Recipe: Roasted turkey stock

As you move through turkeys during the season, you should take the opportunity to make stock. Even if you have the carcass after roasting and eating the bird, there's still lots of flavour to be had in the bones.  Certainly, if you have decided to prepare the turkey off the bone, you won't want to waste the bones - you still need a sauce or gravy, and you won't have the roasting pan the day of the meal to get your juices.  

This recipe is a "brown" stock in that the bones and mirepoix have been roasted.  This will give you some much needed roasted flavour and colour for your sauce.  Of course you can keep this a "white" stock if you choose and not roast the bones and mirepoix (you'll want to leave out the carrot as well). 

Committed to a traditional gravy?  No problem, I love it too.  You'll notice I mentioned to keep the fat cap on the stock.  This not only ensures that you get every last drop the stock you made, you can use the fat cap to make gravy the normal way - make your roux, add the juice (stock), season and you're done.  You can even keep a stash of fat and stock in the freezer just in case at a later date you need to make poutine - you'll be a hero.

You will need:

4.5kg / 10lbs   turkey bones (any skin is good too)
3                      onions
4 stalks            celery
1                      carrot
1 bulb              fennel
4 cloves           garlic
pinch               kosher salt  

sachet:             tarragon
                        thyme
                        sage
                        bay leaf
                        black peppercorns

Method:

 - set the oven to 375F / 190C
 - set the turkey bones and skin on a tray and roast until golden brown
 - chop the mirepoix
 - set the mirepoix on the tray the bones were roasted in and toss around in the fat
 - roast the mirepoix to get a bit of colour
 - place the roasted bones and skin in a stock pot and cover with cold water
 - bring up to a gentle simmer
 - skim any impurities from the surface
 - when the impurities aren't surfacing much anymore, add the mirepoix and a pinch of salt
 - prepare the sachet and add to the stock
 - gently simmer 6 - 8 hours, skimming impurities when needed
 - turn off the heat
 - strain the stock through a cheesecloth lined seive (don't worry about fat getting through)
 - cool completely in an ice bath, then move to the fridge
 - once cold, you can remove the fat cap and use it if making gravy
 - use the stock as needed