We recently caught some Humboldt squid in the Monterey Bay, which made for a nice dish. These creatures normally don't venture this far up north, but the warmer waters of recent years have brought these unique visitors to the Northern California shores. When they are around, they are a ton of fun to catch and make for some good eating. Here's a simple step-by-step guide on how to clean a Humboldt squid.
First, find a nice, flat surface big enough to accommodate the catch of the day. The squid here was about two feet in length. Clean the surface by rinsing it with some water. It helps to have access to a hose and running water, as cleaning these guys can be a little messy.
Get a sharp knife in a size that you're comfortable with. The bodies of these squid are pretty easy to cut through, but they do have some hard cartilage that will be more easily handled with larger knives.
Start by cutting off the tentacles just below the head, and the wings (fins) at the top of the tube, and set those aside.
Next, cut the head and remove any innards that may leak out from the head or the tube. Now, you're ready to process the tube, which contains the bulk of the meat. Cut the tube open by making a shallow cut along the length of the tube. Be careful and try not to puncture any of the guts.
The guts are loosely attached and can be easily removed by carefully cutting away the thin membranes connected to the tube. Alternatively, you can cut along the hard piece of cartilage (at the top of the tube in the picture above) and that may allow you to remove the bulk of the guts in one fell swoop.
Dispose of the guts, cartilage, and any excess membrane.
Clean the tube by rinsing it gently with running water, then remove the outer membrane. You should be able to easily peel off the sleeve-like membrane on the outside of the tube. Use the knife to make small cuts, if necessary. Cut away any excess membrane and clean off the edges of the tube.
You now have a nice slab of squid fillet.
Follow the same steps from the tip of the tube and the wings (fins) if you want to eat those parts. The wings are less meaty, but are still edible.
If you want, save the head and the tentacles as they make for great bait for crab nets and pots or live bait fishing.
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