Making stock from scratch can take a delicious soup, gravy, or other dish requiring a chicken or turkey stock over the top! Most of us have used packaged stocks and broths before, especially now since there are so many to choose from including low sodium, organic, and even free range. There’s no denying the convenience of these store bought versions.
However, there’s also no denying the rich flavor and golden color that a homemade stock provides. For a special holiday meal it is well worth the time to make a large quantity ahead to use in your holiday cooking. And because it freezes so well, you can easily freeze smaller portions in containers to have available whenever you need it throughout the year.
What is the difference between stock and broth? Here’s some info from Kitchen Basics, a manufacturer of both broths and stock.
The terminology stock and broth can be confusing, but most good cooks agree stock is better than broth. The US Department of Agriculture, for its purposes, uses the words interchangeably and does not define them as being different. A few culinary schools teach that stocks are made from bones and broth is made from meat, but there is no outside authority to support this definition.
Historically, stocks have been a chef or home-cook extraction of liquid from cooking meat, bones, and vegetables with herbs. Broth was nothing more than a thin soup eaten at the table until companies like Swanson and College Inn presented their commercial broths as an ingredient to be used in cooking. Most broths contain high levels of salt and enhancers like autolyzed yeast. While they have served as time saving fill-ins, none have approached the quality of a true stock.
Whether shopping for stock or broth, best to read the label.
The best products generally contain:
More protein, No artificial ingredients, Less Sodium, No bulking agents like wheat
That being said, if you can find the time it will be well worth it to make a pot of your own delicious stock where you control what goes into it.
There are many recipes for homemade stock availabe, but what I have discovered, and have been making for several years now is this one which I found Thanksgiving of 2005 in the Washington Post Food Guide. It is a winner!
The key to this rich turkey stock is to simmer roasted, rather than raw, turkey parts. Isn’t everything better when it’s roasted???
This stock can form the basis of your gravy, can be added to your bread stuffing, and can be used for soups as well.
Rich Turkey Stock (adapted from Food and Wine, November, 2003)
Makes about 12 cups
Make Ahead: Turkey parts for stock, such as wings, drumsticks and thighs, are now available in many markets. The stock may be made 3 days in advance (or sooner, and frozen).
7 pounds turkey parts, such as wings, thighs,and drumsticks*
1 large onion, thickly sliced
1 large carrot, peeled and thickly sliced
1 large stalk celery, thickly sliced (optional)
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 quarts (16 cups) water
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the turkey parts in a single layer in a large roasting pan and roast for about 1 and ½ hours, until well browned.
Transfer the roasted turkey parts to a large pot. (Reserve the roasting pan.) Add the onion, carrot, celery, if desired, garlic, salt and several pinches of pepper along with 12 cups of water. Bring to a boil.
Meanwhile, place the roasting pan over 2 burners on the stovetop. Add the remaining 4 cups of water to the pan, increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Cook, using a wooden spoon to stir and scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.
Carefully pour the liquid from the roasting pan into the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, partially cover and simmer for about 2 and ½ hours. Strain the stock, discarding the solids or removing the turkey meat from the bones; reserve the meat for another use. Set the stock aside to cool slightly. Refrigerate for up to 3 days. Skim the fat from the surface before using. (May skim the fat, then freeze for up to 3 months.)
*Note: Other turkey parts-neck, giblets, heart and liver-are usually contained in small bags placed in a turkey cavity(there’s one at the neck and one at the breastbone). You may add the neck and giblets to the roasting pan or the stock, but don’t add the liver, which would make the stock bitter.
When making my turkey stock I usually add some extra wings and drumsticks to the roasting pan. When ready to add to the stock pot I keep those aside, season with salt and pepper, and that’s dinner!