Louisiana Seafood Stock

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Large stockpot (8-quart minimum)
• •Fine-mesh strainer
• •Cheesecloth (optional, for clearer stock)
• •Large ladle
• •Heatproof storage containers

Instructions

1. 1

   Rinse the shells

   Rinse shrimp shells, crab bodies, and fish bones under cold running water until the water runs clear. This removes any grit, blood, or impurities that would cloud your stock. Pat everything dry with paper towels. The cleaner you start, the cleaner you finish.

   If using fish heads, remove the gills first. Gills make stock bitter and murky.
2. 2

   Toast the shells

   Heat a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp shells and heads in a single layer, working in batches if needed. Let them toast without stirring for two to three minutes until they turn pink and fragrant. You'll smell the ocean and something slightly sweet. This step builds depth you can't get any other way.

   Those shrimp heads contain fat that renders out and adds incredible richness. Don't skip them if you can get head-on shrimp.
3. 3

   Add remaining shells

   Add the crab bodies and fish bones to the pot. Stir everything together and let it toast for another two minutes. The kitchen will smell like a fish camp in the best possible way. The shells should be dry and starting to color slightly.

4. 4

   Add the trinity and aromatics

   Add the chopped onions, celery, and bell pepper to the pot. Stir them into the shells and cook for five minutes until the vegetables begin to soften and release their moisture. Toss in the garlic halves, bay leaves, peppercorns, thyme, and parsley. Give everything a good stir.

5. 5

   Cover with cold water

   Pour the cold water over everything. Cold water is essential because it extracts flavor slowly and evenly. Hot water would shock the proteins and give you a cloudy, less flavorful stock. The water should cover the shells by at least two inches. Squeeze in the lemon halves and drop them into the pot. Add the salt.

   The lemon adds brightness and helps balance the richness of the seafood. Don't skip it.
6. 6

   Bring to a gentle simmer

   Set the pot over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer. Watch it carefully. The moment you see bubbles breaking the surface, reduce the heat to maintain a lazy simmer. You want bubbles rising every few seconds, not a rolling boil. A hard boil makes cloudy stock and extracts bitter compounds from the shells.

7. 7

   Skim and simmer

   As the stock simmers, foam and impurities will rise to the surface. Skim this off with a large spoon every ten minutes or so for the first half hour. After that, let it simmer undisturbed for about one hour total. The stock should turn a beautiful golden color with hints of orange from the shrimp fat.

   Never stir the stock while it simmers. Stirring distributes the impurities throughout and clouds the liquid.
8. 8

   Strain carefully

   Set a fine-mesh strainer over a large pot or heatproof container. Line it with cheesecloth if you want crystal-clear stock. Ladle the stock through the strainer gently. Do not press on the solids, tempting as it is. Pressing releases bitter compounds and particles. Let gravity do the work. You should have about three quarts of beautiful, aromatic stock.

9. 9

   Cool and store

   Let the stock cool to room temperature before refrigerating. To cool quickly, set the container in an ice bath and stir occasionally. Once cool, transfer to storage containers leaving an inch of headspace. The stock will keep refrigerated for four days or frozen for three months. A thin layer of fat may solidify on top when cold. Leave it there: it protects the stock until you're ready to use it.

Chef Tips

• •Save your shrimp shells in a freezer bag every time you peel shrimp. Once you have two pounds, you're ready to make stock. Same goes for crab shells after a boil. That's the bayou way: waste nothing.
• •Avoid oily fish like mackerel, bluefish, or salmon for stock. Their fat goes rancid quickly and overpowers the delicate sweetness you're trying to build. Stick to Gulf fish: redfish, snapper, drum, flounder.
• •The stock should taste like the ocean, clean and sweet. If it tastes fishy or muddy, your shells weren't fresh or you boiled it too hard. Taste, taste, taste.
• •At Lagniappe, we reduce our stock by half after straining for an even more concentrated flavor. Takes another hour but it's worth it for bisque.

Advance Preparation

• •Shrimp shells and heads can be frozen for up to three months before making stock. No need to thaw before using.
• •Finished stock keeps refrigerated for four days. The layer of fat that forms on top acts as a seal to keep it fresh.
• •Freeze stock in ice cube trays, then transfer to freezer bags for easy portioning. Each cube is about two tablespoons.
• •For maximum shelf life, freeze in one-quart containers. Stock keeps frozen for three months without losing quality.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 240g)