How To Make Homemade Shrimp Stock

There may be affiliate links in this post! By clicking on them, or purchasing recommended items I may receive a small compensation, at no cost to you!  However, I only recommend products I absolutely love and would use in my own home! 

See disclosure policy for more information!

Shrimp Stock To Enhance Flavor

Shrimp stock is made to enhance the flavors of seafood dishes. It’ not like you’d go out and buy 2 pounds of shrimp and make shrimp stock for the heck of it. Nope! You want to buy shrimp to make a shrimp dish and in the meantime make shrimp broth! SCORE!

Hint: Buy raw shrimp with the shell on and, for example, make my Cajun Style Shrimp Etouffee recipe. Or to enhance the flavor of seafood dishes, when a recipe calls for water or chicken broth use shrimp stock instead.

Remove the shell from the shrimp and make a nice shrimp stock. It’s way better homemade than buying it at the store. That is, if you can find it at the store.

Homemade Shrimp Stock Recipe

Making a shrimp stock is super easy. All you need is two pounds of shrimp shells, water, onion, carrots, celery, and black pepper corns.

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds of shrimp shells (I’m pretty sure you won’t be able to just buy the shells so you will need to buy shrimp with the shells on. Get the EZ peel shrimp) And if you don’t have access you can buy fresh shrimp on-line here.
• 8 cups water
• 3 celery stalks cut in thirds (you can use the leafy part too if you want)
• 1 large onion skin removed and cut in fourths
• 3 carrots sliced in half and cut in thirds
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper corns
• extra water for thawing frozen shrimp (optional)

If you don’t have the luxury of buying fresh shrimp on the coastal shores don’t worry. I live smack dab in the middle of the United States in Kansas therefore I buy the easy peel raw frozen shrimp in a two pound bag at my local grocer and it makes a wonderful batch of shrimp stock.

Tip: The bigger the shrimp the easier they are to work with and peel.

These 16/20 EZ peel raw shrimp are the perfect size. They look kinda big but they are actually the perfect size for making stock, grilling or using in main seafood dishes.

Directions:

Remove frozen shrimp from bag and place in pan of tap water. Let thaw for about 15 minutes or until shells can be removed easily.

Once shrimp has thawed pour shrimp into a strainer over the sink.

Gently remove shells from shrimp. Place shrimp in a medium bowl and the shells back into the stock pot.

Place shrimp in a colander and rinse under cold water. Return to bowl cover with lid and put shrimp in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Now that all the shrimp shells are in the stock pot add onion, carrots, celery pepper corns, and water. Put over high heat and bring to a rapid boil.

Reduce heat, cover with lid and simmer for 1 hour. You will be amazed by the final outcome of the broth after it has cooked.

I don’t recommend adding seasoning or salts when making this stock as it will get some of the flavoring from the added ingredients. Save the seasonings for when adding stock to your main dishes.

Remove from heat. Place a fine mesh strainer over a bowl and carefully pour the shrimp stock into the strainer to remove tiny particles and discard shells and vegetables.

The stock can be used right away or stored for future use. If storing, allow stock to cool completely. Place stock in freezer safe containers, ice cube trays or freezer baggies and freeze for up to 3 months.

Just look at that rich shrimp stock! Isn’t it gorgeous?

I AM EXCITED YOU ARE VIEWING JETT’S RECIPE FOR MAKING HOMEMADE SHRIMP STOCK AND WOULD LOVE TO HEAR HOW IT TURNS OUT SHOULD YOU DECIDE TO MAKE IT! BE SURE TO COME BACK AND LET US KNOW IN THE COMMENTS! 

Other Recipes You May Enjoy!