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Home » How-To (DIY stuff) » How to Make Fish Stock

How to Make Fish Stock

By Hank Shaw on July 16, 2015, Updated June 17, 2020 - 67 Comments

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4.86 from 34 votes
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finished fish stock with a fennel frond
Photo by Holly A. Heyser

I catch a lot of striped bass, and while I love to eat the fillets, I am always more excited about the heads and bones because they make a surpassing fish stock. And to me, fish stock is one of those zephyrs of the food world, a mystical wonderment that lasts only as long as it takes to make and eat it.

Yes, you can store fish stock, and it’s OK, but never as amazing as when it has been freshly made.

So that means I normally find myself making fish risotto or chowder right off the bat when I have a good haul of stripers, Pacific rockfish or lingcod. The fillets get eaten later. Yes, I am aware this is opposite to what most people do. Pretty typical for me.

Fish stock isn’t like normal stock. It’s a fairly quick affair. My venison stock takes all day, or even overnight. All my fish stock asks of you is 45 minutes or so. Strain and enjoy. A long-simmered fish stock gets cloudy and bitter and fishy. I don’t recommend it.

Fish bones for fish stock
Photo by Holly A. Heyser

What fish? Really almost anything. I’ve made fish stock with bass, walleye, perch, black seabass, white seabass, lingcod, Pacific rock cod, stripers, tilefish, porgies, redfish, sea trout, spotted bass, bluegills… you get the point.

Be sure to rinse the heads and bones well to remove slime, and be absolutely certain to snip our the gills. Gills in your stock will ruin it, as the blood in them will cloud your stock and give it an “off” flavor very quickly.

Straining the fish stock
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4.86 from 34 votes

Homemade Fish Stock

You can make fish stock out of any fish or shellfish, although my fish stock recipe is considerably different from the stock I make with crabs and lobsters. For the most part, you want white, lean fish here. While I've made stock with trout and salmon, it's oily and strongly flavored and really only good as a base for salmon chowder or somesuch. I've never heard of anyone making stock with mackerel, tuna or bluefish, so I'd avoid it.
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time1 hr
Total Time1 hr 15 mins
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Servings: 32 1 cup servings
Calories: 29kcal
Author: Hank Shaw

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 large carrot, chopped
  • 1 fennel bulb, chopped (optional)
  • 3 celery stalks, chopped
  • Salt
  • 2 cups white wine or vermouth
  • 2 to 5 pounds of fish bones and heads
  • A handful of dried mushrooms (optional)
  • 2 to 4 bay leaves
  • 1 star anise pod (optional)
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons dried or fresh thyme
  • 3 or 4 pieces of dried kombu kelp (optional)
  • Chopped fronds from the fennel bulb

Instructions

  • Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the chopped vegetables and cook, stirring often, until they are all soft, but not browned. This should take about 10 minutes or so.
  • Add the white wine and all the remaining ingredients, plus enough water to cover everything by about an inch or two. Bring to a simmer, then drop the heat to a bare shimmy, about 175°F if you want to be precise. It should not boil under any circumstances, and keep an eye on things to ensure that it doesn't. Simmer like this for 45 minutes to 1 hour, no more.
  • Turn the heat as low as it will go. Set a fine mesh strainer over a big bowl, then put a piece of paper towel or cheesecloth in the strainer. Ladle the stock through this set-up into the bowl. When you get to the bottom, skip the dregs down there, as they will be filled with sediment. The stock will never be as good as it is right now, but it can be refrigerated for up to a week and frozen for up to 6 months.

Video

Notes

NOTE: You'll notice that my stock differs from others in that I use mushrooms and dried kombu kelp, which is a sort of seaweed. Dried mushrooms are easily available in most supermarkets, but you'll need to go to an Asian market for the kelp. You can skip it if you want.

Nutrition

Calories: 29kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 9mg | Potassium: 62mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 345IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 1mg
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Filed Under: Featured, Fish, How-To (DIY stuff)

Avatar for Hank Shaw

Hank Shaw

Hey there. Welcome to Hunter Angler Gardener Cook, the internet's largest source of recipes and know-how for wild foods. I am a chef, author, and yes, hunter, angler, gardener, forager and cook. Follow me on Instagram and on Facebook.

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Comments

  1. Avatar for dave d.dave d. says

    January 24, 2023 at 5:20 pm

    Curious: can one use coarse fish, like pike-minnow, for example? also, dummies put goldfish in lakes here, would they do? ditto perch, etc…. nice to find a use for them.

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      January 25, 2023 at 4:03 pm

      Dave: Absolutely. That’s a great use for them.

