Don’t buy stock ever again. That’s right, I said it. There’s just no reason to, really. First off, there’s quality. Homemade stock is just so much better tasting and better for you (not processed). Second, it’s easy to make and we’ll show you the basics today. If you don’t have stock but are in desperate need, consider water. Water is awesome and chances are it’ll do more for your food than canned stock. I wish I could take credit for this but I can’t. Michael Ruhlman, the cooking heavyweight showed me the light and today I am going to spread the word. Read his article, join the empowered, then come back and take your next steps.
As Michael says, Thanksgiving is THE best time to make stock. You’ve got an entire turkey to use and many think turkey stock tastes better than chicken stock; both are quite healthy. Once you’ve stripped your carcass of all it’s tasty meat, don’t throw it away! Keep it, love it, nurture it; into an excellent broth for use all winter. Cooking stock requires a long slow cook to pull the flavor from the bones, but if you use the recipe below you can cut back significantly on the effort required using a crock pot. Everyone loves convenience.
Turkey Stock via Slow Cooker
Adapted from Simply Recipes
This recipe is very flexible with portions with regard to the vegetables. Consider saving the end pieces that you normally throw away in regular cooking for this.
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 turkey carcass; stripped of its meat.
1 yellow onion; chopped
1 large carrot; chopped
3 stalks of celery; chopped
1 tablespoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons dried parsley
1 teaspoon peppercorn
Add one tablespoon of olive oil to a large pot and sauté the onion in medium heat until softened and slightly transparent, 2 to 3 minutes, then transfer to your slow cooker. Add another tablespoon of olive oil and sauté the turkey bones for 4-5 minutes.
Transfer the turkey, carrots, celery, thyme, parsley and peppercorns to your slow cooker. Cover with water and cook for 8-10 hours. Let cool slightly then strain into a large bowl. Let sit for 5-10 minutes and skim off any fat that rises to the surface. If you really want to make sure you get as much fat as possible place your stock, covered, in the fridge overnight. More of the fat will rise and harden, making it easy to remove.
To store, I recommend pouring into ice cube trays and freezing. This is a convenient way to use a bit at a time. Stock in the freezer will last for at least six months.