Have you ever wondered what to do with your shrimp shells? Instead of throwing them away, make our seafood stock recipe.
If you are looking for recipes to use seafood stock, try our chicken, sausage, and shrimp gumbo and our chicken and sausage jambalaya.
Ingredients
The ingredients for our seafood stock recipe are pantry staples that are easy to find at your local grocery store. Let's talk about some of the key ingredients.
- Seafood shells: We used shrimp shells for this photo shoot but you can use crab or lobster shells too.
- Aromatics: We used yellow onion and garlic.
- Vegetables: We used celery and carrots. The carrots will boost the sweet flavor.
- Liquid: We used white wine to deglaze the pan, but sherry or brandy are good substitutes.
- Spices: We used fresh parsley and thyme sprigs, bay leaf and kosher salt and black peppercorns.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Seafood Stock
- Over medium high heat, heat up the oil in a large Dutch oven and cook the shrimp shells, onions, celery, and carrots for 5 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for a minute. Reduce the heat to medium, and cook for another 10 minutes then deglaze the pan with some white wine by scraping the brown bits off with a wooden turner. (image 1)
- Next, pour in the water and add the fresh and dried spices. Bring to a boil, then simmer for an hour. (image 2)
- Line a colander with cheesecloth and place it over a pot or bowl. Use a ladle to put the shells and veggies in the colander. (image 3)
- Strain the liquid from the vegetables and shrimp shells by pouring it through the colander. (image 4)
- Pour the seafood stock into airtight containers and refrigerate until needed. (image 5)
- Use in a recipe, or freeze in plastic bags until ready to use. Seafood stock is not only simple to make at home, it's low cost, freezer friendly, and healthy. Try making our recipe the next time you have shrimp shells. You won't be disappointed! (image 6)
Recipe FAQs
Start with leftover shrimp, lobster or crab shells, then add some aromatics. Use white wine, brandy or sherry to deglaze the pan and throw in your vegetables, fresh and dried spices and pour in the water.
It keeps in the fridge for up to a week or it can be frozen for up to two months.
It has the essence of shrimp (if you used shrimp shells), the the flavor is balanced out with the other flavors that are used in the stock - the vegetables, herbs and the white wine.
Fish broth is made from pieces of fish (cod and pollock) and not fish bones. It is simmered longer than stock so it tends to be thicker. Seafood stock is made from shells of shrimp, lobster or crab. It is simmered for an hour then strained.
Serve
Seafood stock is most commonly used in soups and stews like crab soup, gumbo, and seafood chowder, but it would also taste delicious in jambalaya, shrimp and grits, risotto, and paella.
If you're looking for other tasty seafood recipes, make sure to try our recipes for New England clam chowder, cream of crab soup, and New Orleans gumbo.
Expert Tips
- Don't toss leftover shrimp. Rinse under cool water and store in a zip top bag in the freezer.
- Peels from the onion deepen the color.
- Cook the shrimp shells with the aromatics.
- Simmer for one hour.
- To use in sauces, flash freeze in ice cube trays then transfer to a zip top bag.
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Recipe
Seafood Stock Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cup yellow onion, chopped
- 1 cup celery, chopped
- 1 cup unpeeled carrots, chopped
- 2 large garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
- shrimp shells and tails from 2 pounds fresh shrimp, rinsed
- ⅓ cup white wine
- 2 quarts filtered water
- 10 fresh thyme sprigs, rinsed
- 3 fresh parsley sprigs, rinsed
- 15 black peppercorns
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Rinse the shrimp shells in a colander under cold water, then drain.
- Pour the olive oil into a large pot and set over medium high heat. Stir in the onions, carrots, celery, and shrimp. After 5 minutes, add the garlic, turn down the heat to medium, and cook for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Deglaze the pan by pouring white wine onto the bottom of the pot. Scrape off the flavorful cooked bits of food, called a fond, with a wooden turner.
- Stir in the water and spices, then increase the heat to medium high and cover with a lid. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for one hour.
- Line a large colander with cheesecloth or paper towels and place it over a pot or bowl to catch the strained stock.
- Pour or ladle the liquid into the colander, discarding the shrimp shells, veggies, and spices. Transfer the reserved seafood stock into glass jars. Let cool on the counter, then refrigerate for up to 3 days. Freeze for long-term storage in freezer friendly containers.
Notes
- Don't toss leftover shrimp. Rinse under cool water and store in a zip top bag in the freezer.
- Peels from the onion deepen the color.
- Cook the shrimp shells with the aromatics.
- Simmer for one hour.
- To use in sauces, flash freeze in ice cube trays then transfer to a zip top bag.
Nutrition
Serving sizes and nutritional information are only an estimate and may vary from your results.
Steve F
Good stock only thing I did different is I used prawn (shrimp)heads also along with shells
Emma Fajcz
We're so glad you enjoyed the stock, Steve! Thanks for your kind words!
Kristen Page
Hi, I want to give this a try, but I live in Michigan and cannot get fresh shrimp. is there a downside to using frozen shrimp shells?
Is it worth the effort? Wil the flavor be as good?
Emma Fajcz
Frozen works just as well, Kristen! We hope you enjoy the stock.
Debbie
Thank you for this recipe. I will try this for my Christmas bisque recipe. Love your site.
Emma
We're so glad that you like our blog, Debbie! Let us know how your seafood stock tastes in your Christmas bisque. It sounds delicious!
Beth
I learned a bunch from this post. I agree that seafood stock does improve the flavour of those yummy dishes you mentioned.
Emma
We're glad that you found this post informative, Beth! Making your own stock really does make a difference in taste.