Classic Turkey Stock Food

CLASSIC TURKEY GRAVY

Steps:

• When your turkey goes into the oven, start the broth: Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and turkey neck and giblets; cook, stirring, until the giblets are browned, about 15 minutes. Add the chicken broth, herb sprigs and bay leaf; cover and simmer while the turkey roasts, about 2 hours. Strain the broth and keep warm; reserve the neck and giblets, if desired.
• When your turkey is done, transfer it to a cutting board and pour all the pan drippings into a degreasing cup. Add 1/2 cup of the prepared broth to the roasting pan and scrape up the browned bits with a wooden spoon. (If the bits are stuck, put the pan over a low burner to loosen them.) Add the bits and liquid to the degreasing cup.
• Let the fat rise to the top of the degreasing cup, then spoon off 1/2 cup fat and transfer to a large saucepan over medium heat. Make a roux: Sprinkle the flour into the pan and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the flour browns slightly, about 4 minutes.
• Gradually add the hot broth to the roux, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low. Pour the dark roasting juices from the degreasing cup into the gravy, discarding any remaining fat. If desired, chop the giblets and shred the neck meat; add to the gravy. Simmer, whisking occasionally, until the gravy thickens, about 10 minutes. Add the Worcestershire sauce and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the flavored butter, if desired.
• Start with cold heavy cream and mix on high speed.
• After about 3 minutes, you'll have whipped cream; continue mixing.
• After about 6 more minutes, the butter will clump and separate from the liquid. Strain and wrap the butter in cheesecloth, then squeeze out the liquid.
• Tip: To make perfect rounds, shape flavored butter into a log using parchment paper; wrap and chill, then slice.
• Pumpkin
• Mash 1/4 cup canned pure pumpkin, 1 stick softened butter, 1/4 teaspoon orange zest, 1/2 teaspoon each sugar and pumpkin pie spice, and a pinch of salt.
• Spiced Cranberry
• Simmer 1/2 cup cranberries with 1 tablespoon water, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 strip lemon zest, 1 cinnamon stick and 1 clove, 6 to 8 minutes. Discard the zest, cinnamon and clove; let cool. Pulse in a food processor with 1 stick softened butter and a pinch of salt.
• Bourbon-Raisin
• Microwave 1/2 cup raisins with 1 tablespoon bourbon, covered, 45 seconds; let cool. Pulse in a food processor with 1 stick softened butter, 1 tablespoon chopped chives and a pinch of salt.
• Sage Brown Butter
• Melt 1 stick butter over medium heat and cook until browned. Add 1/4 cup sage and fry 30 seconds; drain on paper towels, then chop. Let the brown butter cool; mash with 1 stick softened butter, the sage and a pinch of salt.

GREAT BASIC TURKEY STOCK

Steps:

• 1. Bring turkey carcass, onion, carrot, celery, garlic, wine, bay leaf, and 4 1/2 quarts water to boil in 12-quart stockpot over medium-high heat, skimming fat or foam that rises to surface. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, 2 hours, continuing to skim surface as necessary. Add parsley and thyme; continue to simmer until stock is rich and flavorful, about 2 hours longer, continuing to skim surface as necessary.
• 2. Strain stock through large-mesh strainer into large bowl or container; remove meat from strained solids, shred into bite-sized pieces, and set aside; discard solids in strainer. Cool stock slightly, about 20 minutes; spoon fat from surface. Use stock in one of the related recipes or cool to room temperature, cover, and refrigerate up to 2 days.

TURKEY STOCK

Steps:

• Combine turkey carcass, onions, carrots, celery, green bell pepper, garlic, chicken bouillon cubes, peppercorns, and bay leaves in a stockpot; pour in enough water to cover. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until flavors blend, about 1 hour. Remove stockpot from heat and let sit for 15 minutes. Strain stock through a cheese cloth and discard solids.

CLASSIC TURKEY STOCK

Steps:

• Pat neck and giblets dry, then cut neck into pieces with a large knife.
• Heat oil in a 4-to 5-quart heavy pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then cook neck, giblets, and onion, turning occasionally, until well browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, then simmer, partially covered, skimming any froth, 2 hours.
• Strain stock through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing on and then discarding solids. If more than 5 cups, boil to reduce.

TURKEY BROTH

Steps:

• Insert kitchen shears into the carcass and make a few cuts to get you started. Then, use your hands to carefully pull the carcass into 4 or 5 pieces.
• Combine the carcass, onions, carrots, celery, parsley, garlic, peppercorns and bay leaves in a stockpot. Cover with cold water (about 7 quarts).
• Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low. Simmer about 2 hours, occasionally skimming any foam or fat from the surface with a large spoon or ladle.
• Pour through a large mesh strainer into a pot; discard the solids. Cool slightly, then refrigerate in covered containers for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months.

CLASSIC ROAST TURKEY

Steps:

• Let the turkey sit at room temperature, 30 minutes. Position an oven rack in the lowest position (remove the other racks); preheat to 350 degrees F.
• Remove the neck and giblets from the turkey and set aside for the gravy. Pat the turkey very dry with paper towels and rub inside and out with salt and pepper. Stuff the cavity with the onion, carrot, celery, and sage and thyme sprigs. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine. Put the turkey on a rack set in a large roasting pan and tuck the wings under the body.
• Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat; whisk in the paprika and chopped sage and thyme. Let the paprika butter cool slightly, then brush all over the turkey. Transfer to the oven and roast 1 hour. Meanwhile, make Classic Gravy.
• After the turkey has roasted 1 hour, baste with the drippings. Continue roasting, basting every 30 minutes, until the skin is golden brown and a thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 165 degrees F, about 2 more hours.
• Transfer the turkey to a cutting board and let rest 30 minutes before carving; reserve the drippings for the gravy.
• Prepare the stock: Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the turkey neck and giblets; cook, turning, until browned, about 5 minutes. Add the onion, carrot, celery, thyme and bay leaves; stir to coat. Add the wine and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook until reduced by half, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the broth, reduce the heat to low and simmer about 1 hour. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a large measuring cup; reserve the saucepan. You should have 7 cups stock-if you're short, add more broth.
• Melt the remaining 8 tablespoons butter in the reserved saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk until smooth and bubbling, about 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the 7 cups stock; bring to a simmer and cook, whisking occasionally, until thickened, about 10 minutes. Set aside until the turkey is done.
• Pour the turkey pan drippings into a fat separator and let stand until the fat rises to the top. Discard the fat (or drizzle on your stuffing). Whisk the defatted drippings into the gravy; season with salt and pepper. Reheat before serving.

