I have wanted to make stock using my turkey from Thanksgiving for the past few years and FINALLY got my act together to do it this year.
I realize it is before Thanksgiving but I have had two Thanksgiving dinners already and it’s not even officially turkey day! First was an amazing holiday lunch catered by Pat’s Trattoria in our office last week. Then came our 6th Annual Girls Thanksgiving this past Sunday (post to come!) which is where I made the stock.
I am embarrassed to say how easy it was and it made so much stock! I can’t believe I haven’t done this sooner. The night after making the stock I turned it into a large pot of turkey noodle soup that will feed me for the next month – looks like I need to freeze some small batches for the cold days to come in December!
Homemade soup is a thousand times tastier and better for you than store bought. I love that you can control exactly what goes in it and adjust the seasonings exactly to your liking. And if you don’t want to make soup you can use the stock about a million other ways. I like to use it instead of water to cook a more flavorful rice.
- [br][br] [b]FOR THE TURKEY STOCK[/b]
- 1 turkey carcass
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 1 small onion or shallot [br][br] [b]FOR THE TURKEY NOODLE SOUP[/b]
- 3 tablespoons of olive oil (or organic butter)
- 4 celery stalks with leafy tops, diced **chop off leafy tops but keep aside**
- 4 large carrots, diced
- Kosher salt
- 1/2 tablespoon of poultry seasoning
- Leftover turkey pieces
- 1 12oz package of wide egg noodles (whole grain if possible)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- [b]FOR THE TURKEY STOCK[/b]
- Place the turkey carcass in a large stock pot and fill with cold water until it covers the carcass by 1 inch.
- Add the dried oregano and basil.
- Let the water come to a simmer and continue to simmer for a minimum of 4 hours.
- Remove the carcass and strain the stock through a mesh strainer into a large bowl. [br][br][b] FOR THE TURKEY NOODLE SOUP[/b]
- Place the stock pot back on the stove over medium-high heat.
- Heat the olive oil over a medium heat.
- Add the diced onion, celery, celery tops, and carrots and sautee for 4-5 minutes or until they begin to soften.
- Season with kosher salt and poultry seasoning.
- Add back in the turkey stock and bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Add the leftover turkey and noodles and cook for 5-7 minutes or until the noodles are fully cooked through.
- Taste to make sure it is seasoned to your liking.
Enjoy right away or freeze batches for future cold days when you need a warm meal.
Emily J. Goodman 