I’m a cold weather lover. So when this morning’s temperature dropped from a muggy 75+ degrees (it’s December, dammit!) to a steely 55 degrees in a the space of an hour, the day looked fabulous. Windows open! The possibility of jeans without sweat! Dare I hope–a jacket? SWEET.
Naturally, I wanted something hot to eat. Naturally, I didn’t want to cook. So I perused the fridge for something to reheat (I love leftovers almost as much as cold weather). What’s brought a smile to my tastebuds today is a bowl of my personal variety of “stone soup,” the direct results of Thanksgiving’s bounty.
Because turkeys are a larger bird, the leftover bones and bits of meat from one are plenty enough for making stock. When preparing your bird for roasting, remember to save the neck bone for stock-making too.
Old Vegetables + Fried Turkey Bones = Tasty Soup
Thanksgiving wreaks havoc with regular eating. Thanks to all the special holiday dishes I’d prepared (for our Wednesday meal, which the kids call “Pre-giving,” and actual turkey day at my mom’s house), my CSA vegetables languished, forgotten and forlorn. Assessing the veggie bin’s contents revealed a sad collection of wilted collard greens, slightly stale purple carrots, and wrinkled turnips.
Adding to the what-do-I-cook-with-these bounty were roasted vegetables. On the Saturday after Thanksgiving, we Nyfelers hold our “thankful party.” We roast a pig (yep; a whole pig, on a spit, in the backyard) and enjoy the fire, adult beverages, and an afternoon outside with family and friends.
Part of the annual pig roast spread includes foil packets stuffed full of onion, mushrooms, peppers, cherry tomatoes, zucchini, and tiny potatoes in olive oil (and a little pat of butter, because butter), tucked among the coals to cook.
All those odds and ends brought to mind the wonderful children’s classic, Stone Soup! by Marcia Brown. I’d just throw everything into one pot, cook it up, and call it done.
But soup’s need a base, right?
Turkey Stock Recipe from the Leftover Carcass
FAQ
Can you use a fried turkey carcass for stock?
How long can you keep turkey carcass for stock?
Can I mix chicken and turkey bones for stock?
How long does homemade turkey bone broth last?
What can I do with a turkey carcass?
You are then left with a lovely broth that you can make your own homemade soup with or other sauces or recipes. The turkey carcass is just something you would otherwise throw away. Why not put it to good use. Making a turkey stock is easy and rewarding. Easy simple ingredients go into making a great stock.
Can one have turkey and carrots?
Eating turkey and carrots is part of healthy habits. The turkey has meat like chicken and is another healthy poultry option. Carrots are rich in carotenoids, it is a source of vitamin A, fiber, potassium and vitamin B3.
What happens if a turkey carcass is cooked?
The problem is that your turkey carcass has been cooked, so it won’t deliver the clean, pure flavor of a white poultry stock made from raw meat and bones. But you also won’t get a true brown stock out of it, since the bones were hiding under a cladding of moist meat while your bird was in the oven.
Can you make bone broth from turkey carcass?
When the turkey carcass is picked over, you already have everything prepped for stock. If you’re not making it right away, store the bones in a sealed container in the freezer until you’re ready to make the stock. Here are three different ways to make bone broth. Each method is simple and makes a delicious stock.