I didn’t take one picture of all the food I made for Thanksgiving. I made a few new recipes and had a great time with the families that we invited over to our home but was just too caught up to take any pictures. I’ll remake a few of my favorites and post them in the next week or so.

For tonight though I thought I’d post my favorite new thing to do the day after Thanksgiving, and it’s not shopping. It’s making Turkey Stock! I love homemade stock but don’t usually take the time during the rest of the year but I really should. Homemade stock whether chicken or turkey makes a huge difference in any recipe that you’re making. It’s so rich and flavorful and anything you make with it will be 10 times better than if you used canned or bouillon stock.

I made two batches this year, one using the roasted turkey carcass that I made and another using a smoked turkey from a friend. We thought that the smoked turkey might have a bit of an overpowering flavor but it turned out so amazing. It’s got a deep smoky flavor and I can’t wait to make something with it.

Feel free to experiment with what you add to the stock. This is one where you can really just throw in anything that you think would add flavor to the broth. My roast turkey includes a jalapeno rub and I even chopped up a few extra jalapeno’s to the broth to add a little kick.

Turkey Stock

1 left-over turkey carcus
2 medium onions, chopped
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
4 stalks of celery, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, peeled
2 bay leaves
4 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
salt

Optional spice suggestions, add 1-2 teaspoons – dried Tarragon, Chopped Jalapeno, Emerils Essence seasoning

1 gallon or enough water to cover completely.

Directions

Using a sharp knife, cut the carcus into smaller pieces. In a large pot, add the carcus, vegetables, bay leaves, thyme, and peppercorns. Season with salt. Cover with water. Place the pot over medium heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to simmer and cook for 3-4 hours. Skim off any scum that rises to the surface. Remove from the heat and strain. I just use a regular strainer because I like some of the herbs and things to stay in the stock but you could also strain it through cheese cloth if you want it completely strained.

You can then put into smaller containers and freeze or can it for use all year.

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Foodplayer Linda

I am sure you love food. Otherwise, you won’t be here. As a full-time and a part-time chef at a local restaurant, I know my way around food. Ever since I was a young girl, I enjoyed helping my mom in the kitchen.

We would often experiment with the spices, ingredients, and flavors and create great meals for my brothers and dad. Since cocking was my first passion, I decided to go in that direction. I finished culinary school, got my first job, and started developing my skills.

Later when kids came, I had all the liberty in the kitchen to combine some of the unique flavors. A lot of them were a success, but now and there I would make a couple of mistakes.