Making the Most of Everything: Stock

I grew up in a house where my mom didn't cook very well (once time she even messed up Kraft Mac & Cheese which I though was dummy proof to make).  Thanksgiving would come, the turkey would be dry, and then we would throw half the meat as well as the carcass away.  Little did I know, you can make stock with it!


Stock can be used for sauteing vegetables, making soup, or adding to rice in place of water.  It will give everything extra flavor and nutrients.  

This year I made a kick-turkey and saved all the meat I could to make into sandwiches for leftovers, and for the first year I saved the bones.  Who knew it was so easy to make stock?!  I just threw the carcass in a big stock pot full of water along with the remaining veggies that we had on hand (carrots, celery and onion); added some salt and pepper, thyme, rosemary and sage, then let it simmer for 4 hours.  After that I strained the veggies, washed them off and fed them to my worms, and then tossed the bones. 

I was able to fill 5 pasta jars to freeze and have some extra to freeze in ice cube trays. The stock ice cubes provide single servings in case I want to saute some veggies; brilliant.  Sometime next week, I may experiment with making my first turkey soup.

It felt good to use the animal to it's fullest potential.  Not only did we eat the delicious dark and white meat, but I used the neck and gizzards for the gravy, and the carcass to make a stock.  This is the first year I don't feel bad about the turkey giving up it's life for us. (I guess he didn't give it up his life, rather his life was taken.  Every year we name him Tom.)