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How to make your own shrimp stock

Making fish stock is pretty simple.

You can easily make your own vegetable stock by using all of the scraps and peelings from vegetables in the kitchen “trash and treasure”. By keeping those identified as “treasure” you have a base for homemade vegetable stock. Here’s a guide to making your own vegetable stock.

Stock is technically made with bones and meat (or fish) where broth is made by simmering meat or fish only (sometimes with vegetables) or just vegetables. When you use the bones for making your stock and simmer them, the marrow and gelatin dissolves into the stock giving it a richer, silkier texture.

You can make shrimp stock by saving the shells from the shrimp when you peel and devein them. Shrimp stock does have a more subtle flavor than fish stock.

Place the fish and bones or the shrimp shells in a 4 quart pot and then fill with cold water. Simmer for about 90 minutes. Taste the stock while you are simmering to check for flavor. If it is weak, keep letting it simmer until it is stronger, more flavorful stock.

Strain the cooked fish and bones or shrimp shells and discard. Let the stock cool, then divide into containers, freeze them and when you need a couple of cups of stock they are ready to go.

Here are some great recipes for you to use your shrimp stock in:
Scallops and Grits
Garlic Chili Shrimp
Shrimp Fideua
Smoky Shrimp and Sausage
Smoky Shrimp
Shrimp with Luscious Shrimp Sauce
Shrimp Clemenceau
Jerk Shrimp Salad