Lobster Stock Recipe (2024)

Sam,Please make a note for your readers that the head sac MUST be removed from the body before making this stock. Unless you live on the coast in New England and have cooked with lobsters for years, you would not know that the sac imparts an unpleasant flavor when cooked in a broth.

Living in coastal NH and with a Labor Day birthday in the family, we most often eat lobsters on the porch around the holiday. I add two or three live lobsters to the guest count and cook them all. I strip the extras of their meat and either use it in a pasta salad right away or pack it tightly and freeze it. I take the leftover shells and chop them up and treat as Sam writes here then I freeze the stock and we have lobster stew on Christmas eve. Been doing it for years.

This can be made in an InstantPot or other multifunction cooker. I had shells from three 1.5 lobsters. Sauté the shells as above (I used every bit except the sac behind the head, and the tomalley. I used about three quarts of water. Pressure cook on high for 20 minutes, and use natural release. Taste the broth. You may want to simmer to reduce a bit—depending on your preferred taste. This goes a lot faster, and doesn’t add smells throughout the house.

It would be helpful if you could give specific instructions for dealing with the shells including carapace, all legs, claws and tails. I understand the sacs behind the eyes must be removed and, presumably, the gray lung pieces, but what else needs to be removed and or modified,

It freezes beautifully!

Only had shells from about 8 bodies to use but that worked fine. Decided to let it sit on the burner overnight. Pros: excellent flavor. Cons: entire house smelled of shellfish for many hours after! Wish I had use for the extra as much was left over (used it for the risotto dish.)

After following this recipe I found that the longer it simmers is not necessarily better. Resulted in too dark a colour, a gritty texture and slightly sour/foul taste. Tasted great before bed but come the morning a different story. Next time I will remove the sac from the bodies, simmer for 3 or 4 hours max, then strain into an open container and cool immediately in an ice bath before the fridge.

RUINED, OVERCOOKED LOBSTER STOCK.I naively followed the overnight simmer instructions and the stock was totally ruined by morning. Like Dennis here 3 years ago and pretty much every other recipe warns: do NOT cook lobster stock too long - A couple of hours max.3 hours was more than enough for this recipe, and the stock should have been used immediately. All of the delicate shellfish fragrance was lost by morning and replaced with a sour, charred, unpleasant odor and taste.

I've made this recipe as written on a couple of occasions. It's the perfect way to extend your lobster! Freeze in ice cube trays for future use. Try it with NYT Ali Slagle's Shrimp Scampi with Orzo-the stock takes it to the next level.

Just saw this post: I bet you can freeze the stock.

I followed the notes of others who made the recipe before. One thing that I will do in the future is to save the lobster water. I didn't decide to make the stock until after it had been tossed.

Instant pot

If you roast the shells @400 for twenty minutes then mash them with a potato masher it adds a great depth of flavor

When I make lobster stock, I roughly follow the recipe for a Sauce Americaine -- roast the shells with carrots, onions or leeks, mushroom stems and tomato paste; deglaze with some brandy and put in a large pot with tarragon if you have it, white peppercorns, parsley & bay leaf, pinch of salt. Cover with water or fish stock and proceed as the recipe directs. And yes, remove the sand sack in the head. Great for making a bisque as well as risotto.

RUINED, OVERCOOKED LOBSTER STOCK.I naively followed the overnight simmer instructions and the stock was totally ruined by morning. Like Dennis here 3 years ago and pretty much every other recipe warns: do NOT cook lobster stock too long - A couple of hours max.3 hours was more than enough for this recipe, and the stock should have been used immediately. All of the delicate shellfish fragrance was lost by morning and replaced with a sour, charred, unpleasant odor and taste.

What is “leftover lobster meat”? :-p

I've made this recipe as written on a couple of occasions. It's the perfect way to extend your lobster! Freeze in ice cube trays for future use. Try it with NYT Ali Slagle's Shrimp Scampi with Orzo-the stock takes it to the next level.

This can be made in an InstantPot or other multifunction cooker. I had shells from three 1.5 lobsters. Sauté the shells as above (I used every bit except the sac behind the head, and the tomalley. I used about three quarts of water. Pressure cook on high for 20 minutes, and use natural release. Taste the broth. You may want to simmer to reduce a bit—depending on your preferred taste. This goes a lot faster, and doesn’t add smells throughout the house.

It would be helpful if you could give specific instructions for dealing with the shells including carapace, all legs, claws and tails. I understand the sacs behind the eyes must be removed and, presumably, the gray lung pieces, but what else needs to be removed and or modified,

I left out the onion, bay, leaves, and pepper, they are not necessary if you are using this for a risotto, or like I did for a fideua. They never really add anything and, in my opinion, only detract from the purity of the stock. Otherwise this recipe is perfect, simple, and correct. I did remove the grain sacs as suggested by another reviewer, but it provided a perfect stock for my recipe.

Why do the shells need to be sauteed? I have been making lobster stock for years without sauteeing anything. I add a couple carrots and some celery and simmer it. Then I reduce it and freeze it. In summer, I add corn cobs as well and the result is delicious.

How is the 'head sac' identified? Picture?

I started the recipe on the stove but let it simmer outside on the gas grill. No smell in the house.

Sam,Please make a note for your readers that the head sac MUST be removed from the body before making this stock. Unless you live on the coast in New England and have cooked with lobsters for years, you would not know that the sac imparts an unpleasant flavor when cooked in a broth.

After following this recipe I found that the longer it simmers is not necessarily better. Resulted in too dark a colour, a gritty texture and slightly sour/foul taste. Tasted great before bed but come the morning a different story. Next time I will remove the sac from the bodies, simmer for 3 or 4 hours max, then strain into an open container and cool immediately in an ice bath before the fridge.