      Reply
  2. Avatar for Susyn KellySusyn Kelly says

    January 6, 2023 at 10:43 am

    do you add the skin and the intestines when making fish stock?

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      January 6, 2023 at 11:24 am

      Susyn: Skin yes, intestines no.

      Reply
  3. Avatar for Bob WhritenourBob Whritenour says

    October 10, 2022 at 12:21 pm

    Hi Hank, your recipe for the stock shows great sensitivity and a subtlety of touch, like the use of creative ingredients and the strict admonition regarding time and temperature. Coming from an avid outdoorsman, this shows you to be a true renaissance man. Respect to you for this very nice stock, which observes its much more than boiling a fish head. I used the body of a 32” striper which lent a great sense of abundance and a nice rich character. I broke down and cut up one of the fillets for my New England fish chowder and it just blew the lid completely off. The secret was the stock.

    Reply
  4. Avatar for Douglas PalmerDouglas Palmer says

    August 12, 2022 at 12:23 am

    Stocks are a great way to make the most out of any harvest. This recipe makes a delicious stock that will enhance many dishes.

    Reply
  5. Avatar for PlamiPlami says

    June 25, 2022 at 7:01 am

    In reply to Marion Voysey April 12, 2022. Do not use jars that have shoulders (curves at the top) in the freezer. Use straight sided mason jars. If you deceide to use jars with shoulders , leave 1-2 inches of space BELOW the shoulder.

    Reply
  6. Avatar for RobertRobert says

    March 24, 2022 at 7:18 pm

    Mr. Shaw,
    I stumbled across your website and am wondering “where has this been my whole life?” If I freeze my stock in my sub zero freezer. How long will it keep for and, should I freeze it in zip lock freezer bags?
    Thanks,

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      March 25, 2022 at 7:58 am

      Robert: About three months before it starts to get fishy. I freeze in quart Mason jars with about 2 inches of headspace, to allow for expansion.

      Reply
      • Avatar for RobertRobert says

        March 25, 2022 at 8:28 am

        Mr. Shaw,
        Thank you so much and, keep up the good work.

      • Avatar for Marion VoyseyMarion Voysey says

        April 12, 2022 at 2:21 pm

        Haven’t tried your recipe yet (just found it/ your site), but I will. Have a Q about freezing stock/soup in Mason jars. Do you need a special jar? Do you freeze the contents w’ the jar uncovered and then, once all’s frozen, put the lids on? I’ve used the jars labelled “Mason” that Classico pasta sauce comes in and they’ve cracked in the freezer, so I assume I’ve done some things incorrectly. TIA, Marion

      • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

        April 12, 2022 at 2:38 pm

        Marion: Yes, I freeze in normal jars. You just need to leave more space than you think, like a full inch or even more, to allow the stock to expand when it freezes.

  7. Avatar for TriciaTricia says

    March 5, 2022 at 10:20 am

    Is it ok to can the stock? I’m trying to clean out my freezer. I have seven halibut heads that I kept for this purpose

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      March 5, 2022 at 11:41 am

      Tricia: Yes, you can pressure can it.

      Reply
      • Avatar for Jerry PankratzJerry Pankratz says

        April 21, 2022 at 11:57 am

        Hi Hank,
        I am looking for a recipe for canning fish stock, can’t find one any where that gives the amount of time to keep the jars under pressure. Can you help me with this? Thanks, Jerry

      • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

        April 27, 2022 at 9:15 am

        Jerry: Sure. The standard is 25 minutes under pressure, not including the venting time or the time it takes to get to your pressure, which is 10 PSI where I live (close to sea level).

  8. Avatar for RitaRita says

    December 19, 2021 at 10:16 am

    I’m from northern Canada where we have and eat a lot of gish. I’ve made stock from beef, turkey and chicken bones but never fish cause I don’t know what to use it with. But now am going to make some. What will I use or make with the stock once it’s done?

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      December 19, 2021 at 11:41 am

      Rita: Mostly soup, or cook rice with it.

      Reply
  9. Avatar for EdwardEdward says

    October 27, 2021 at 10:11 am

    Just discovered your site: fantastic. I want to make japanese fish “jelly” to put on rice. It’s like an aspic, using only the collagen from the animal product used. Can I continue to reduce the stock after straining to increase the density? I’m really trying not to add gelatin.

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      October 27, 2021 at 10:28 am

      Edward: Maybe? A much better way is to rely almost exclusively on fish heads, once the gills are removed. If you use this recipe with heads only, the stock will set up firmly when cold.

