# Fish stock Substitute



## Pimpette

Hey everyone. I have a recipe for seafood gumbo and it calls for 7 cups of fish stock. I don't want to make my own and I've looked at Wal-mart (its our only grocery store) and I can't find it. So I was wondering what can I use to substitute it. Someone told me Veg stock (paste) and fish oil. But they went by taste for substitutions and couldn't give me amounts. Anyone know how much I would need? 

Here's the recipe by the way. 
Seafood Gumbo on Yahoo! Food

Thanks
~Pimpette


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## ironchef

I would recommend making a clam broth from clam juice to use as a substitute for fish stock rather than a vegetable stock + fish oil.


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## Pimpette

Can you be more specific as to what to do, please?


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## Candocook

I think Ironchef is suggesting you use clam juice or the broth from draining canned clams for your fish stock. It is available on the supermarket aisle.
There is a prepared bouillion series that is pretty good--Better than Bouillion--on the soup aisle. They have lobster and maybe clam.  When using these types of products you need to be real careful about salt--don't add it anywhere else.  I think you could use half this kind of broth and half unsalted chicken broth for your stock.
I don't know where you get "fish oil" and that sounds like something I would not particularly want to put in my food to cook with (even though it is food safe!!).


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## Uncle Bob

One can buy Clam juice in a small bottle in most grocery stores...IMO it would work as a subsitute for your fish stock...however 7 cups of it would give your gumbo a definate clam flavor...one that I (personally) would find strange in gumbo...
There is also a product called Clamato juice...Clam and tomato juice mixture....never used it in gumbo...but it does add a nice touch to Clamdiggers...


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## Robo410

for a light fish stock use equal parts bottled clam juice and veg broth.  FOr a stronger stock taste use clam juice almost exclusively.  You can add to the flavor by saving the shells from raw shrimp and boiling them in water for 15 min. then strain...you now have shrimp broth.  

THe water from canned clams is not clam juice (and though it has some clam flavor it is pretty thin and sometimes metalic in taste)...clam juice is the squeezings from chowder clams after they take off the side meat for chowders, minced clams, fried clam strips etc.


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## Shunka

Knorr makes fish boullion and also shrimp if you can find it. Candocook, yes, Better than Boullion does make a clam base as I have some in my fridge right now. Around here they only sell beef, chicken and veggie base but I order mine online.


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## Candocook

Robo410 said:
			
		

> for a light fish stock use equal parts bottled clam juice and veg broth. FOr a stronger stock taste use clam juice almost exclusively. You can add to the flavor by saving the shells from raw shrimp and boiling them in water for 15 min. then strain...you now have shrimp broth.
> 
> I also like to brown the shells just a bit in the pan before adding the water to make the stock.


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## PytnPlace

I've used the asian fish sauce many times as a substitute for fish broth in my gumbo and jambalaya.  I put about 1/2 - 1 teaspoon per cup of veggie broth or H2O depending on your tastes.


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## Katie H

This may not help you with your immediate need, but I save all the shells, in bags in the freezer, from the shrimp I use for other dishes.  When I've accumulated quite a few, I put them in a pan with some chopped onion, a little celery (with leaves), a bit of chopped carrot and just a touch of salt and freshly ground black pepper and cover with water.  I simmer everything for, oh maybe, about 45 minutes.  Then I strain it and have some pretty good shrimp stock to use when a recipe calls for a fish stock.  If I don't use the stock right away, it gets frozen in 1-cup quantities.


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## BreezyCooking

Bottled clam juice &/or Knorr Fish Boullion.


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## Pimpette

For the Boullion's can i find them at walmart? Its the only food store we have (literally).


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## Katie H

Pimpette said:
			
		

> For the Boullion's can i find them at walmart? Its the only food store we have (literally).



We're sort of in the same boat as you, Pimpette, when it comes to grocery stores.  We're in a very, very rural part of the country and Wal-Mart pretty much rules the roost.  However, I've never seen the fish bouillon at my Wal-Mart.

Although, we do have a Big Lots that frequently has unusual food items.  I HAVE seen fish bouillon there and bought a bunch of it when they had it.  As with nearly everything at Big Lots, the inventory is never the same from one visit to another.  Kind of hit and miss.


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## Pimpette

Dang that sucks. Our Big Lots just went outta business!!1 *cries*


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## Andy M.

You can always get it here.


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## Pimpette

Thanks Andy. How much would I need to order for 7 cups though?


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## Andy M.

The jars contain a thick paste which is fish stock that has been reduced way down to make the paste. I don't use the fish base but the others call for a teaspoon of the base to make a cup of stock. One jar will make a lot more stock than you need for your recipe.


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## Pimpette

Okies. Thanks


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## Candocook

Pimpette said:
			
		

> Thanks Andy. How much would I need to order for 7 cups though?