HOMEMADE TURKEY STOCK

Steps:

• Position rack in top third of oven and preheat to 450°F.
• Using heavy cleaver, chop wings into 2-inch pieces. (See Test-Kitchen Tips, below.) Spread wings in roasting pan and roast, turning with tongs after 20 minutes, until deeply browned, about 45 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in 6-quart stock pot over moderate heat, heat oil until hot but not smoking. Add onion, carrot, and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 10 minutes. Add wings and any pan juices and reduce heat to low.
• Straddle roasting pan across 2 burners on high heat and cook until browned bits are sizzling, about 1 minute. Add 2 cups cold water and bring to boil, scraping up browned bits with flat wooden spatula or spoon. Pour liquid into pot and add enough cold water to cover ingredients by 1 inch, about 14 cups.
• Raise heat to high and bring to boil, skimming foam from surface. Add parsley, thyme, peppercorns, and bay leaf. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, 3 hours, adding water as needed to keep wings covered.
• Pour stock through fine-mesh sieve into large bowl, discarding solids. If using immediately, let stand until yellow fat rises to surface, 1 to 2 minutes, then skim off and discard fat. If not using immediately, place bowl in larger bowl of iced water. Let stand, changing ice water as it warms, until stock is tepid, at least 30 minutes. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, then scrape off and discard fat. (Stock can be made ahead and refrigerated in airtight container up to 2 days or frozen up to 6 months. Reheat in saucepan over low heat before using for stuffing and turkey.)

TURKEY STOCK

Steps:

• Put all the ingredients into a large stock pot or your biggest saucepan, and top up with 2 litres water. Add more water to cover all the ingredients if needed.
• Bring to a simmer over a high heat, skimming off any foam that appears on top of the liquid with a spoon. Reduce to a medium heat, then simmer, half covered, for 3 hrs - the stock will have reduced and concentrated its flavours. Or, if you prefer a lighter stock, cover fully while simmering.
• Turn off the heat and leave to cool for a few minutes, then carefully strain into a container or bowl to cool completely. Will keep in the fridge for a week and for three months in the freezer.

BETTY CROCKER'S CLASSIC BREAD TURKEY STUFFING

Steps:

• In a large, heavy skillet over medium heat melt the butter, then sauté the onion and celery (and mushroom, if using) until the onion is soft, stirring occasionally.
• Stir in the salt, pepper, and sage and cook for an additional 3 minutes.
• Place the bread cubes into a large, deep bowl.
• Pour 1/4 cup of the butter/celery mixture over the cubes and toss well, then repeat steps until all of the butter mixture is used.
• Toss the cubes thoroughly to coat.
• (Regarding the optional chicken broth: for dry stuffing, add little or no liquid; for moist stuffing mix in lightly with fork just enough chicken broth to moisten dry crumbs.) Let cool and use as stuffing for the turkey.
• We've made this stuffing in the crockpot, as well, adding the chicken broth for moistness.
• Adapted from Betty Crocker's Picture Cook Book, circa 1950.
• Note: regardling the amount of salt - yes, the amount listed above is correct and is what is listed in the original Betty Crocker recipe. When the butter mixture is first added to the bread, if you taste it at this point it might seem salty (because it is sitting right on the surface of the bread) but remember that the liquid and butter soaks into the bread and redistributes evenly. Also, this recipe, being from the 1950s, is specifically for cooking *inside* the turkey, which a lot of people no longer do, and again the salt will redistribute from the juices in the meat. If you use a crockpot for cooking your stuffing, I'd recommend reducing the amount of salt.
• Note #2: again, regarding the salt. You're going to have to decide for yourself about the salt. Having eaten this recipe for every year of my life I know it tastes wonderful as it's written. But that's just me.

ROASTED TURKEY STOCK

Steps:

• Heat oven to 450 degrees. Using a sturdy knife or your hands, cut or tear turkey carcass into large pieces. Arrange in a single layer in a roasting pan and roast until brown and sizzling, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Remove from oven and transfer pieces to a stockpot.
• Add onions, carrots and celery to the empty roasting pan and place over medium heat. Sauté briefly, just to loosen the crusty turkey bits from bottom of pan.
• Return pan to oven and cook until vegetables are browned around the edges, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Remove pan from oven and place it over medium heat. Add white wine and cook, stirring, until wine is reduced to a syrup, about 3 minutes.
• Add wine-vegetable mixture to stockpot. Add garlic, thyme, bay leaves, black peppercorns and chile. Add 6 quarts water and place over medium-high heat just until mixture comes to a boil.
• Immediately reduce heat to low, skim any foam floating on top and simmer, skimming as needed, for 3 hours. Add 1 teaspoon salt and taste. If stock tastes watery, keep simmering until stock is flavorful. Taste for salt again and add more if needed.
• Strain stock through a sieve into a large container or containers. Discard solids. Let stock cool slightly, then refrigerate. Skim off any fat from the top of the stock. Use within 4 days or freeze.