Now that Thanksgiving is over and you are looking for ways to use that left-over turkey, start with the bones.  Turkey stock is easy to make, tastes great, and help you use up all that left-over turkey.

Soup Stock

bones from a turkey

1 onion

2 ribs of celery

1 carrot

4 cloves garlic, cracked

2 t whole pepper corns

A 12 inch long piece of cheesecloth, rinsed

4 bay leaves

herbs of your choice (I use thyme, basil, small amount of oregano, parsley)

Heat your oven to 450 degrees F.  Place the turkey (or chicken, beef, lamb, duck, etc.) bones in a roasting pan and place in the hot oven.  Allow to roast until a good amount of color has developed on the bones.  Usually 20 – 30 minutes.  Do not burn.

In a stock pot, bring water to boil (I don’t specify an amount here because it really doesn’t matter.  Fill your pan 1/2 way with water.  You can always add more).  Place all the herbs, peppercorns, and garlic in the cheesecloth and tie into a bundle (this is a bouquet garni).  Place this in the water.  Cut the onion into quarters and place it in the water along with the celery and carrot.  Reduce the heat to a simmer.  You don’t want a boil or you will develop cloudy stock.

After the bones have developed a sufficient amount of color, remove them from the oven and carefully place them into the water with the herbs and onion.  Allow to simmer at a very light boil for 2 – 3 hours.  Remove the bones, bouquet garni, and onion, strain and place in containers for freezing.

We have a tradition of making turkey gumbo the Saturday after Thanksgiving.  I will be posting that recipe tomorrow.  If you are planning on making the gumbo, then refrigerate some of the stock for that use.

I try to always have some stock in the freezer.  It tastes much better than the stock or broth you can purchase in the grocery store and you know what is in it or rather what isn’t like preservatives and things you can’t pronounce.