Fish Heads

[Deadly Sushi]

When you buy a whole fish from the market.... what in the hell do you do with the head? Toss it away with the tail and fins?

[BreezyCooking]

If it's not an oily fish (like Mackerel, Bluefish, Salmon, etc.), I use all the trimmings, including the head, to make fish stock. The only prep needed is to cut out the gills, because they can give stock a bitter taste. And if you're not going to make stock right then & there (very few people do), just cut out the gills & pop the head & those trimmings in the freezer.

[Miniman]

Thats what I was going to say - make stock.

[Deadly Sushi]

This is going to sound amatuer-ish but.... when would i use fish stock? What would I be making generally?

[Lefty]

It would be used in fish or seafood dishes. Or a plain dish where you would want to add a fish flavor.

[UnConundrum]

Chowders (fish/clam), crab soups, sauces for fish, etc.

[Deadly Sushi]

There is chicken and beef stock on grocery shelves.... I wonder why no fish stock

[Miniman]

You can buy it over here - Knorr do it in a blue box.

[Lefty]

Originally Posted by Deadly Sushi

There is chicken and beef stock on grocery shelves.... I wonder why no fish stock

They stock what is more popular. We sell it here because we eat a lot of seafood.

[BreezyCooking]

"Kitchen Basics" also puts out fish stock in those convenient recloseable cartons.

When I make fish stock, I use it for seafood soups/chowders/bisques, stews like Bouillabaise, seafood sauces for pasta, etc., etc.

[Deadly Sushi]

Ah! I see. Its amazing what I dont know and/or use.

Everytime I see that brand I just have to say BA-HABA Like some guy in Boston

[chocolate moose]

loooove fish stock...wish i could get more heads and tails and such .......

[buckytom]

if possible, leave the head on. many fish have delicious cheek meat.

[High Cheese]

I can't stand chicken stock used with seafood. You can make a quick stock using shells or bones and water that will really turn any seafood dish into something spectacular.

[phreak]

I freeze whatever doesn't get cooked to later make my secret chum recipe to then go catch more fish!

[buckytom]

phreak, did you ever work here?

[Ronjohn]

Instructions for fish heads:

You Tube

[BreezyCooking]

Originally Posted by phreak

I freeze whatever doesn't get cooked to later make my secret chum recipe to then go catch more fish!

Thanks for reminding me! Back when I lived by the lovely waterfront of Long Island, NY, we used to freeze fish heads to use as bait for eel pots or when we went crabbing. Ahhh, those were the days. . . .

[CharlieD]

I love fish soup, and fish heads and tails, or even carcas is the best for it. Make the stock, strain add whatever you want, yum.

[pappy19]

Don't forget that every fish (head) has two (2) tender cheek meats right under the eye. On larger fish, they are almost teaspoon size. When we cook trout with the head on, that's the first thing I eat.

Pap