on death.

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Yep, dispatch them (obviously they immediately turn white) and then leaving them in a little bit of water in a bucket but changing that water every 15-20 min.

It's more the texture of the body that goes quite rubbery over the next hour rather than that typical soft fresh squid feeling.

Edited by SydneyIsSkyBlue
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