Rich, Tasty Lobster Stock

Written by
Hank Shaw
Hank Shaw is a James Beard Award-winning food writer and author of four cookbooks. He has expertise in wild foods and has written over 1,000 recipes.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Hank Shaw
Updated 08/12/19
Lobster stock recipe

The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic
  • Total: 2 hrs 30 mins
  • Prep: 15 mins
  • Cook: 2 hrs 15 mins
  • Yield: 1 gallon (16 servings)
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
60 Calories
0g Fat
10g Carbs
5g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1 gallon (16 servings)
Amount per serving
Calories 60
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 1%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 26mg 9%
Sodium 172mg 7%
Total Carbohydrate 10g 4%
Dietary Fiber 2g 9%
Protein 5g
Calcium 63mg 5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

It isn't every day you get a chance to enjoy the richness of lobster meat, and with the critters being so expensive, every cook should have a recipe to make use of the leftover bodies and shells.

This recipe is for lobster stock, but you can concentrate it and add a bit more salt to make a rich lobster broth, too. Use this as a soup base or for a fantastic lobster risotto or just have a cup of it on a cold day. It freezes well for up to six months.

Like many deep-sea creatures, lobsters are low in fat, but they are very high in cholesterol, with a whopping 212 milligrams. They're high in protein and vitamin B-12 also. It's usually the way we prepare lobster — with butter — that makes them a less-healthy option. But if you're looking for a special occasion meal, lobster is a delicious choice. 

Ingredients

  • 2 to 4 lobsters (leftover bodies and shells)
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 medium onions (chopped)
  • 4 stalks celery (chopped)
  • 3 carrots (chopped)
  • 2 cloves garlic (chopped)
  • 1 bulb fennel tops (chopped)
  • 1/2 pound mushrooms (chopped)
  • 4 tablespoons parsley (chopped)
  • 4 bay leaves
  • 4 to 5 plum tomatoes (chopped)
  • 1/2 cup white wine (or dry sherry)
  • 1 gallon water
  • Salt (to taste)

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for lobster stock
    The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic

  2. Break the lobster shells into small pieces.

    Break lobster shells
    The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic

  3. Open the bodies and remove the gray, feathery gills, and the sand sac from between the eyes.

    Remove gills
    The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic

  4. Crush the bodies so they fit in a large stewpot.

    Crush bodies
    The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic

  5. Heat the oil in the stewpot and sauté the onions, celery, and carrots over medium-high heat for 3 to 4 minutes.

    Heat oil
    The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic

  6. Add the lobster and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.

    Add lobster
    The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic

  7. Add the garlic, fennel, and mushrooms, mix well and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.

    Add garlic, fennel
    The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic

  8. Add the parsley, bay leaves, and tomatoes, then the wine or dry sherry.

    Add parsley
    The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic

  9. Mix well and cook until the alcohol largely burns off the wine, about 3 to 4 minutes.

    Mix
    The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic

  10. Add enough water to cover everything by 2 to 3 inches.

    Add water
    The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic

  11. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer. Simmer gently for at least 90 minutes. Add salt to taste.

    Bring to boil
    The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic

  12. Cook until it tastes full-flavored and then strain. Do this by turning off the heat, then grabbing all the big chunks with tongs and tossing them in the trash. Strain the rest through a fine-meshed sieve with a piece of cheesecloth set inside it.

    Cook
    The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic

  13. Pour into quart-sized mason jars or some other container.

    Pour into mason jars
    The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic

Tip

  • This will keep for up to 10 days in the fridge or 6 months in the freezer.
  • There are a lot of ways to use your lobster stock (probably more than you think). One particularly decadent yet easy-to-make dish is lobster risotto. This traditional dish from Sardinia uses "leftover" lobster meat from the body as opposed to the claws and tail, which usually get eaten first.