      Reply
      • Avatar for MareMare says

        November 13, 2021 at 2:28 pm

        We leave the lid off, right? I’ve made a few lately and did leave it covered and I was disappointed how watery it was – a whole 40 Hali frame and not much taste. And you can’t keep simmering it down to concentrate it either.. argh!

    • Avatar for Catherine RothCatherine Roth says

      January 24, 2022 at 6:40 pm

      I made this stock day one using just a single striped bass carcass and chilled it overnight to use in a (fantastic) cioppino the next day. It was softly gelled with just the one fish worth of bones. Not the hard jelly you can cut like a long cooked chicken stock but definitely plenty of gelatin.

      Reply
  10. Avatar for dandan says

    June 18, 2021 at 1:51 am

    hey there, love the recipe, just want to say i used it with an albacore tuna head and frame and it was delicious1 best stock ive eaten. back here referencing it to make with a southern blue fine tuna and banded morwong

    Reply
    • Avatar for BrendaBrenda says

      October 10, 2021 at 12:14 pm

      When I make stock I have never taken the time to sauté my veggies, I always throw them in whole with everything else, but I am not a chef, so my question is “does chopping & sauté and deglazing add depth to the flavor of the stock?”
      Signed, A lazy cook

      Reply
      • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

        October 13, 2021 at 9:32 am

        Brenda: Yes, it does. But if you are making a stock to build on, no need. If you are making a broth to use as-is, sauté the vegetables.

  11. Avatar for barbara meehanbarbara meehan says

    May 30, 2021 at 9:36 pm

    1st time making fish stock. Want/need it for bouillabaisse. Came out delicious and quite easy. Left out star anise, fennel and kelp as I didn’t have.
    Fish store gave me all the bones from a couple of fish I had them fillet plus some others they had just cleaned. Had about 6 pounds. Wish me luck tomorrow:)

    Reply
  12. Avatar for JessicaJessica says

    June 26, 2020 at 11:30 pm

    This fish stock recipe is so good it brought a tear to the eye. One of the best foods of all time, period.

    Reply
    • Avatar for BradsBrads says

      August 21, 2020 at 5:48 am

      Unbelievably delicious! I used this recipe as a guide more than an exact instruction manual.

      This first difference is that I used yellowfin tuna collars and the bony part of the toro / ventral fins. Highly recommend.

      I also made a traditional dashi from the kombu and bonito flakes beforehand, so I could add it instead of water when the liquid went in.

      Lastly, in addition to deglazing with the white wine, I also dropped a few Tbsps of fish sauce in.

      Overall 11/10. Possibly the best stock I’ve ever made.

      Reply
      • Avatar for Tammy HTammy H says

        October 8, 2020 at 8:55 am

        I’m really glad you posted this comment. I am getting ready to make my first fish stock and was wondering how the use of tuna would turn out. Not sure about how to make dashi though.

      • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

        October 8, 2020 at 9:36 am

        Tammy: You can’t really make dashi from tuna. The problem is that the bonito used in dashi is salted, fermented and dried hard as a rock, then shaved thin to make the dashi. A very difficult process to replicate at home.

  13. Avatar for Ian TownsendIan Townsend says

    June 14, 2020 at 4:10 pm

    Used this recipe as a guide for my first fish stock. Wild caught striped bass from New Brunswick Canada that I bought at a local fish shop in Montreal.
    It has turned out great thanks to your tips, specifically simmer simmer simmer. Look forward to using fennel next time as I’m sure it adds an aromatic flavour that blends well with fish.

    Reply
  14. Avatar for Jeff BendaJeff Benda says

    May 21, 2020 at 6:33 pm

    Any ideas for a substitute for the 2 cups of white wine/vermouth. I have everything else, but need a non-alcoholic option to make the fish stock. I want to use it to make your Southern Fish Stew using freshwater drum I plan to catch and keep next week. I catch a lot of them here in Fargo, ND but always let them go.

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      May 22, 2020 at 7:42 am

      Jeff: Just skip the white wine, it’ll be fine.

      Reply
  15. Avatar for Mary Lynn WellsMary Lynn Wells says

    May 6, 2020 at 10:33 am

    Can you use the whole fish for stock? Namely, a whole tilapia?

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      May 6, 2020 at 11:09 am

      Mary: Yes, but you need to remove any guts and the gills. Those things will wreck your stock if they are included. You can easily remove the gills with kitchen shears.

      Reply
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Hi, my name is Hank Shaw; I’m a James Beard Award-winning author and chef. I started this site back in 2007 to help you get the most out of all things wild: fish, game, edible wild plants and mushrooms. I also write cookbooks, have a website dedicated to the intersection of food and nature, and do a podcast, too. If it’s wild, you’ll find it here. Hope you enjoy the site!

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