Super Easy Turkey Stock

I've been planning on making my own chicken stock for a while now. A few months ago I roasted a chicken and put the leftover bones in the freezer. Once I have enough, I'm going to use them for homemade chicken stock. I really like the idea of making use of all the parts of the bird, even the leftover bits that I would usually throw away. The Thanksgiving issue of Everyday with Rachael Ray had this recipe for Easy Turkey Stock. I thought back to all of the Thanksgivings when my dad would finish carving the turkey for leftovers after dinner... then we'd throw away the carcass. I thought, wow it's a shame to let all of the flavor packed in the bones and leftover bits of meat go to waste!

The main issue for making this was finding the time. I even cut out an hour of cooking the stock because it had reduced as much as it needed to. The stock needs to cook for about five and a half hours total. I managed to do it on a Tuesday evening when I didn't have to work the next day and could stay up pretty late. After it had been simmering for an hour I remembered that I've seen chefs use cheese rinds to add flavor to stock. I have a huge chunk of parmesan cheese that one of my parents' neighbors brought back from his hometown in Trentino, Italy. Trust me, this is the BEST, MOST AMAZINGLY DELICIOUS parmesan I've ever tasted. The REAL stuff. I quickly grabbed the cheese and not-so-quickly sliced off the rind. It definitely helped add depth to the flavor. After I finished the stock, I let it cool a bit, then popped it in the freezer. I can't wait to use it! Yum!


Easy Turkey Stock
Makes: About 3 Quarts
Prep: 15 min (plus cooling) Cook: 5 1/2 hrs

1 roasted turkey carcass, broken into pieces, plus the reserved neck, giblets, and any leftover skin (I saw another recipe that cooked these extra pieces in oil before adding to stock)
2 carrots, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 onion, unpeeled and quartered
10 cloves garlic, smashed and unpeeled
A handful of thyme and parsley sprigs (I used fresh thyme and rosemary)
2 teaspoons whole peppercorns
(Optional: Rind from hard cheese)

Step 1: Divide ingredients between two pots or use a large stockpot. Fill each pot with enough water to cover ingredients (about 4 quarts per pot) and bring to a boil.

Step 2: Lower heat and simmer until reduced by one-fifth, about 4 1/2 hours. Let cool for at least two hours.

Step 3: Strain the stock through a colander set inside an extra large bowl (can get messy); skim and discard any fat off the surface.

Step 4: Rinse out a pot, then pour in the stock. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until reduced by half, about 50 minutes.

Step 5: Refrigerate the stock, then skim and discard any solidified fat. May transfer to freezer.