Simply Recipes / Alison Bickel
Everyone has their favorite Thanksgiving dish.
Maybe its thestuffing, the corn pudding, or therolls.
Its the turkey carcass.
Simply Recipes / Alison Bickel
I trust only me to carve the turkeythats because it gives me alone time with the carcass.
By the time I make it to the holiday table, Im quite full and deliriously content.
Roasted Turkey Bones Make the Best Stock
But thats only half the story!
Simply Recipes / Alison Bickel
Turkey stock made with the leftover carcass is full of personality.
Turkey stock is the best stock to make if youve never cooked homemade stock.
Thats because you probably already have all the ingredients on hand since you just had a big turkey dinner.
All you need is water, the roasted turkey bones, and a large pot.
Vegetables and aromatics are useful, but optional.
Turkey Stock, Step-by-Step
Making turkey stock is hands-off babysitting of a pot thats happily simmering away.
Plus, that incredible scent of roast turkey will fill your house (again).
The jelly-like body is from the collagen in the bones connective tissue dissolving.
It adds a silky richness to the stock.
Just follow the recipe as written but use the turkey bones instead of chicken.
Cant Make Stock Now?
Have I driven home from my in-laws with their gift of frozen turkey carcass in tow?
Yes, I have.
Storing Turkey Stock
Before you refrigerate the strained turkey stock, you better let it cool.
Youll have a lot of stock.
To quickly cool the stock, make an ice bath.
But not all of us have a ton of ice.
And remember, the shallower the container, the faster the stock will chill.
you could freeze the stock in freezer-safe bags or containers for up to one year.
Adding the turkey skin translates to tons of flavor.
Your resulting stock will have a more neutral flavor and subtle color.
You may need to break the carcass apart to get it to fit.
If needed, make it in two smaller pots.
Add the onions, celery, carrots, bay leaves, parsley, and thyme.
Add enough cold water to cover the bones by an inch.
Set the stockpot over high heat and bring it to a boil.
Right when it starts to bubble away, reduce it to a low simmer.
Youre looking for small bubbles around the edges, not a hard boil.
This gentle cooking produces a cleaner-tasting stock thats clear, not cloudy, and has a lot of body.
Simmer the stock at least 2 hours and up to 4 hours.
No need to keep the lid on.
Remember, the longer and gentler the simmer, the better the stock.
I like to get it going as I clean the kitchen in the evening.
If theres scum at the top as it simmers, dont stir it in.
Use a skimmer or a slotted spoon to scoop it out and discard it.
These are the impurities in the bones coming up.
Set a colander over a large stockpot or large bowl and strain the stock into it.
You may have to do this in batches.
Alternatively, you could fish out the bones and vegetables with tongs or a slotted spoon.
Get creative if you must.
Toss out the cooked vegetables and bones.
The stock is now ready to use if youre ready to cook with it.
If so, you may want to spoon off as much of the fat floating on top.
If not, let the stock cool to room temperature.
But dont place a giant stockpot of hot stock straight in the fridge because it can spoil.
Chill it overnight and then scrape off the fat that solidifies on top.
Pour the stock into airtight containers.
Refrigerate it up to 7 days or freeze it for up to 1 year.
