How to Make Nutritious Fish Stock

Fish stock, when done right, is rich in vitamins and minerals.  This simple and quick-to-make elixir is liquid gold to your health.

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If you’ve never prepared traditional fish stock, roll up your sleeves and let’s get to it.  It’s very similar to regular beef or chicken bone broth, only we’re using whole fish to make it.  Also, roasting the bones isn’t necessary when making fish stock neither is including Apple Cider Vinegar.  This is a simple technique I learned from my mom and I’ve been using this method for over a decade.  There really is no right or wrong in this, more of a personal preference.

Why make fish stock?

Well, because according to South American Proverb “fish broth will cure anything.”  In prior times, the butcher and fishmonger have always sold the meat and fish on the bone.  It wasn’t until recently, Americans began preferring their meat and fish de-boned and filleted.

Convenient?  Yes.  Nutritious?  Not so much.

You see, when you cook the entire fish, you are producing collagen from the cartilage that can only be found in bones and heads.  Collagen is a protein made up of amino acids responsible for healthy hair, skin and nails and it’s also used to restore elasticity to the joints making it a perfect supplement for those suffering from arthritis. (source) There are more benefits to collagen beyond the scope of this post but suffice it to say, it has tremendous capabilities to heal and nurture your body.

Making stock with fish heads also gives you a very iodine-rich broth that is healing to the thyroid. The thyroid gland of the fish is in the head but it disintegrates so much during cooking that you won’t even taste it but instead, produces a very iodine-dense broth.  And since most people are deficient in this mineral that’s responsible for metabolism and hormone health, it would behoove you to make this on a regular basis. (source)

Why else would I make Fish Stock?

Simply put, fish stock is surprisingly cheap to make.  Most fish markets will sell their unused fish heads and carcass for super cheap (and sometimes free!).  And yet the benefits that fish stock gives is tremendous.  It’s very similar to the concept of bone broth, where you use unwanted animal parts at incredibly low prices to make something so rich in nutrition.  You really can’t beat the powerhouse of nutrition that you get from fish stock (or bone broth for that matter) for pennies on the dollar. It’s cheap.  It’s healthy.  It’s a win in my book.

Related: How to Make Bone Broth – 3 Methods

What is the best fish for fish stock?

Fish stock is made from the carcass of non-oily fish like snapper, sole, and cod and is ideally cooked for no longer than one hour.  For a nutrient-dense stock, it’s imperative that you include bones and heads as they are rich in iodine and fat-soluble vitamins.  Some classic cookbooks advise against using oily fish such as salmon for fish stock because the unsaturated oils become rancid during the long cooking process, that’s why I personally love fish stocks.  You don’t really cook them for long periods of time.  Forty-five minutes to an hour is all you need for a healthy, nutritious fish stock.

Fish heads are relatively cheap at the fish market because most people go for the fleshy part of the fish.  Some fishmongers will even give it away free of charge.  And as always, source wild fish since farmed fish are fed grain pellets and antibiotics and spend their lives in horrible environments.

We purchased this 18-pound white sturgeon and my husband filleted it and I processed the meat and flesh of the fish.  I prepared fish steaks for baking or grilling and fish cubes for this Cilantro and Chili Ceviche.  All that’s remaining was this beautiful white sturgeon carcass.  Pardon our lack of professionalism in taking apart this fish (yes, that is a towel under the two glass cutting boards).  We had neither the tools nor the know-how to do it properly.

Before the World Conservation Society comes knocking at my door, let me just say, I am aware sturgeon fish are considered at risk.  Sturgeons are valued for their highly-prized caviar and while I admit, we used to relish those black pearls years ago, sturgeon roe hasn’t touched our lips in a very long time.  In fact, last I heard, it was illegal to fish {young} female sturgeon; they have to be released back into the water.  Also, white sturgeon is one of the very few species of sturgeon that is NOT endangered.  I feel comfortable knowing this and thus, enjoy my fish stock. 😉

How to Make Nutritious Fish Stock – a Tutorial

Thoroughly wash all the bones and the fish heads and place them into a large stockpot.  You can add celery, carrots, onions, leeks, bay leaves or peppercorns to the pot but I prefer the very basic version of just bay leaves, seasoned with salt and pepper.

Tip: I prefer to flavor my fish stock separately when I’m making specific soups.  Add salt after cooking and straining since you will lose some of the liquid during the cooking.

Add filtered water and place over medium-high heat to bring it to a boil.  Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 45-60 minutes, continually skimming any scum that rises to the surface.

Strain fish stock using a fine mesh sieve.

Now would be a good time to clean out your fish and fish out for some flesh (pun totally intended).  Yep, that in my hand is a real fish eye.  This would be for the chickens.

And this would be for us. Delicious, tender white sturgeon flakes.

Use stock within a day or freeze in quart-size jars or half-gallon jars (be sure to allow room for expansion) for up to 3 months.

Tip: Remaining fish carcass is a great fertilizer for your garden.  You can grind it up and compost it.

I like to enjoy fish stock with chopped green onions, fresh dill and a squeeze of lemon juice for a nice side addition to breakfast.  There are also a myriad of different soups and chowders that would call for fish stock and since we are officially in Fall mode, there will be lots of yummy recipes to come.  This Easy Nourishing Fish Soup also calls for fish stock.

Related: Easy Nourishing Fish Soup

How to Make Nutritious Fish Stock – Recipe

How to Make Nutritious Fish Stock

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

Servings: 4

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Ingredients

• head and/or carcass of wild non-oily fish rockfish, halibut, sole
• vegetable scraps of your own choosing carrots, onions, bell peppers*
• 4-6 bay leaves my pick
• 1 tablespoon whole peppercorns my pick
• 1 tablespoon unrefined salt my pick
• 3-4 quarts filtered water

Instructions

1. Place fish heads/carcass and vegetable scraps along with seasonings in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil
2. Reduce heat to medium and gently simmer for 45 minutes.
3. Strain broth using a fine mesh sieve into jars such as these quart size or half-gallon jars.
4. Refrigerate for up to one day or store in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.

Recipe Notes

* For vegetable scraps, I personally always like to keep it simple with just salt and pepper and a little bit of onion since fish already is so flavorful but experiment with your favorite flavors and come up with your own "fish stock"!

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