Turkey Bone Stock


 

Steve Cutchen

TVWBB Super Fan
My turkey carcass stock is based on a recipe by Emeril. I adjusted the veggies and set a basis for pot to stock volume. I also sautéed the vegetables.


Turkey Bone Stock
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Recipe By: Emeril Lagasse
Yield: 1 3/4 gallons from a 17 lb turkey carcass

Ingredients:

1 leftover turkey carcass
2 onions, chopped
6 carrots, peeled, chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped. Try to get celery with lots of greens, and add the celery tops with the water.
olive oil
4 cloves garlic, peeled, crushed
2 bay leaves
4 sprigs thyme
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
salt
water, to cover

Directions:

Using a sharp knife, cut the carcass into smaller pieces.

Heat a large pot, (can use multiple pots, see Note) and add a turn of olive oil. Saute the carrots and celery for about 5 minutes. Add the onions and continue to saute for another 5 minutes. Add the carcass, garlic, celery tops, bay leaves, thyme, and peppercorns. Season with salt. Cover with water. Bring to boil, reduce to simmer and cook covered for 2 hours. Add water if needed. Remove from the heat and use a slotted spoon to remove most of the solids. Strain, eventually through cheesecloth, to remove remaining bits.

Notes:

You can split the carcass between multiple pots. Plan on about 2 quarts of pot volume for every 1 quart of final stock.
A 16 lb carcass can make almost 2 gallons of stock; 15 to 16 quarts of pot volume.
 
I've made a lot of turkey stock. I think it makes the difference between fabulous turkey dishes and OK dishes. I use onion alone in general though you certainly can sadd carrot, celery, and garlic. You don't have to chop the veggies. Put the carcass, all other bones, and unchopped vegetables on an oven pan and roast them at 350F for about a hour, until the bones begin to brown a bit, and some liquid is at the bottom of the pan, and the vegetables have softened somewhat.

Then add all of that to your stockpot, add water, bring to the slightest simmer, and keep the simmer for 4-5 hours. It's important to have only the slightest simmer on the surface. That avoids creation of a cloudy mess. Addng seasonings is at your discetion. Now and then I add chicken stock, about 25% to the simmering liquid. You don't taste the chicken; it adds greatly to the richness of the stock.

After 4-6 hours, strain stock into separator funnel. Let sit and separate fat from water layer. Put stock back into a saucepan and taste. I usually, at this point reduce the stock to the degree richness and turkey flavor that that I want. This makes gravey or stuffing reach to a higher power.

This freezes very well for your next turkey. I'd highly suggest doing this if you haven't tried. It raises a turkey dinner to a whole new level.
 
I completely agree with Kent. Never boil stock or the result is very cloudy. Even if you go through the clarification process, you won't have a clear stock if you've overboiled it.
 

 

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