Can you make fish broth with just fish flesh — no bones or heads?
When I ate a fish stew some years ago in a Hong Kong restaurant, the dish had no bones. The broth was made from giant grouper. Do you know if bones were used?
No local grocers sell fish bones. And I don't want to buy fish heads...the appearance of fish heads just dismays me. I live in the U.S.
Best Answer
Fish broth, like most stocks (except vegetarian), is almost always made from bones, and usually includes other parts of the fish like heads, tails, and fins. In addition to the flavor and protein from the fish bits, you need the gelatin from the bones to give the stock "body" and texture.
I also live in the US, and there's a very simple way to get the heads, frames (bones), and tails: buy a whole fish and fillet it yourself. You make a stock from the frame and use the meat for the soup.
If that freaks you out, or you live in one of those midwestern towns where you can't get whole fish, here's a workaround. It has decent flavor, even if it lacks some of the body of a proper fish stock: make a broth using dried scallops. You'll probably have to order them online, but they ship well.
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Can you make fish stock without bones?
Also, roasting the bones isn't necessary when making fish stock neither is including Apple Cider Vinegar. This is a simple technique I learned from my mom and I've been using this method for over a decade. There really is no right or wrong in this, more of a personal preference.Can I use fish skin for stock?
If you have any trimmings of fillets, they're a welcome addition, but don't add any gills or skin, which turns the stock gray and bitter. The best bones for stock are those from fish with sweet, white flesh, such as flounder, sole, snapper, sea bass, or cod.What is the difference between fish stock and fish broth?
Fish broth is made using actual pieces of fish meat, compared to stock which is made using the offcuts like bones. This means that broth has an even more intense fishy, meaty, and flavorful taste. Broth is also simmered for much longer, meaning you often get a thicker product.Is a fish stock made from fish bones?
Fish stock is a flavorful broth made from fish bones, heads, and other trimmings, that provides the base for many dishes such as chowder, paella, and bouillabaisse. It is simmered for a shorter time than beef or chicken stock to capture its light and fresh flavors.How to Make Fish Stock
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Answer 2
In Chinese cooking, fish broth is often made from fishes with rather loose flesh which disintegrate easily; this way the fish could fully release its flavor into the broth. A common type of fish is Carassius auratus (which is the same species as the common goldfish, but a different breed which is suitable for cooking).
You cook your fish and the flesh and bones all disintegrate. This gets messy, so the broth is strained and the solid remnants are disposed. Then you add other ingredients to the soup. The moral of the story here is, however, that the soup and the flesh need not come from the same fish!
You may want your stew to contain grouper flesh, but your broth need not be made of grouper. If you like, you can make the broth out of sea bass, perch or carp, and then strain the broth. In fact, this is likely how it works in large Cantonese kitchens: since it would be impossible to prepare fish broth for every single order, there is probably just a large pot of fish broth sitting in the kitchen serving as a base.
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