Turkey Stock

I love making soup in the Fall and Winter months, something about the process I find really relaxing. I always start the process by making homemade stock, whether it is chicken, turkey, pork or beef.  I like that fact that I can add whatever flavors I like and can control the salt content, also I try to avoid added chemicals and stabilizers in the canned and boxed broths.  My secret and I cannot remember who taught me this, but save your onion skins and put them into the water along with the flavorings, they give the soup a wonderful color.

Don't get me wrong I always have a few cans of various broth in my pantry for emergencies.  This weekend we made a huge Turkey Breast and after I picked the carcass clean I placed it in a large stock pot, added my flavorings and made the most gorgeous Turkey Broth.  Here is how I do it.

1 Turkey Carcass, including skin, and whatever drippings are left in the pan after roasting
4 celery sticks
4 carrots
1 Yellow onion sliced into rings (keep the outer dry skin)
Salt and peppercorns
Any other veggies you have laying around (I threw in a tomato)
Cold Water

*Place your carcass, skin and drippings into a soup pot or large pot of any kind

*Add your celery, carrots, onion skins,onion, salt, a handful of peppercorns and whatever else you wish

*Add very cold water to the cooking vessel depending on size to a few inches below the rim

*Start on high and when it starts to boil, turn it to low setting and let cook for 8 to 20 hours. (I leave mine on overnight with the lid on)

*You want it to just barely simmer, stir on occasion

After cooking strain into a large bowl, refrigerate overnight and the next morning skim the fat off the top

****The key to keeping you and your family safe is NOT to put the hot stock directly into your fridge, that can be dangerous.  I fill my sink with cold water and ice and let it cool down, then transfer to the fridge******

You are ready to use or freeze, I use either a gallon ziplock or the soup take out containers which I save for this purpose