 
I'd try your WalMart first. This will be very expensive. But it is about a teaspoon of the concentrate/cup.  I would be positive you can get clam broth at WalMart--where they sell tuna fish and clams, etc.  But then use some other broth. The other flavors in gumbo will fill out your final product just fine.


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## VeraBlue

How about a couple of bottles of clam juice?  If you have time for an internet order, you can do a search for lobster, clam, seafood base and you'll get very lucky.  You'd just have to wait a week for delivery.


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## JCreed

I use St Ours Clam Broth. It is a powder so I keep it in my pantry when a recipe calls for clam juice or fish stock.


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## Mad Cook

Pimpette said:


> Hey everyone. I have a recipe for seafood gumbo and it calls for 7 cups of fish stock. I don't want to make my own and I've looked at Wal-mart (its our only grocery store) and I can't find it. So I was wondering what can I use to substitute it. Someone told me Veg stock (paste) and fish oil. But they went by taste for substitutions and couldn't give me amounts. Anyone know how much I would need?
> 
> Here's the recipe by the way.
> Seafood Gumbo on Yahoo! Food
> 
> Thanks
> ~Pimpette


Do you have Knorr products in your shops? Knorr do a concentrated fish "Stockpot" which is good. IIRC there are 8 in a pack.  They do cubes as well but I prefer the Stockpots.

If you want to make your own ask the fishmonger for fish trimmings - heads bones, etc., for making stock. He might think you've gone mad or you may need to order in advance, especially if your fish counter is in a supermarket. Add the usual veg things, water and wine if you like, in with the fish bits and simmer. Just make sure you don't simmer for too long or you'll end up with something that tastes like glue.

Here's a recipe (but you don't need to make all that much).

Traditional Fish Stock recipe | Epicurious.com


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## GotGarlic

Mad Cook, this is a 10-year-old thread resurrected by a new member.


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## salt and pepper

Just use water! Or a light chicken or veg stock.


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## CraigC

We have seafood base, lobster base and shrimp base. The first we bought was the lobster base and man it worked really well as a sub for fish stock.


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## Mad Cook

GotGarlic said:


> Mad Cook, this is a 10-year-old thread resurrected by a new member.


Well, so what if she wanted to know?


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## GotGarlic

Mad Cook said:


> Well, so what if she wanted to know?



As usual, you responded to, and asked questions of, the original poster, who has not been here in 10 years. Just thought you might want to know. Don't be so defensive about it


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## CharlieD

Mad Cook said:


> Well, so what if she wanted to know?



Nobody wants to know. The new member who brought this up just gave a suggestion to what to do to the OP, who is long gone.


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## Addie

Back off everyone and calm down. This always happens. A new member comes on, will ask a question and never return. Then along comes another new member, a few years later, see the thread, feels that they have an answer to the question, answers and we are off. How many of us will admit to doing the very same mistake. I know I did it. 

Now to add my two cents to the thread. Nothing like asking your local fishmonger, if you can have a fish frame and cook whatever meat is left on the bones. Toss in some celery, carrots and any other veggie that will contribute to the broth. Cook it down until it is concentrated. Drain and freeze or use in fish or seafood chowder.


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## letscook

It may be an old thread but many of times I have come on here looking for info and anytime someone adds something it is always helpful. I don't care if it is 20 yrs old. The info is there when someone is in need.  
Lets not be so sensitive, we are all friends on here. That being said ......

I have used a combination of bottled clam juice and chicken broth/stock with great results.
I only add one bottle clam and the rest the Chicken broth/ stock.


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## Sagittarius

*Sagittarius:   Shrimp Stock*



Katie H said:


> This may not help you with your immediate need, but I save all the shells, in bags in the freezer, from the shrimp I use for other dishes.  When I've accumulated quite a few, I put them in a pan with some chopped onion, a little celery (with leaves), a bit of chopped carrot and just a touch of salt and freshly ground black pepper and cover with water.  I simmer everything for, oh maybe, about 45 minutes.  Then I strain it and have some pretty good shrimp stock to use when a recipe calls for a fish stock.  If I don't use the stock right away, it gets frozen in 1-cup quantities.



  This is one of the key´s  to an authentic   Paella or Fiduà (Noodles)  which is more common in The Gerona and Costa Brava region ..


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## Mad Cook

Pimpette said:


> Hey everyone. I have a recipe for seafood gumbo and it calls for 7 cups of fish stock. I don't want to make my own and I've looked at Wal-mart (its our only grocery store) and I can't find it. So I was wondering what can I use to substitute it. Someone told me Veg stock (paste) and fish oil. But they went by taste for substitutions and couldn't give me amounts. Anyone know how much I would need?
> 
> Here's the recipe by the way.
> Seafood Gumbo on Yahoo! Food
> 
> Thanks
> ~Pimpette


Knorr (a Swiss firm widely available in UK so probably in the US) make concentrated fish "Stockpots" and fish stock cubes which are passable if you put more water to them than recommended on the packet


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