Just made crawfish stock, spicey but otherwise flavorless

[Batman]

Hello,
First time poster here. I just got done making a shellfish stock out of 3 lbs of crawfish shells and heads from a crawfish boil. I put the shells, onions, and bellpeppers in my pressure cooker and let it do it's thing for about 35 minutes (that's the time most websites said for pressure cooking shellfish stock).

It came out beautiful looking, very nice color, but it taste spicy and not much else. Is it normal for shellfish stock to have a subtle subdued flavor?

Maybe I should put it in a pot and reduce it?

 

[Bolas De Fraile]

Batman, I have never used crawfish, but I use the heads and shells of cooked shrimp and lobster ect, this is my way to make pink stock, sweat in your stock pot using butter a fine dice of onions/shallots and garlic, tip in your shell and heads fry, add white wine and boil off the alcohol, add some light chicken stock, simmer for 20 to 30 min, put into a blender and blitz, then pass through a sieve lined with muslin. Taste, if its a bit weak reduce then season

 

[Josie1945]

Hello,
First time poster here. I just got done making a shellfish stock out of 3 lbs of crawfish shells and heads from a crawfish boil. I put the shells, onions, and bellpeppers in my pressure cooker and let it do it's thing for about 35 minutes (that's the time most websites said for pressure cooking shellfish stock).

It came out beautiful looking, very nice color, but it taste spicy and not much else. Is it normal for shellfish stock to have a subtle subdued flavor?

Maybe I should put it in a pot and reduce it?

Welcome to DC.

Josie

 

[Midnight_Merlot]

Ok, I openly admit it - I'M A WUSS!!! I have NEVER tried crawfish before...I even went to a Cpt. Georges Buffet w/in the last few weeks..they had the crawfish there - in abundance...so, I took 2 of them.....brought them to my table, &....well,...caved like a sissy....I just couldn't eat them. Whats wrong w/me??? I dearly want to TRY crawfish, but, I get to a point that I just get "scared"....any advice?!?!?!

 

[CraigC]

All your crawfish flavor from the heads and shells leached out in the boil liquid plus the spice used, especially liquid boil concentrate, would over power and seafood essence, IMO. Did you crush the heads up while in the pot? Try making an etouffee. Make the stock for it by boiling the crawfish in water with the normal onion, carrot, celery etc. When cooked, separate the heads, remove the tail meat and dump the heads and shells back in the stock. Crush the heads with a potato masher right in the stock pot. When you strain it, don't forget to press the heads to get all the liquid out. For me, I tend to treat stock like good BBQ, low and slow. I would also forget the pressure cooker.

Craig

 

[motherhubberd]

Hello,
First time poster here. I just got done making a shellfish stock out of 3 lbs of crawfish shells and heads from a crawfish boil. I put the shells, onions, and bellpeppers in my pressure cooker and let it do it's thing for about 35 minutes (that's the time most websites said for pressure cooking shellfish stock).

It came out beautiful looking, very nice color, but it taste spicy and not much else. Is it normal for shellfish stock to have a subtle subdued flavor?

Maybe I should put it in a pot and reduce it?

I had same problem, just did the same, I added sherry and crushed the shells like others suggested. Still seemed like a waste of time. Then, I looked thru fridge, added some oyster sauce and it changed the whole stock flavor. Turned out great. Still don't know what I'm gonna make but it has flavor and is spicy, so cream and shrimp are Def gonna be involved

 

[salt and pepper]

The problem is you used the stock from a boil! The stock was already seasoned and that's why it was hot. You need to use the shells and season to what ever your making.