How do you clean a whole squid?

Pull the head and tentacles away from the body tube — the insides come with them. Reach into the tube and pull out the clear plastic-like quill (pen) and any remaining guts. Cut the tentacles off just below the eyes, squeeze out the hard round beak from the centre of the tentacles, and discard the head. Peel the thin purple skin off the tube. Rinse the tube and tentacles under cold water. Both are now ready to cook.

What is the clear plastic thing inside squid?

That's the quill, also called the pen or cuttlebone equivalent. It's a transparent, flexible internal support made of a chitin-like material that looks like a strip of clear plastic. It is not edible — pull it straight out of the body tube and discard it before cooking.

Do you have to remove the skin from squid?

Not strictly, but it's worth doing. The thin purplish membrane peels off easily and removing it gives a whiter, cleaner-looking tube and helps it cook evenly without the skin shrinking and curling. For calamari rings or scored squid you'll usually skin it; for a rustic whole grilled squid you can leave it on.

What part of the squid do you not eat?

Discard the head and eyes, the clear quill, the guts, the ink sac (unless you're saving the ink to cook with), and the hard round beak in the centre of the tentacles. What you eat is the body tube, the wings (the two fins on the tube), and the tentacles.

Is squid the same as calamari?

In Australian shops the words are used almost interchangeably, but strictly, calamari refers to certain squid species (like southern calamari) prized for tender, sweeter flesh, while 'squid' covers the broader group including arrow and Gould's squid. The cleaning method is identical for both. Calamari tends to be more tender; squid can be slightly firmer and is often scored or quick-cooked.

How do you stop squid from being gritty?

Grit comes from two places: leftover guts inside the tube and the hard beak in the tentacles. After pulling out the quill, run a finger down the inside of the tube to clear any remaining membrane and guts, and always squeeze out and discard the beak where the tentacles meet. A final rinse under cold running water removes any residue.

Can you save and use squid ink?

Yes. The ink sac is a small silvery-black pouch among the guts near the head. To save it, carefully pinch it out without bursting it, then squeeze the ink into a small dish. Use it to colour and flavour pasta, risotto, or sauce. If you don't want it, discard it with the rest of the guts.

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How to Clean Squid & Calamari (Step-by-Step with Photo)

Tasman Star Team29 May 20264 min read

squidcalamarihow to clean squidseafood prepGold Coast seafood

How to Clean Squid & Calamari (Step-by-Step)

Quick answer — Pull the head and tentacles out of the body tube (the guts come with them). Pull the clear quill out of the tube. Cut the tentacles off below the eyes and squeeze out the hard round beak. Peel the thin purple skin off the tube. Rinse. You're left with the tube, the wings, and the tentacles — all ready to cook. The whole job takes about 5 minutes.

Key facts:

Separate the head from the tube by pulling — the guts come out attached to the head
Remove the clear quill (pen) from inside the tube and discard it
Cut tentacles below the eyes and squeeze out the hard round beak
Peel the thin purplish skin off the tube for a cleaner, whiter result
Edible parts: the body tube, the two side wings, and the tentacles
Discard: head, eyes, quill, guts, beak (save the ink sac if you want squid ink)
Cleaning a squid takes about 5 minutes; rinse well to avoid grit

Squid or Calamari — Same Job

In Australian shops the words are used almost interchangeably. Strictly, calamari refers to particular squid (like southern calamari) prized for sweeter, more tender flesh, while squid covers the wider group. The good news: the cleaning method is exactly the same for both.

Cleaning your own whole squid is cheaper than buying tubes, gives you the tentacles (the best bit, in many cooks' opinion), and means you can save the ink. It looks intimidating the first time and is genuinely easy by the second.

Cleaning fresh calamari by hand — separating the tube, tentacles and quill on a board — Cleaning fresh local calamari — the tube, tentacles, and quill separated out. About five minutes per squid.

What You'll Need

A sharp knife
A board
A bowl for the bits you're discarding
A small dish if you want to save the ink
Cold running water

Step-by-Step: Cleaning Whole Squid

1. Pull the head from the tube

Hold the body tube in one hand and the head (with the tentacles) in the other. Pull gently and steadily — the head slides out and most of the guts come with it, still attached. This is the satisfying part.

2. Pull out the quill

Reach into the open end of the tube and find the quill (also called the pen) — a clear, flexible strip that looks like a piece of plastic. Pull it straight out and discard it. Run a finger down the inside of the tube to clear any leftover membrane or guts.

3. Deal with the tentacles and beak

Cut the tentacles off just below the eyes — keep the tentacles, discard the head and eyes. In the centre where the tentacles join, you'll feel a hard round nub: the beak. Squeeze it out and discard it (it's gritty and inedible).

4. Save the ink (optional)

Among the discarded guts is a small silvery-black ink sac. If you want squid ink for pasta or risotto, pinch it out carefully without bursting it and squeeze the ink into a dish. Otherwise, bin it with the guts.

5. Peel the skin

The tube is covered in a thin purplish skin. Find an edge — often near the wings — and peel it off under cold running water. It comes away easily. You can also pull off the two triangular wings (they're edible — keep them).

6. Rinse and prep

Rinse the tube and tentacles under cold water. Now choose your cut:

Rings — slice the tube crossways
Scored — slit the tube open flat and score the inside in a crosshatch (helps tenderness and looks great)
Whole — leave the tube whole for stuffing or whole-grilling

The Most Important Tip: Don't Overcook It

Cleaning is only half the battle. Squid and calamari go tough and rubbery the moment they're overcooked. There are only two safe zones:

Fast and hot — 1–2 minutes (grill, sear, flash-fry)
Slow and low — 30–45 minutes (braise, stew)

Anything in between turns it to rubber. For the full method, see how to cook tender calamari.

Want extra-tender, well-seasoned calamari? A short salt-and-ice brine before cooking makes a real difference — see how to brine calamari in saltwater and ice.

Prefer to Skip the Prep?

Tasman Star carries squid and calamari in every format:

Fresh local squid — whole, for cleaning yourself
Squid tubes and pineapple-cut fillets — cleaned and ready to cook
Salt & pepper squid — ready to fry
Whole cuttlefish and cleaned cuttlefish meat — squid's larger, meatier cousin

Browse squid, octopus & cuttlefish at Tasman Star →

Buying Squid on the Gold Coast

Tasman Star Seafood stocks fresh local squid and calamari at both stores:

Varsity Lakes — 20 Casua Dr, (07) 5522 1221
Labrador — 5–7 Olsen Ave, (07) 5529 2500

Gold Coast home delivery runs Monday, Tuesday, and Friday.

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Order squid & calamari online from Tasman Star Seafood — Gold Coast delivery, open 7 days.

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