Whew! I made it through another Thanksgiving. Although this is my fifth year hosting my in-laws for Thanksgiving, it never seems to get easier. With a very active toddler with minor separation anxiety, I decided to simplify Thanksgiving. I cut the menu and took some shortcuts. And only the cranberries didn’t make it to the table, which no one mentioned that it wasn’t there! This year’s menu included the following:
Turkey
Ham
Apple Sage Sausage Stuffing
Apple Cranberry Sauce
Brussel Sprouts with Bacon
Creamed Corn (from a can, remember simplified, right?)
Rolls
Pumpkin Pie
Pineapple and Cider Wassel
But one of my favorite things after dinner is over and the turkey has been completely carved. Making Stock. Nothing tastes better than homemade stock. Growing up we always threw away the turkey carcass, unless we had a create a dinosaur out of turkey bones for school. But I have now seen the light! So here’s how easy it is:
Materials Needed:
Turkey carcass
Large Stockpot with lid
Water
Ladle
Strainer
Quart sized plastic containers
Canning Funnel (optional)
Directions:
1. Place turkey carcass in stockpot, fill with water, and cover with lid.
2. Boil for 1-2 hours.
3. Allow to cool.
4. Place strainer on funnel over quart-sized container and ladle in stock
5. Write the date on the container and freeze.
We made 6 quarts.
I use this stock in soups (like white bean turkey chili), but our favorite is when making southern dumplings. The taste is SO much better than the canned stuff and much cheaper!
modernlyhomemade 