The Underrated Power of Stock: Learn About The Benefits Of Pasteurized Stock & How It's Made

The Underrated Power of Stock

If you're a passionate home cook or a professional chef who loves to experiment, there’s one secret ingredient you absolutely cannot afford to overlook: a high-quality stock. Incorporating a proper stock into your meals is the single most effective way to unlock the true depth of flavor in any dish.

Think about the last time you had a clam chowder, a seafood risotto, or a flavorful shrimp scampi that tasted good, but just… lacked something. That missing "oomph" wasn't a spice or an herb; it was likely the base—the stock. By leveling up your stock game, you can effortlessly take that nice 7/10 dish to a solid 10/10.

Most home cooks skip making their own stock because it’s a labor of love. The idea of sourcing fresh carcasses, preparing vegetables, and dedicating multiple hours to simmering, skimming, and waiting is often impossible in a busy schedule.

This is why people often turn to traditional grocery store stocks—the non-perishable, jarred, or boxed liquids you find shelved next to canned goods. The disappointment, however, is often immediate: they offer a dull, one-dimensional flavor profile that tastes more like salty water than a rich extraction of seafood essence. Finding a truly great, ready-to-use stock that has gone through a rigorous, high-quality pasteurization process without being loaded with artificial flavorings, sodium, or preservatives is incredibly difficult.  

What is Pasteurization?

Unlike the Ultra-High Temperature (UHT) processes used for shelf-stable broths—which can strip away volatile, delicate flavors—Intershell uses a pasteurization method.

Pasteurization is a carefully controlled heat-treatment process that significantly reduces the number of viable pathogenic microorganisms in the product and then immediately flash frozen.  This process ensures the destruction of harmful bacteria while successfully retaining the subtle, complex, and authentic flavor compounds that develop during our slow-simmering process WITHOUT relying on heavy preservatives or added salt (salt is used as a natural preservative). This makes the product safe for consumption and extends its refrigerated shelf life after being thawed.

Lets Compare: Shelf-Stable vs. Homemade vs. Natural Pasteurized Stock

We are going to talk about 3 kinds of stock, two of which are available for consumers to purchase for personal use. Understanding the difference between the types of stock available is key to leveling up your cooking. Intershell's method bridges the gap between the time-consuming labor of homemade stocks and the quality compromises of typical shelf-stable options.

Introducing: Intershell’s Seafood Stock Line

Intershell's collection of seafood stocks includes the original Clam Juice, Lobster Stock, and Crab Stock. We eliminate the time and work for you while maintaining the pure quality of a homemade broth. All Intershell’s seafood stocks are pasteurized using natural ingredients, and we keep the formulation clean, focusing on flavor purity with no added sodium during the cooking process.

Our three primary stocks offer distinct and dynamic profiles:

• Clam Juice: Intershell’s clam juice is made as a pure bi-product of the Atlantic Surf Clam. Since the only ingredient used is surf clam, this results in a highly concentrated, briny essence. For sipping on its own as a savory broth, additional stock ingredients like carrots, celery, and onions should be added and heated first.
• Crab Stock: Prepared using crab bodies, celery, onion, and carrots, making it ready to sip on its own. Offers a naturally lighter color and a delicate, milder flavor. It carries a subtle salinity that is naturally less intense than the lobster.
• Lobster Stock: Prepared using lobster bodies, celery, onion, and carrots, making it ready to sip on its own. Delivers a stronger, more robust flavor and deeper color. Interestingly, while no extra salt is added during cooking, the lobster’s natural intensity results in a richer, naturally saltier profile.

How Intershell's Stocks Are Made

We take a purist approach to extraction, ensuring the deepest possible flavor using classic culinary techniques. Our Crab and Lobster Stocks follow a traditional, mirepoix-based method, while our Clam Juice is a stand alone product:

1. Lobster & Crab: Both our Lobster and Crab Stocks are prepared identically, starting with a classic mirepoix of celery, carrot, and onion, slow-simmered with the seafood bodies - the aromatic trio essential for any great stock. 
2. Clam Juice: We take the extracted bellies of the Atlantic Surf Clams and boil it. Using the bellies naturally captures the clean, bright, briny essence of the ocean. Nothing additional is added.
3. Pasteurization: All stocks are boiled for 4 hours, and then immediately flash frozen. This ensures safety and extended life while preserving the intense, authentic flavor. The result is a clean formulation with no preservatives, stabilizers, or salt added.

The result is a stock that offers the authentic, powerful flavor of fresh seafood—without the labor and waiting—so you can focus on cooking a 10/10 meal every time.  All of Intershell's stocks are ready to use as an incredible recipe base, or you can simply heat them up to enjoy as a savory, nourishing sipping broth.