How to Make Shrimp Stock

How to Make Shrimp Stock is a lot easier to do now compared to the old days. By using a blender one can easily make shrimp stock in minutes. You can make shrimp stock and store it in the freezer for future use. How to make shrimp stock is one of the things my mom taught me with cooking. There was a time when my mom used a mortar to crush the skin and head of the shrimp. This was the hard way and tedious. Not my thing….

Usually I buy shrimp that are headless but if I am making shrimp stock I buy shrimp with heads on. Aside from using the shrimp shell, the shrimp head is rich, tasty and the best part to use when making shrimp stock. I use the shell of small to medium sized shrimp when making shrimp stock. The shells of larger shrimp are harder. When a recipe calls for shrimp as an ingredient I keep the peel and head in two separate bags in the freezer. I make the stock once I have enough skin and heads to make about 6 to 8 cups of shrimp stock.

Store shrimp stock in a bigger container if using it all in one cooking. Another way to do it is using an ice cube tray. Some recipes might require to add water instead add an ice cube sized shrimp stock which adds richness to the dish. One ice cube is equal to one ounce or 2 tablespoons. Place ice cube shrimp stock in a zip lock bag or any airtight container and store it in the freezer. It is so convenient to have it ready ahead of time.

Dishes that I use shrimp stock are pancit malabon, pancit palabok, pancit bihon, ginisang ampalaya, ginisang tokwa at kinchay, seafood paella, seafood kare kare and many more. The dish is tastier when using shrimp stock instead of just water.

I happen to have an older blender that came with a smaller and bigger container that I have dedicated in making shrimp stock.

How to Make Shrimp Stock

If you want to learn how to make shrimp stock watch my video. You will be surprise how easy it is to make shrimp stock.

Shrimp Stock Recipe

Ingredients

4 cups of shrimp shells and 2 cups water
1 cup of shrimp heads and 2 to 3 cups of water

Instructions

1. Place shrimp shells and water in a blender.
2. Liquefy the mixture.
3. Pour shrimp stock in a container using a strainer to separate the skin from the liquid.
4. Use a spoon to drain the liquid from the strainer.
5. Once all the liquid are extracted from the strainer. Discard the skin.
6. Pour the shrimp heads and water in the blender.
7. Follow the same process – liquefy and strain. Discard the shrimp head.
8. Store shrimp stock in freezer for future use. When ready to use I don’t thaw the stock I just place it directly on the cooking pan.

Note

If you are storing the shrimp stock in the freezer you may use an ice cube tray to make ice cube sized shrimp stock otherwise you may use a bigger container if you are going to use it all in one cooking for dishes like pancit malabon that require cups of shrimp stock.