Homemade Turkey Stock
Homemade turkey stock, essential for Thanksgiving dinner ~ to add to the roasting pan, for gravy, to moisten stuffing and for leftover recipes the next day.
Servings 4 quarts
Ingredients
- 2 turkey wings
- 2-4 turkey necks
- 4 chicken wings
- Olive oil
- Kosher salt
- 2 ribs celery, roughly chopped/chunks
- 2 carrots, roughly chopped/chunks (no need to peel)
- 1 onion, halved (no need to peel, adds color)
- 1 head garlic, cut in half horizontally
- 6-8 cremini mushrooms (optional)
- 1 small ham hock (optional)
- ½ teaspoon black peppercorns
- A few sprigs fresh parsley
- 2 bay leaves
- ¼ cup dry white wine, for deglazing
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425ºPlace turkey/chicken pieces on sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Roast in oven to brown for 30-40 minutes, turning every 10 minutes. Remove browned pieces to plate, set aside, and deglaze the sheet pan with a little water to scrape up any browned bits. Add to plate with turkey parts.
- Meanwhile, in large 3 gallon stock pot, heat a glug of olive oil until shimmering. Add celery, carrots, onion, garlic halves, a sprinkle of salt, and, if using, mushrooms. Cook and stir occasionally to brown and caramelize, about 5 minutes or so. Add the ham hock, if using, peppercorns, parsley and bay leaves. Cook a few more minutes. Add wine to pot, stir up any bits and cook until it has evaporated.
- Add browned turkey pieces and any drippings to pot. Cover with 2 gallons of water and a generous pinch of salt, bring to a full boil. Skim any scum that surfaces in the first half hour or so. Reduce heat to a steady simmer and cook 3½ to 4 hours, or until reduced by half. (Can divide between two pots, if necessary, see note below.)
- When stock is finished, scoop out solids to a bowl, then strain stock through a cheesecloth-lined strainer. Cool and refrigerate overnight. Skim any hardened fat off the stock. It should be gelatinous, that's what you want. Store in quart containers to use now or put in freezer for later.
Notes
- You can divide the stock into two pots if you don't have a large enough stockpot. That's what I do, dividing everything in two, with the ham hock in one pot and the mushrooms in the other. One gallon (4 quarts) of water in each pot.
- The ham hock and mushrooms are totally optional, but if you have them, by all means toss them in the pot!
- Turkey necks vary in size and availability, use 2 to 4 depending on what you find. I used 4 because they were on the smallish side.
- You can use 4 turkey wings and skip the chicken wings, your call. I like using both.
- Lastly, try not to stir the stock while it simmers, you will get a clearer finished stock. I sometimes poke the turkey wings back down/over, if necessary.