Look at this turkey stock! It’s the pot of liquid gold at the end of our Thanksgiving rainbow! An annual ritual, I almost can’t wait for this grand finale, when our Thanksgiving turkey gives up the last of its goodness to make a rich, golden stock.
Did you know that with a minimal amount of work, a turkey carcass can be transformed into stock to use as a base for your winter soups and stews? Making your own stock means you control what goes into it, no artificial ingredients, no salt, no gluten.
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INGREDIENTS:
- leftover turkey carcass (bones with a bit of skin and meat attached)
- 2 onions, peeled and cut into large chunks
- 4 celery stalks, cut into large chunks
- 4 large carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp. whole peppercorns

PREPARATION:
Place the turkey carcass, one onion, 2 celery stalks, and 2 carrots in a baking pan and roast for 45 minutes at 350º. Roasting the bones creates an extra layer of flavor. It will also be easier to break apart the roasted carcass to fit into your crock-pot.

Next, set up your crock-pot and add the remaining onion, 2 carrots, 2 celery stalks, 2 bay leaves and 1 tsp. whole peppercorns.

Add the roasted bones and vegetables with enough water to cover (about 10 cups). It doesn’t look pretty at this point, but what an aroma as the stock slowly simmers!

Now let your crock-pot do the work. Cover and cook on low for 18 hours. I timed mine so that it would simmer overnight, from 4:00pm to 10:00am. Look at that color!

Pick out as many of the bones and vegetables as you can, and discard.


Strain the stock through a fine mesh sieve or use cheesecloth, into a clean pot.

Let the strained stock cool to room temperature and refrigerate overnight. The next day you will have a layer of fat on top that can easily be skimmed away, leaving a thick, golden gelatinous mixture.

Divide the stock into containers to use or freeze for later. Here’s a peek at my soon to be freezer stock! I’m excited about all the tasty dishes I’ll be making over the winter months!

Use your stock as a base for soup, stews or casseroles. It’s an easy and economical way to get every last bit of goodness from your next holiday turkey.

Notes ♪♫ If you are too tired to think about making stock right after the holiday, just pop the remnants of the turkey into the freezer. Once things calm down you can make it at your leisure.





Chop the pancetta into fine dice or pulse a few times in the processor.
Add it to the pot and continue cooking slowly for 10 more minutes.
Allow some of the liquid to evaporate before adding more meat, you want it to brown, not steam. Add more salt and pepper to taste.
After about 20 minutes the meat should be well browned and starting to caramelize on the bottom of the pan. Clear a spot in the middle of the pan and add the tomato paste. Cook for 2 minutes, then stir the tomato paste into the meat.
Add the red wine, and use a spatula to loosen up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan and stir them into the sauce.
Simmer 3 minutes to allow some of the wine to cook off, then add the milk (or cream), tomatoes and stock.







Use the smaller slices on the bottom for the best fit. Drizzle one tsp. of the butter mixture over each stack and top with half of the grated cheese.














It should be falling apart tender. Spoon a little of the reserved sauce over the top. You can strain out the pepper flakes if you like.






Lay the steak out on a
Cover the meat with another sheet of plastic wrap and 
Spread the garlic mixture evenly over the steak.




Remove them when the internal temperature reaches 135º for medium (




Remove from heat and puree with a 












Bake for 22-25 minutes. Cool in the pan 10 minutes then transfer to a rack. Enjoy them warm or at room temperature.



Don’t crowd the pan, you want to get some good color on the outside (if the pieces are too close together the meat will steam in its own liquid). I did my beef in 2 batches.
Once the beef goes into the crock-pot, you will see some nice browned bits on the bottom of your skillet.
Pour 1/3 cup of the wine mixture into the hot pan to deglaze, using a spatula to scrape up all of the browned bits, they are full of flavor!
Pour the liquid into the crock-pot and add more olive oil to the skillet. Begin browning the veggies, a few minutes each starting with the onions.









When the chicken has browned on all sides, add a splash (1/4 cup) of white wine to the pan and toss until the liquid evaporates. Remove from the pan and set aside.
When they have a little color, add the broccoli, garlic and diced tomatoes. Add another splash of white wine, then season with salt and pepper, basil and Italian seasoning. Cover and cook 10 minutes, until the broccoli is crisp tender.
While the vegetables are cooking, add the pasta to the boiling water. Use your favorite (






Remove the chicken when almost cooked through and add the onions and peppers to the skillet. Sprinkle with seasoning.
Cook 2-3 minutes, then push the veggies aside to make a clean spot in the center of the pan. Add the tomato paste and let it toast for a minute before stirring it into the veggies with 1/2 cup of the chicken broth.

Stir everything together, then add the remaining 1-1/2 cups chicken broth along with the zucchini.
