Although we generally associate culinary stock with meat or poultry bones, you can also make stock from the soft exoskeletons of crustaceans, such as shrimp, crabs, crayfish, and lobster. After all, their shells basically are bone structure—it’s just on the outside! Shrimp are ideal crustaceans for stock-making because all parts of the shrimp can be used easily and without much attention to detail.
Each time you peel shrimp before cooking, save the raw shells in a bag in your freezer. When you’ve accumulated about a quart of shells, make a batch of stock.
If you can purchase fresh or frozen head-on shrimp, so much the better! The heads and bodies of shrimp are loaded with flavor and collagen, a protein substance that, when cooked, yields gelatin that gives your stock body. If a significant portion of your head-on shrimp are female, their bodies may contain pink roe that not only adds flavor but also gives your stock an attractive coral color.
Take care not to overcook your shrimp stock. Doing so can result in an unpleasant “calcified” mineral flavor and bitter taste. Never cook shrimp stock longer than 20 minutes at a gentle simmer.
When you strain your shrimp stock, press firmly on the shells to release every bit of flavorful liquid.
Shrimp stock stored in small containers in the freezer thaws in the microwave oven in mere minutes, ready for you to use in seafood soups, stews, and sauces.
Shrimp Stock
Ingredients
step 1 ingredients
- 1 qt raw shrimp shells (and heads if available)
- 1 oz chopped raw shrimp (small or damaged are fine)
- 1/6 small yellow onion, sliced thin
- 1 bay leaf
- 6 black peppercorns
- 6 coriander seeds (optional)
- 1/3 c white wine
- 1 qt cold water
- 1/8 lemon (wedge)
Instructions
PREP: Make the recipe ahead of time.
1. Make the shrimp stock:
- Place the shrimp shells and chopped shrimp in a saucepan. Add the onion, bay leaf, peppercorns, and coriander seed to the saucepan along with the wine and water. Squeeze in the lemon and drop it into the pan.
- Bring the mixture just under the boil and then lower the heat to maintain a brisk simmer. Cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Strain the stock:
- Strain the stock, pressing on the solids to extract as much liquid is possible. Discard the solids.
- Cool to room temperature and then transfer to a container.