How to Prepare & Clean Whole Squid

Step #1: Remove the head from the tentacles.

1. Gently pull the head and tentacles apart by pressing a towel firmly but gently on the head to get a grip, and then gently pull the tentacles from the head. You may need to use a knife to cut any fibers that connect the head and tentacles if it is too hard to pull out.

Step #2: Remove the spine

1. The squid has a long plastic-like spine, also known as a “quill” in the head section. 
2. Run your finger along the inside of the head and feel for a hard plastic strip. 
3. Grip your fingers around the piece of quill and pull/slide it out of the hole.
4. After pulling it out, run your finger along the whole head again to ensure you got the whole piece, and it was not broken. If there is a piece remaining, just gradually push it down and out of the opening. Throw away the quill once it’s out of the squid’s head.

Step #3: Remove the guts, eyes, and beak

1. Cut the eyes and guts from the top section of the tentacles and discard them.
2. Cut the beak from the center of the tentacles and push it out. The beak will look like a black seed or ball in the middle and feel like a hard shell. 

Step #4: Clean the squid

1. Take coarse salt and massage the squid with the salt for a few minutes. 
2. Then wash it well with fresh cold water to remove the salt. 
3. It is optional to keep or remove the squid skin; it is more of an aesthetic choice.