Rich, Tasty Lobster Stock

By Hank Shaw

Updated 08/09/19

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
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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.

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