Basic Seafood Stock

Soups & Stews

Makes 1 gallon

Recipe courtesy of Susan Ford

Ingredients:

4 or 5 gumbo crabs, cut in half
Shells from 2+ pounds of shrimp, heads included
2 stalks of celery cut into 1” pieces, leafy tops included
1 large onion, chunked
2 bay leaves
1 Tablespoon coarse black pepper
1 gallon of water

Basic Seafood Stock

Click image to enlarge

Method:

Combine everything in a large stock pot, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook 45 minutes, covered. Allow it to cool a bit, strain it and discard the solids - although some people put the crab claws back in the gumbo pot for interest. For a heartier stock, roast the shrimp shells at 375ºF for 20 minutes or so before boiling