Chinese-Style Shrimp Soup Stock

In quite a few posts, I've referenced my homemade Chinese soup stock. Most recently, it showed up in my corn fish recipe, and it also pops up in a lot of Pei-Mei recipes. Usually, a small amount is used to form the basis of a sauce for a stir fried dish. In a pinch, you can (I have many times) substitute a western-style stock, but I try to always keep some Chinese stock on hand. Compared to the western style, Chinese soup stock is mostly clear and is very simple to make. Take some kind of meat waste, such as bones, carcasses, or shells, and simmer with scallion and ginger. Take a look at just a few of the dishes you can make with this stock!

Sichuan-style eggplant, stir-fried rice cakes, fish with corn sauce,
fish with fermented black beans, spring rolls, minced pigeon lettuce cups

Taking something that would otherwise go to waste and making something useful is very rewarding. Luckily, a lot of these waste parts are key ingredients in making pantry staples. I like to call this "using every part of the buffalo." This includes saving bits of chicken skin and fat for schmaltz and pork fat for lard. I also save scraps of vegetables, bones, and shrimp shells for stock. This particular stock uses shrimp. I always buy shrimp with the shells on and save the shells. I put the shells in a Ziploc bag, fill it up with water, and freeze. Once I have enough of these frozen shell blocks, I make some stock. 

This is a very loose recipe because it doesn't require any precision. Pork or chicken bones can be used instead of shrimp for a different flavor. Shrimp gives the stock a subtle seafood flavor that works well in a variety of dishes and also as a broth for wonton soup. I add no salt to the stock, since it's headed for so many different uses down the road. This way, I have full control over the seasoning later. You'll need to add a lot of salt if using for soup. The stock lasts maybe a week in the refrigerator, so I always freeze it. Since only a small amount is used for most recipes, freezing it all in one block is not practical. I've come up with what I think is a clever solution: shattering it into small pieces with a hammer. Very satisfying. 

Ingredients

• 2 handfuls shrimp shells
• A few scallions
• A few slices ginger
• Water

Instructions

If working with frozen shrimp shells, run a little water on the bags to loosen and put the frozen blocks in a large saucepan. Turn heat to medium and defrost the ice blocks. Use tongs to flip occasionally. 

Chop scallions in thirds. Add the scallions and ginger. Top up the pan with water. I added about 6 cups.

Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer for about 1 hour, longer if desired. Strain out the shrimp shells, scallions, and ginger. If using for soup, salt to taste. If reserving for cooking, leave unsalted.

Transfer the stock into plastic containers, evenly distributing to fill only the bottoms of each. Containers should have less than 1 inch of stock. Let cool and move the containers to the freezer.

Once fully frozen, pop the frozen stock out of the containers. Be careful not to flex them too much as they can break. Use a heavy object, such as a meat mallet, to shatter into small pieces. Use a sheet pan to keep everything contained.

Transfer into a large Ziploc bag and return to freezer until needed. Defrost pieces as needed in the microwave or a saucepan.