Making seafood stock in a slow cooker is an effortless way to extract rich flavors from seafood scraps and shells. Homemade seafood stock is the secret ingredient that takes your seafood dishes to a whole new level. Plus, it's an environmentally friendly choice, ensuring you make the most of every part of the seafood, minimizing waste, and contributing to a more sustainable kitchen.

Whether it's the heart of a seafood chowder or the soul of a seafood risotto, it infuses your creations with the deep, briny essence of the ocean. If you don't have enough seafood scraps yet, no worries. Simply save them in a ziplock bag in your freezer until you have a generous stash. And when inspiration strikes, you can transform those scraps into a luscious seafood stock!

Ingredients:

• Give or take,1 pound seafood scraps and shells (shrimp and/or crab is preferred).
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 1 carrot, roughly chopped
• 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 8 cups of cold water
• Optional: a few sprigs of fresh herbs (such as parsley, thyme, or dill)
• Optional: Pinch of salt

Instructions:

1. Layer the Ingredients: In your slow cooker, add the seafood scraps and shells, followed by the chopped onion, carrot, and celery.

2. Add the Aromatics and Spices: Toss in the smashed garlic cloves, bay leaf, black peppercorns, and any fresh herbs you'd like to use.

3. Cover with Water: Pour in the water, making sure all the ingredients are fully submerged.

4. Set the Slow Cooker: Cover the slow cooker with its lid and set it to the lowest temperature setting, typically "Low." Let it simmer gently for 6-8 hours.

5. Strain the Stock: Once the stock has simmered for the desired time and has developed a rich flavor, strain it through a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth into a clean container or another pot. This will separate the liquid stock from the solids.

6. Cool and Store: Allow the seafood stock to cool to room temperature. Once it's cooled, you can store it in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days, or you can freeze it for future use.

Enjoy your homemade seafood stock made effortlessly in the slow cooker, ready to add depth and rich seafood flavor to your favorite dishes! Our personal favorite? Our Ultimate Seafood Chowder!

Note: Why Salmon is Not Ideal for Seafood Stock

While salmon is a fantastic choice for many seafood dishes, it's not the best candidate for seafood stock.  Salmon skin and bones have a higher fat content, which can result in a stock that's greasier than desired. For the best results, we recommend shrimp, crab or clams- just our personal favorite!