[Dallas] Lobster Shells and Carcasses

[Rico]

So, I'm guessing it's not something a lot of people are looking for, because I can't seem to find lobster scraps anywhere - I've tried CM and WF, but they both looked at me like I've only got one hand (which is appropriate, since I've only got one hand), and TJ's and Rex's both said they could order it for me in 15 and 20-pound orders, respectively. That's about 10 and 15 pounds more than I want. And all I really want it for are smallish batches of stock for various things that I haven't really thought out completely yet. That, and I just find the process of making stock to be cathartic.

Anyway, is it strange for someone to go looking for five-pound batches of used lobster? Even if it is strange, is there some place I can find it?

[therippa]

I can't tell you where to get it, but I can tell you 2 lobster's worth of scraps makes 1qt of lobster broth (not stock, no bones) for me. Why not just find some lobster on sale (I paid $9.99/lb this weekend) and cook a dinner or two?

[Rico]

1qt of lobster broth (not stock, no bones) for me.

Something new every day!

That's a good idea. I might go check out some places to see what I can find. I'm a bit of a lobster neophyte, so I'm not really sure if I'll be able to find them for that price in Dallas. Regardless, I'm going to report back with my finds and my broth results ... since I'm sure everyone's just super riveted ...

[heidih]

Asian markets are often a good source of inexpensive lobster. Pick a busy store.

[janeer]

Isn't there a fresh fish market in Dallas that sells lobster meat? Any fish market that does should have loads of shells they'd be happy to give you.

[Chris Amirault]

You won't want to post their names, but I'm sure that mid-range restaurants going through a lot of lobster rolls and the like are tossing carcasses, not making stock.

[ScoopKW]

I buy lobster sleepers (almost dead) and stiffs (freshly dead*) from my local Asian market, on a "wink wink, nudge nudge" basis for $3/lb.

Not only do I get the stock I want, I usually get enough meat to make a few lobster rolls. Double bonus, if you ask me.

*Its a matter of trust that they're recently deceased. So far, so good.

[budrichard]

Lobster internals decay quite rapidly after death, hence the reason that 'sleepers' and 'stiffs' are not sold by reputable fish mongers.

Indeed even with the removal of internals and meat, within 24 hours you get the ammonia odor of decay from shells.

Hence the reason you can't find shells for sale.-Dick

Edited October 13, 2010 by budrichard (log)

[Rico]

And this is just one of the myriad reasons eGullet is awesome.

I will be trying my Super H today (always love an excuse to trek up there), and mid-range restaurants of the Super H can't help. And I'm guessing I want to use them immediately, and not even freeze them, based on the ammonia thing?

[banffcook]

i dont know about in dalas but where I live near and around calgary alberta canada there are no shells for sale, not many people stock them but the few things I could advise are to either make good friends with a chef or sous chef at a local high end resturant and ask if you can buy some shells or even stock off of them, the other thing that you could do is buy it from the person who offered to sell it to you in bigger batches make a big batch of stock and you can then freeze it. Either way you go make sure the shells and meat are fresh and dont smell of anything but maybe the fresh sea, kinda like seaweed. thanks.

[Chris Hennes]

I've frozen lobster scraps and made stock later to good effect, so I think as long as you have a good cold freezer you could store them away if you really wanted to.

[Qwerty]

Could you use shrimp shells? The techniques are nearly identical but you'd have a much easier time getting shrimp shells. Once you add the stock to whatever you are cooking (soup, bouillabase, curry, etc) the difference between lobster and shrimp won't be astronomical. You can also stretch it out, like buy 2 or 3 lobsters, use the bodies for stock, and stretch with shrimp shells.