In all my years helping folks transition their wayward eating ways back to the tried, true and traditional, I have discovered that homemade fish broth or stock consistently ranks as one of those kitchen activities with a “ain’t no way I’m going to do that” sign attached to it.
So, here I am doing a video on how to make fish stock!
Though most people have no desire to make it does not change the fact that it is the most nutritious and best broth of all.
Seriously, though, making fish stock is a very important activity that should be incorporated into the routine of any cook focused on nutrient-dense cooking.
As mentioned earlier, fish stock is the most nutritious stock that you can make. Not only is it the most nutrient-dense, but it is also the most inexpensive and one of the quickest! Â In addition, it tastes the best too, in my humble opinion. I’m sipping a cup of red snapper stock as I type this!
I just LOVE fish stock compared to other types of homemade bone broths. Perhaps this is from my travels in Asia back in the late 1980s when I would have a cup nearly every morning as part of my traditional Japanese breakfast. I did not see fish stock in China, but I’m sure it’s there somewhere.
Homemade Fish Broth
Making fish stock is very simple and easy.  A few quarts of water, a fishhead or two (plus some bones if you have them) and some vinegar.  A gallon of fish stock will only set you back about $2 and be ready in only 4 hours.  This compares with $20 or so for the leftover bones of a pastured chicken (and 24-48 hours of simmering) or $10-20 for 5 lbs of grassfed beef bones (and 48-72 hours of simmering).
Don’t get me wrong – I make ALL kinds of homemade stock. Â Each one has its own unique flavor and adds something special to your cooking repertoire of soups and sauces.
Fish Stock: Most Healing and Helpful for the Thyroid
Fish stock, though, genuinely ranks as the most healing of all stocks. “Fish stock will cure anything” and “Good broth will resurrect the dead” are both South American proverbs. (1)
Unlike other types of stock, bone broth from fish contains thyroid strengthening properties when the fish heads are included in the broth making process. Who doesn’t need a thyroid boost with the crazy, stressful lives we all lead today?
So, find yourself a quality fishmonger in your city or town and make this vitality strengthening food for yourself and your family!
The video included below demonstrates the easy process of making homemade fish bone broth yourself. Â Try making a pot this week and enjoy the amazing health benefits of fish broth enjoyed by many ancestral societies.
If you need a pot of fish stock even faster, this article shows you how to make bonito broth from bonito flakes.
Homemade Fish Bone Broth Recipe
Basic recipe for how to make fish stock that is the most economical, fast and nutritious of all types of bone broth.
Ingredients
- 3 quarts filtered water
- 2 lbs fish heads and/or bones non-oily fish is optimal
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- sea salt to taste
Instructions
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Place water and fish heads/bones in a 4 quart stockpot.
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Stir in vinegar while bringing the water to a gentle boil.
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As the water first begins to boil, skim off any foam that rises to the surface. It is important to remove this foam as this is impurities and off flavors.
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Reduce heat to a simmer for at least 4 hours and no more than 24 hours.
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Cool and then strain into containers for refrigeration. Freeze what you will not use in one week.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
You may substitute homemade apple cider vinegar for store bought if desired.
It is recommended not use oily fish such as salmon for fish stock or you will stink up the whole house! Non-oily fish such as sole, turbot, rockfish or, my favorite, snapper, is best. I've also used grouper in a pinch, but the stock does not taste quite as good.
Hi Sarah,
Thank you for your comments. The reason I was cooking it fast was because I was concerned about what Sally said….(long, slow cooking, bad for oily fish) When I read that in the book I called Whole Foods and asked the fish guy "Is this Blue Fish head an OILY fish?" He said "Yes it is". Here’s my predicament ……I bought TWO Blue fish heads and fairly bare fish bones. Can I (or should I) cook the other one which is currently in the freezer, or should I toss it? I don’t want to serve my family ‘rancid fats.’ Even though I swear that cream/fish stock/crab chowder was the BEST I have EVER tasted…it was amazing! THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO!
