We hope you all enjoyed your thanksgiving turkey! Turkey is the staple of the Thanksgiving meal, but rarely does the whole turkey get eaten in one meal. More often then not, you end up with a large amount of leftover turkey that many people throw away. I’ve included a couple recipe’s that help you utilize the whole turkey, bones and all, so you can eliminate the waste and get the most value out of your product.
Turkey Stock
Bones and carcass from leftover turkey 6 sprigs parsley
8 peppercorns
1 medium onion, diced
1 bay leaf
3 ribs celery, diced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 carrot, diced
6 whole cloves
Break the carcass into small pieces and put in a stockpot or large kettle with all the remaining ingredients. Add 4 quarts of cold water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat at once and simmer uncovered for 2 ½ to 3 hours, or until reduced by half. Strain. Cool uncovered and refrigerate until ready to use. Remove fat. The heated broth may be served as is, used as turkey stock, or used as the base for turkey soup.
Turkey Soup
3 large onions, chopped fine
3 quarts turkey stock
3 ribs celery, chopped fine
2 cups light cream
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
Salt and pepper
2 sticks (1/2 pound) butter
¼ cup finely diced cooked turkey
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup cooked rice
Cook the onions, celery, and carrots in a little water in a saucepan for 20 minutes or until tender. Set aside. In a large heavy pan, melt the butter and thoroughly blend in the flour over low heat. Heat the turkey stock and cream. Add very gradually to the butter-flour mixture, stirring with a whisk until lumps disappear. Add the reserved vegetables, the water in which they were cooked, and the seasonings. Stir and cook over low heat 10 minutes. Taste and correct the seasoning. Add the turkey and rice. Serve in large bowls. Makes 3 quarts of soup.
Serves 12-16