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Basic Crab Stock

By John Besh

Editor's note: Use this crab stock to make Chef John Besh's Basic Crab Pan Sauce for his Busters and Grits recipe.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    Makes 6 cups

Ingredients

1/4 cup canola oil
1 onion, coarsely chopped
1 stalk celery, coarsely chopped
1 carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 leek, white part, coarsely chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 pound crab shells
1 bay leaf
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 teaspoon black peppercorns

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat the canola oil in a large pot over moderate heat. Cook the onions, celery, carrots, leeks, and garlic, stirring often, until they are soft but not brown, about 3 minutes.

    Step 2

    Add the chicken bones and carcass, the bay leaf, thyme, peppercorns, and 3 quarts water. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce the heat to low and gently simmer, skimming any foam that rises to the surface, until the stock has reduced by half, about 2 hours.

    Step 3

    Strain through a fine sieve into a container with a cover. Allow the stock to cool, cover and refrigerate, then skim off the fat. Freeze the stock in small batches to use later.

Reprinted with permission from My New Orleans: The Cookbook, by John Besh., © September 2009 Andrews McMeel Publishing
TagsStockCajun & CreoleSouthernAmericanCrabShellfishSeafoodEasyMake AheadSimmerCookbooks
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