Thank you so much for doing this video. I am pretty far into "traditional cooking", but had always said, "ain't no way I'm doing that". My friends think I am crazy, but I am so glad I did it. I can't believe the energy I get from it. I have been doing GAPS for awhile and my back pain has finally subsided after not even a week of the eating soup with the fish broth every day. It really is so delicious. I made a coconut fish soup and I enjoy a cup for breakfast and one later in the day too.
-Bethany
Hi Janetlynda, congratulations on getting outside your comfort zone in the kitchen! That is awesome! If the bones you had were pretty well clean of meat, then what you did was fine. You don't want a rolling boil the whole time though, just a blip, blip, blip on the top with a few bubbles as it simmers. Good job!
Guess what? I made fish stock – thought I'd NEVER do that and swore that I wouldn't do it! HA-HA! I produced the most luscious, gelatin, substance I’ve ever seen! I made a cream, crab and vege chowder with it last night and it was really so delicious it was unbelievable! I DO have a question though. After I watched your blog I called our Whole Foods and asked the fish guy if he had any fish heads and bones. He said that he had a blue fish. Since I didn’t know a flipping thing about making fish stock I ran to the store and bought the blue fish head and bones and came home and fired it up. While it was cooking I opened Nourishing Traditions and read where Sally said that oily fish shouldn’t be used for fish stock because the long, slow cooking made the fats rancid. Well, I already had it on the stove with vinegar, celery, leeks, carrots, onions, pepper corns and a couple of bay leaves (I was worried about the ‘fishy taste part’) that’s why all the additions. I wasn’t about to throw the whole effort in the trash so I just went ahead with it. I cooked it on medium for 4 hours and then strained it twice. Was that a bad thing to do? Do you ever use oily fish? I don’t call 4 hours a long, cooking and it certainly wasn’t slow. I had a good roiling boil going the whole time. Your thoughts?
Hi Shannon, freeze what you won't use in a week. What you froze should be fine. Just reboil it for a few minutes when you thaw it out just to be sure. Snapper heads come in all kinds of sizes – yes, mine were especially large which is why I only used one for a single pot of fish stock.
Hi Sarah,
How long does the broth keep in the fridge? I made fish stock, and then life got crazy for a few days before I got around to freezing the extra. I'm worried that the stuff I have frozen now is somehow 'bad.' I think it was 4-5 days before a froze it. I made mine from red snapper too, but for some reason the heads were WAY smaller than yours in the video…I wonder if I really was getting what I paid for!
Thanks as usual for your excellent videos!
Shannon
The first time I made fish stock for a recipe, I didn't know about not using oily fish. I happened to catch the grocer just after she had filleted a few fish. So I got salmon bones, heads and some pieces of halibut I think. She looked at me funny when I said I wanted fish carcasses for stock. They labeled it chum, not for human consumption, and it checked out for free. Actually though, it didn't stink up the house. There wasn't a lot of excess meat on the bones, it was a good fillet job. What I'd love to see are some recipes in which to use the stock! For a chowder, would you use it instead of water and in addition to clam juice?
Here is a very old chinese custom that really cuts the odor of fish broth. Cut a one to two inch piece of fresh ginger into quarter sized slices, and put them in the broth before you heat it.
The ginger will add a slightly spicy flavor to the broth, but it will also absorb the substance that makes fish stink. Remove the ginger when the broth is ready and discard it.
We have used this technique to make salmon heads into fish broth, without stinking up the house. I make no guarantees, though. Try it at your own risk.
I used to make Greek fish soup avgolemono using ocean perch. This was the best but I tried a combination of red snapper and porgy. My daughter prefers the ocean perch but I can't find it whole. Does anyone know where I can find whole ocean perch in Northern VA, Charlottesville, or anywhere near Raleigh-Durham? I am also looking for fresh or frozen sardines. I heard of a store called H Market but I have not been there.
Awesome, Sara! Can't believe they throw those things away. Such an incredible waste.