Double Turkey Stock Recipe

Ingredients:

• 5 turkey backs, necks, and wings (see cook’s tip)
• 2 yellow onions, peeled and quartered
• 6 carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks
• 1 apple, cored and quartered
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 head celery, cut into large chunks
• 1 head garlic, cut in half horizontally
• 4 sprigs thyme
• 3 bay leaves
• 2 sprigs sage
• 1/4 cup whole black peppercorns

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Arrange turkey bones on 2 sheet pans. On a third sheet pan, scatter onions, carrots, and apple. Drizzle with olive oil and toss.
3. Roast turkey bones and vegetables in preheated oven 1 to 2 hours until deeply golden and caramelized, rotating pieces once halfway through to brown evenly on both sides.
4. Transfer roasted bones and vegetables to a large stock pot. Add celery, garlic, herbs, and peppercorns. Cover with at least 4 quarts water or more if needed to submerge all ingredients.
5. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to a bare simmer. Cook uncovered on low 8 to 10 hours, periodically skimming off any foam that accumulates on the surface, and topping off with fresh water if the bones become exposed.
6. Once bones are so soft they can be easily broken apart with a spoon, the stock is ready. Strain through a fine mesh strainer and transfer liquid back to the pot.
7. Continue simmering and skimming until liquid has reduced to a volume of about 2 quarts. Cool, transfer to airtight containers, and chill until ready to use.
8. Cook’s Tips:
9. Turkey bones can be purchased either fresh or frozen from your butcher. Depending on the time of year, you may need to pre-order in advance, but around the November/December you can expect to find them in stock. Any combination of backs, necks or wings will work in this recipe, but you’ll get the best flavor if you do a mix of the three.
10. Sweeter vegetables such as onions and carrots take on wonderful, caramelized flavors when roasted, which are imparted into the finished stock. Do not roast celery since celery contains little to no sugars, and roasting it only develops bitter flavors. It’s better to simmer celery along with the herbs.
11. Save time on feast day by making stock ahead and freezing flat in sealable bags. You can even simmer down further so that it takes up less space, then rehydrate when ready to use.