Something From Nothing: Turkey Stock

Okay, so it's not really something from nothing, but it is something useful made out of stuff you would have otherwise thrown out.

I like to make my own turkey stock to keep on hand.  It is easy, practically free, and I have control over what goes in it (no MSG, for example).

To make your own turkey stock, you really only need two things:  turkey bones and water.  You can certainly add aromatics like onions, garlic, carrots, and celery, and you can add salt and seasonings if you want, but I like to keep it simple.

After cooking and consuming a turkey, I put the bones and leftover skin in a large ziplock bag and pop it in the freezer until I am ready to make stock.  I almost always make stock during the winter months so I don't have a pot simmering on the stove all day during the summer.

The bones go in the stock pot.

Just add water.

I don't add salt to my stock so I have control over the sodium content of my finished recipes.  Sometimes I add a few bay leaves and some whole peppercorns.  I simmer my stock for eight to 12 hours, and boy, does it make my house smell good!

At the end of the day, I fish as many of the bones out of the stock as I can using tongs.

Then I pour the stock through a cheese cloth-lined colander into another large container.

I use clothespins to keep my cheese cloth in place.

At this point the stock needs to be cooled down.  This is another reason I make stock in the winter:  I can just put the pot out on the deck.  The world is my refrigerator (or freezer)!  I cool the stock outside overnight, then skim the fat off with a spoon.

I used to package the finished stock either in containers or freezer bags and store it in the freezer.  This took up tons of freezer space, and I found I was reluctant to use the stock since I had to plan ahead and thaw some out.  Now I can it, so I have jars of home made stock ready to go at a moment's notice!

If you choose to can your stock, it is important that you use a pressure canner, and be sure to follow the directions that come with it.  I canned this batch and gave it to my mother in law for Christmas, because I'm the type of person who gives turkey juice to her mother in law.

The batch size depends on how large your stock pot is.  I get 12 quarts out of one batch.

You can also make stock in a crock pot, if you prefer.  Just put your bones and water in your crock pot and leave it on low all day (or overnight).