Forget about buying shrimp stock! It’s easy and cheaper to make your own at home. Save those heads and shells and turn them into a rich, flavorful stock to use in your favorite recipes.
Meat or seafood stock adds incredible flavor to soups, stews, and sauces. While it might be more convenient to use store-bought, making your own gives you better control of the sodium content to suit your personal taste or dietary preference.
The process is incredibly easy and more economical. Plus, it’s a great way to use vegetable scraps, meat and fish bones, or seafood shells that might otherwise go to waste.
What you’ll need
- Shrimp heads and shells- If your shrimp shells are not enough to make the stock, put them in a freezer bag or container and freeze until ready to use. Stored properly, they’ll keep for about 3 months.
- Vegetables – mirepoix is the aromatic flavor base made of onions, celery, and carrots. These vegetables are like the holy trinity in stock making.
- Herbs and spices- garlic, bay leaves, and peppercorns brighten flavors in this stock recipe. Bundle the herbs together with kitchen twine or put in a spice sachet for easy removal later.
- Water– always start with COLD water to ensure the stock heats slowly and evenly
Helpful tips
- Use yellow onion in making this shrimp stock; the peels or skin of the onion help deepen the color of the stock giving it a beautiful golden color.
- For a clear, clean stock, skim the scum that floats on top as the stocks comes to its initial boil. This foam is coagulated protein and excess fat that can cloud the stock.
- After the initial boil, make sure to cook in a gentle simmer as the agitation from rapid or high heat might break up the protein and cloud the stock.
- Use a fine-mesh sieve or colander lined with a cheesecloth to strain any sediments and impurities.
Recipes to use
Here are a few delicious ways to use this liquid gold!
- Pancit Palabok-the life of this noodle dish depends on top-notch shrimp sauce!
- Ginisang Upo at Hipon– give this vegetable dish a boost of flavor!
- Crab and corn soup– make it extra rich and tasty
How to store
- Store shrimp stock in a container with a tight-fitting and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months.
- You also freeze the stock in ice cube trays for easier storage and thawing. Pour the stock into the ice cube tray and freeze. Once rock solid, pop out the cubes from the tray and transfer to resealable bags or freezer-safe container.
The next time you have a batch of shrimp shells, DO NOT throw them away. This simple shrimp stock is incredibly easy to make, economical, and freezable, too. It's a great way to boost flavors of soups, stews, and sauces.
Course: Ingredient, Soup
cups
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive or canola oil
- 4 cups shrimp heads and shells
- 1 onion, quartered with skins on
- 1 large carrot, cut into chunks
- 1 celery stalk, cut into chunks
- 3 cloves garlic, pounded
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon peppercorns
- 6 cups cold water
Instructions
- In a large stock pot over medium heat, heat oil. Add shrimp heads and shells and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 7 to 10 minutes or until color changes to pink.
- Add onions, carrots, celery, garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns, and water.
- Bring to a boil, skimming any scum or foam that floats on top.
- Lower heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until the liquid has turned to light-orange color. Occasionally skim foam on the surface and press the shrimp heads with the back of the spoon to extract more flavor.
- Using a fine-mesh sieve lined with a cheesecloth or clean tea towel, strain stock and discard shrimps and aromatics.
- Allow to cool and transfer to a container with a tight-fitting lid. Refrigerate for a few hours and skim off any layer of fat that rises to the top.
- Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
Notes
- Use yellow onion in making this shrimp stock; the peels or skin of the onion help deepen the color of the stock giving it a beautiful golden color.
- For a clear, clean stock, skim the scum that floats on top as the stock comes to its initial boil. This foam is coagulated protein and excess fat that can cloud the stock.
- After the initial boil, make sure to cook in a gentle simmer as the agitation from rapid or high heat might break up the protein and cloud the stock.
- The longer the stock simmers, the more concentrated the flavor.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 147kcal, Carbohydrates: 4g, Protein: 21g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 258mg, Sodium: 821mg, Potassium: 160mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 2038IU, Vitamin C: 7mg, Calcium: 172mg, Iron: 2mg
“This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.”
Dagmar Vonbernewitz says
Perfect recipe! I left out the carrot – but I think using shrimp heads with the shells is key. It brings out so much more flavor than just shells alone. I also like that this recipe has no salt added. You can always salt to taste when you make your finished recipe.
J.t. says
I make a lot of bone broth. In the fridge it turn to gelatin and I skim the fat off the top and heat it up and drink for breakfast. Does this stock get thick enough to turn to gelatin when chilled or does it stay broth? Have you ever mixed it with chicken bones?
Esther says
Definitely pinning this recipe! My problem is saving the shells. I’m one of those people who loves shrimp, including the shells & tails (not the heads). Yes, I know I’m a weirdo. But I’ll sacrifice just to make this stock.
Thanks for sharing your recipes. Reminds me of our international potlucks at work (very large hospital in Arizona). Lumpia & pancit, drool!
Lalaine says
Shell-on shrimps are the only ones I buy, for some reason the peeled ones don’t taste as good to me.