Puerto Rican Fish Broth, Caldo de Pescado
Puerto Rican Fish Broth, Caldo de Pescado, is made with fish heads, culantro, oregano brujo, and herbs. Great as a soup base or seafood stock. Also called fish stock or fumet.
Servings: 10 cups
Calories: 5kcal
Equipment
- chinios or fine mesh strainer
Ingredients
- 2 fish heads and or fish bones
- 3 onions medium, cut in half. skin removed
- 3 carrots cut into medium chunks
- 4 celery stalks root removed, cut into medium dices
- 1 bunch parsley Italian parsley is preferred, but curly parsley would work too.
- 2 sprigs thyme
- 3 leaves culantro optional
- 3 leaves oregano brujo optional
- 1 teaspoon peppercorns peppercorn mix will work
- 12 cups cold water
Instructions
- Place the fish heads and fish bones into the stock pot.
- Add onions, carrots, and celery.
- Add peppercorns.
- Also add oregano brujo, culantro, parsley, and thyme.
- Pour cold water over the ingredients in the pot to cover them by at least 1 inch.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer, skimming any foam or particles that float to the surface. Simmer for about 30 to 45 minutes. Do not add salt.
- Once the broth is ready. Strain it and cool it quickly by placing the pot in an ice bath or dividing it into shallow containers before refrigerating. Do not let it sit for more than one to two hours.
Notes
A Quick Note on Fish Choice
When making fish broth, stick to white-fleshed, mild-tasting fish like snapper, grouper, halibut, or cod. Avoid oily fish like mackerel, sardines, or salmon—their strong flavors and oils can turn the broth bitter, murky, or overpowering. You want clean, balanced flavor that complements—not competes with—whatever dish you’re making.
Expert Tips
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- Freeze in Portions: Broth freezes beautifully. Pour into ice cube trays, muffin tins, or small containers for easy grab-and-use portions. Label with the date and whether it’s reduced for better planning later.
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- Start with Cold Water: Always start your broth with cold water. It helps extract flavor and collagen more evenly from the bones as the temperature gradually rises.
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- Simmer, Don’t Boil: Keep the heat at a gentle simmer. A rolling boil can break down the fish bones too fast, cloud the broth, and make it taste muddy.
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- Skim Early Foam: During the first 10 minutes of simmering, skim off any foam that rises to the top. It helps keep your broth clean-tasting and clear.
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- Use a Fine-Mesh Strainer: Once done, strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth to remove small bone bits and veggie remnants, especially if you're aiming for a smooth or delicate result.
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- Use Within a Week or Freeze: Fish broth is more delicate than chicken or beef stock. Use it within 5–7 days if refrigerated, or store in the freezer for long-term use.
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- Cool Your Broth Quickly: Fish broth is delicate and can spoil fast if left out too long. Once strained, cool it quickly by placing the pot in an ice bath or dividing it into shallow containers before refrigerating. Don’t let it sit out for more than 1–2 hours.
Nutrition
Serving: 8oz | Calories: 5kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 0.3g | Fat: 0.1g | Saturated Fat: 0.02g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.03g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 40mg | Potassium: 29mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 0.3g | Vitamin A: 453IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 0.1mg
