Making Stock

New Years is usually a time for taking stock.... I however, am using it as a time for making stock.  Turkey stock to be specific, smoking turkey stock to be extremely specific.

Nigella Lawson (my kitchen guru) always says, "I may be extravagant but I am never wasteful."  making your own poultry stock is not only healthy and cheap but also the essence of good home economics.

It is also super easy too.  

1.  Put, in a large stock pot,  few carrots, a few ribs of celery, a bay leaf or two, an onion, and a few pepper corns., and some parsley  That is your basic stock seasoning.  Leave out the salt you don't need it, but feel free to add other herbs.

2. Add your carcass.  This is leftover from Thanksgiving.  And it is frozen.

3.  Add water to the stock pan.  Fill it up.  Not so that it is over flowing, but so that it is pretty close to the top.  When I did this my carcass was sticking out the top of the pan.  Not to worry.  As is cooks, it will fall apart and sink.

4.  Put it on the stove, uncovered and boil gently until the water is reduced by half.  This can take 2-3 hours depending on the size of your pot.  Give it a stir every now and then.

5.  Once it has reduced let it cool and little bit and then strain out all of the meat, bones, veg, herbs, etc.  What you will be left with is a bowl of chicken stock.

6.  Put it in the refrigerator (overnight works for me) until it is cool and all the fat has risen to the top.  it will look like this

7.  Take a spoon and skim/scoop off the fat.

8.  Ladle the remaining broth into freezer containers and freeze for later use.



I know it looks chunky.  It is chunky.  I use a lot of skin and bone in my stock and so it has a lot of collagen.  When it is hot it is liquid, but when it is cold it is more like turkey Jello.  Not to fear, it will be fine when thawed and will taste divine!