How to Make a Stock for Seafood Gumbo

Shrimp peels form the basis of a stock for seafood gumbo.

The people of southern Louisiana do enjoy their seafood gumbo. However, the difference between a run-of-the-mill seafood gumbo and a fabulous one often lies in the stock. Just as beef or chicken bones lie at the core of stocks used to make vegetable beef or chicken noodle soups, crustacean shells and peelings form the essential foundation of a good seafood stock. There's no time like the present to enjoy seafood gumbo made from this traditional stock.

Things You'll Need

• Large soup pot with lid
• 10 cups of water
• Peelings (including heads) from 5 pounds of uncooked shrimp
• The upper shell, innards and side legs (the front claws should be used for the gumbo itself) of a dozen parboiled blue crabs
• Stalk of celery broken in half
• Small yellow onion cut in half with skin
• Several cloves of garlic
• One lemon cut in half
• Five bay leaves
• 1 tbsp. gumbo file
• One fish-flavored bullion cube
• A dash of cayenne pepper
• Potato masher (optional)
• Strainer
• Large pitcher with cover or a large plastic container with lid

Instructions

1. Add the 10 cups of water, shrimp peels and crab parts to the pot and bring to a boil. Let boil on high for 30-45 minutes while covered. It is important to keep the stock covered through the entire process to avoid evaporation.

2. Add the celery, onion, garlic, bay leaves and halved lemon into the mixture. Cover, reduce heat to medium and let cook for 30 minutes.

3. Add 1 tbsp. of gumbo file, dash of cayenne pepper and the fish-flavored bullion cube to the mixture. Let the covered mixture simmer for one hour on low.

4. Remove stock from the stove and let cool for one hour.

5. Pour the stock through a strainer, several times if necessary, and into a plastic pitcher or container. At this point, the stock is ready for use or it can be frozen to use later.

Tips & Warnings

• Throughout the entire cooking process you may want to use a potato masher to mash the shells, peels and vegetables together. This process helps to extract extra flavor for your stock.

References

• Gumbo File
• River Road Recipes