This easy salmon stock is made with the head, bones, and other leftover fish parts. It tastes better and is cheaper to make than any fish stock you buy!
Salmon stock is the best thing you could make with leftover salmon heads and bones! Really! This salmon bone stock is just amazing!
I have been cooking the fish stock for years now, using every salmon head I've ever had. I even buy frozen packages full of salmon heads and bones just to make this fish stock. They are super cheap, and the resulting broth is better than any ready-made stock I could possibly buy.
Not to mention that buying one packet of frozen heads, bones, and some veggies costs less than buying one single jar of fish broth. And it definitely makes more than two cups of stock!
Try more easy and delicious homemade stocks and broths: Lamb Stock, Venison Broth, or Turkey Bone Broth.
Recipe ingredients
Fish parts: Use about 3.5 lbs (1.5 kg) of salmon heads, bones, and any leftover pieces like tails or skin scraps. A little more or less is fine. Leftovers from other fish can be added, too. I freeze heads, tails, or bones until I have enough for stock, as one fish’s leftovers won’t be sufficient.
Vegetables: Celery stalks, small fennel bulbs, leek, onion.
Spices: Garlic, black peppercorns, thyme, bay leaves, salt.
Other ingredients: Lemon, white wine, olive oil.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make salmon stock?
One of the great things about this salmon fish stock recipe is that it is so much quicker to make than any other stock or broth. Chicken and Beef Bone Broth have to be cooked for hours.
But that is not the case with salmon stock or any other fish broth. If you cook fish stock for more than 30 minutes, it will no longer taste good. This Dashi Broth is also quite quick to make.
- Step #1: Wash the fish parts very well under cold running water. Massage it lightly with your hands, and rinse again.
- Step #2: Cook the roughly chopped vegetables in the oil for about 5 minutes or until the onions become translucent.
- Step #3: Add the fish parts and stir gently for about 2 minutes.
- Step #4: Add the white wine, water, salt, lemon peel, and all the spices.
- Step #5: Bring to a boil, then lower the heat. Skim it and simmer it for 30 minutes.
- Step #6: Strain the salmon stock into another pot through a fine-meshed sieve lined with a clean muslin cloth. Add a little lemon juice to taste.
- Step #7: Transfer to jars and let cool completely before refrigerating it.
How to store?
Refrigerate it for 4-5 days.
For longer storage, freeze the salmon stock with about 1 inch (2 cm) headspace in the jars. Place the lid on top without sealing. Freeze for 4 to 6 months.
Bonus recipe for salmon balls
Cube 7 oz/ 200 g of salmon fillet and blend with 2 teaspoons of lemon juice in a food processor until finely chopped. Add 1 egg white, blend briefly, then add ⅓ cup/ 80 ml of heavy cream, ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, and a dash of white pepper, and process into a rough paste. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate to firm up.
For the soup, bring 4 cups/ 1 liter of salmon stock to a simmer. Form the salmon paste into small balls (about 30) using two teaspoons, then simmer them in the stock for 5 minutes. Remove them with a slotted spoon and strain the stock into a clean pot.
Julienne 1 larger carrot and the white part of ½ a leek. Finely slice 1 larger celery stalk. Bring the strained stock to a boil, and cook the vegetables for 5 minutes. Return the salmon balls to the soup, reheat gently, and serve with lemon wedges and white bread.
Salmon Stock
Ingredients
- 3.5 lbs salmon heads and bones Note 1
- 3 celery stalks
- 2 small fennel bulbs
- 1 medium leek
- 1 medium onion
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 12 ½ cups water
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- 1 small lemon preferably organic and unwaxed
- 4 sprigs thyme
- 3 bay leaves
- 6 cloves
- 2 tablespoons coarse sea salt
Instructions
- Wash the fish parts very well under cold running water. Drain well.3.5 lbs salmon heads and bones/ 1½ kg
- Saute vegetables: Clean and roughly chop the vegetables. Heat the oil in a large pot and cook the vegetables for about 5 minutes or until the onions are translucent.3 celery stalks + 2 small fennel bulbs + 1 medium leek + 1 medium onion + 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Lemon: Use a vegetable peeler to thinly peel 2-3 pieces of lemon zest (only the yellow part). Set aside.
- Simmer: Add the fish parts to the pot and stir briefly with the vegetables (1-2 minutes). Add the wine, water, garlic, spices, lemon peel, and salt and bring to a boil; skim the foam, then simmer gently, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Line a fine-mesh sieve with a clean muslin cloth and strain the stock into a clean pot. Discard the vegetables and the fish bones.fish parts + 1 cup dry white wine/ 250 ml + 12 ½ cups water/ 3 liter + 1 garlic clove + 1 tablespoon black peppercorns + 1 small lemon only some peel + 4 sprigs thyme + 3 bay leaves + 6 cloves + 2 tablespoons coarse sea salt
- Adjust the taste with a little of the lemon juice and a bit more salt if necessary.
- Store: Pour the salmon stock into clean jars, let cool completely and refrigerate or freeze.
Notes
- Fish parts: Use around 3.5 lbs (1.5 kg) of salmon heads, bones, and any extra pieces like tails or skin scraps. A bit more or less is fine. You can also add leftovers from other fish. I freeze heads, tails, and bones until I have enough for stock, as one fish’s leftovers usually aren’t enough.
- Storage: Refrigerate it for 4-5 days. For longer storage, freeze it with about 1 inch (2 cm) headspace in the jars. Place the lid on top without sealing. Freeze for 4 to 6 months.
Jess says
I was excited when one of the ethnic markets I frequent had whole salmon on sale. This is the first time I’ve broken down a large fish, and while it was difficult, I’m proud of the results. I got six dinners for two off one salmon and now I’m taking those bones, skin, and scrap and trying this stock recipe. It already smells wonderful and I’m waiting for it it come to a boil.
Did not have leek. Used one extra onion, and the lemons on my tree are in-between harvests, so I used a lime from my lime tree instead. Hopefully it still tastes good!
Adina says
It sounds great! I hope you like the stock.
Nina says
Why doesn't this recipe say to remove the gills and skim off the scum bubbles at the beginning of boiling?