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Turkey Broth and Other Leftover Turkey Recipes
Do NOT throw away that turkey carcass. Pick all the meat you can off of it and make skillet turkey and rice or turkey enchiladas or a turkey casserole or at least turkey sandwich mix. If you don't want to deal with it now, chop it up and freeze it in 2 cup portions. If you don't want to make the broth now, you could freeze the carcass as well, if you have room in your freezer. Or make the broth and freeze that and make the soup later.
- 1 turkey carcass
- water to cover
- 2 cloves garlic (optional)
- 1/2 tsp basil
- 1/2 tsp parsley
- 2-4 peppercorns
- 1-3 tsp salt
- a few shakes of pepper
- 2 stalks of celery
- 2 carrots
- 1 onion, halved
Put the turkey carcass in a big stock pot and cover with water. You can break up the carcass a bit to fit the pan. Add everything else. You don't have to peel or neatly slice anything. Just break it up into chunks. And don't worry if you don't have something; broth is very flexible! Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat. Simmer (with barely a bubble breaking the surface) for a few hours. Simmer longer if you have time, but it will be good after a few hours. Strain the soup using a colander or cheesecloth or whatever you have around. Pick out all the meat that you can and use in the dishes mentioned above or reserve for soup later. Pour the broth into a large jar (I pour it into a big pickle jar) and refrigerate it overnight.
In the morning or the next evening when you go to make soup, the fat will have solidified at the top so you can just spoon it off. Generally, the broth will be quite thick and jelly-like. This is good. When you heat it to make soup, it will be great! Keep the broth 5 days in the fridge or freeze it for soup later. I like to freeze it in 2 cup and 4 cup portions.
You can, of course, follow the same basic recipe for chicken broth.
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