Easy Turkey Stock (or Turkey Broth!)

No need to buy pre-made turkey stock from the store- make your own! It's so easy and the flavor cannot be beat!

Use the stock in these great recipes: Leftover Chicken (or Turkey) Shepherd's Pie, Chicken (or Turkey) Wild Rice Soup and Turkey Tetrazzini.

Turkey Broth

When it comes to broth, I think it's important to have a really good one. I mean, broth (or stock) is the basis of SO many recipes. And while there are many great ones on the market that I happily use, there's no substitute for homemade.

Luckily, making turkey stock is also very easy! It takes pretty minimal effort and freezes super well. Which means it's perfect to make ahead and freeze and then thaw and use to supplement your pan drippings in a killer gravy!

Tips for how to make turkey stock

• Don't both dicing your veggies up into super small pieces, you'll be straining them out of the stock anyway, so just save yourself the time and cut them into bigger chunks.
• I like to hold all my fresh herbs, peppercorns and garlic cloves together to make them easier to remove- I wrap them in a cheesecloth and secure it closed by rolling it then tying the ends together. In the culinary world, this is called a sachet d'epices and to be honest, I probably don't do it "right" but it's easy and it works every time for me.
• You can skim the fat as it cooks, but it's easier to cool it and chill it and then remove the fat from the top. You can also use a fat separator.
• Cool completely before putting in the fridge.

Helpful ingredient information

• Turkey: I bought a pack of turkey wings, but you can use whichever cut of turkey you prefer. And if you're making this the day you make a turkey, feel free to use the wings and neck from that.
• Vegetables: The vegetables used for this include onion, celery, carrots and garlic.
• Flavoring: For delicious flavor I use fresh sage, fresh thyme, fresh parsley and whole peppercorns. I don't typically add salt until the ned and I do that to taste. But remember, less is more- you can always add more if it's not enough.

Can I make this with raw turkey parts?

Yes! You'll start off by browning them until golden on each side- it's the basis of all the flavor. And then after you've caramelized the vegetables, you'll add them back in with the sachet and a bunch of water and let it do it's thing for a while and all the flavors will come together.

So which is it, turkey broth or turkey stock?

So most people (like me!) use them interchangeably. They're basically the same, especially in term of uses. Technically, the big difference is stock is cooked with bones and is typically unsalted. Because of the marrow in the bones, it often has a gel texture to it when cooled. And stock typically cooks longer. My method for this recipe probably closer resembles a broth, but again, I use them interchangeably.

Do I have to use cheese cloth?

No, you'll be straining the broth wither way, but I find it easier to use the cheese cloth.

What can you do with turkey stock?

I think the real question is, what can't you do with it? You can use it pretty much anywhere that you'd normally use chicken broth. My favorite use is to make gravy and in soup!

Leftovers:

This will last up to 5 days covered in the refrigerator and up to 6 months frozen.

Ingredients that can be prepped ahead:

• Cut onion
• Clean and cut celery
• Peel and cut carrots
• Peel garlic
• Wash herbs

Helpful tools:

1. Chef's knife
2. Cutting board
3. Cast iron dutch oven or this kind of dutch oven
4. Ladle
5. Wooden spoon
6. Measuring cups
7. Measuring spoons
8. Sieve

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