Things You'll Need:
- a stock pot or crock pot
- a turkey carcass
- carrots
- celery
- onions
- maybe some garlic
- parsley, sage, rosemary, black pepper, bayleaf or any other herbs you like.
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Step 1
Trim as much meat off the turkey as possible. You can use this for sandwiches and casseroles.
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Step 2
Place the remnants of the turkey or chicken, bones and all, in the stock pot. There will still be lots of meat left in some places where it is to difficult to remove. You can also use your crock pot.
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Step 3
Toss in some carrots - no need to dice. Simply peel and break it into two or three pieces. Add celery, also simply cut or break it into several large pieces. Quarter an onion and add it to the pot. Add some crushed garlic, if you want.
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Step 4
Add in any herbs you like. My sage and rosemary out in the garden still look great and is certainly usable, even after several hard frosts. Rosemary is actually an evergreen.
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Step 5
Add enough water to cover, put the lid on the pot, and start simmering. This will take several hours. Stop when you think the broth looks rich enough. It should be kind of yellowish in color. If you are using your crock pot, set it on low and let it cook overnight. In the morning, you'll be ready to proceed with the steps below.
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Step 6
At this point (about 4 hours from the start if using a stock pot or about 12 hours later using a crock pot), I usually remove the big bones, obvious pieces of skin, etc. and throw them away. I stir up the broth to help shake bits of meat off the bones. I usually let it simmer a bit longer, as this stirring up seems to make the broth richer still.
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Step 7
Next, get a strainer and a large container ready. Strain the broth, reserving the liquid in the new container.
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Step 8
Place the contents of the strainer out on a tray or cookie sheet. Pick through it to take out the good pieces of meat that you want to keep (for Turkey and Dumplings, enchiladas, soups or tacos)and put it in a tupperware container until ready to use. Throw away the bits of skin, bone and spent vegetables.
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Step 9
Its a good idea to allow your broth to cool before you freeze any of it or put it in the fridge. This way, you can skim the fat off the top and dispose of it first, plus, you won't heat up the inside of your freezer or fridge with the hot liquid. If its cold outside, you can put the lid on the pot and put it in the garage or on the porch until its cool.
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Step 10
If you don't plan to use the broth within a couple of days, pour it into containers and freeze it. Its best to freeze it in several portion size containers.
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Step 11
Now you are ready to make a variety of dishes with homemade broth.
