A line cook in Seattle asked me why I was saving the fish bones

Michael Wright · 2026-03-10T14:15:05.631766+00:00

We were breaking down a whole salmon at the end of service last Tuesday, and I was putting all the bones and heads into a bag in the freezer. This new guy, Jake, asked what I was doing. I told him I was saving them for stock. He said his old place just threw them out. So I showed him how I roast them first, then simmer with some leek tops and fennel for a simple broth. It's free flavor, and now he does it too. What's something simple you do that new cooks are often surprised by?

harperwright6mo ago

Roasting carrot peels for a quick veggie powder always gets a surprised look.

4

nelson.dakota7mo ago

Wasting good bones is just lazy, lol.

1

jaden697mo ago

You ever notice how throwing out bones kills the whole point of buying whole fish? It's like paying for a bag of flour and tossing half of it before you even bake. That stock is the base for your next family meal.

1