Done correctly, you can have broth and meat for several meals just by treating your leftover turkey with some TLC.
First, remove all the meat you can find from the carcass. All that should remain are skin, bones, and fat. If there's enough, dice up the meat and freeze it in 1-2 cup portions. If not, use what's left to make a turkey noodle soup or turkey pot pie. That meat can be used later for casseroles, salads, and soups.
Then, jam all those bones, fat, and skin into a large stock pot. At this point you can break it up if needed.
Take two or three onions and peel them, then cut into four to eight chunks. Add them to the pot.
Scrub several large carrots (no need to peel) and cut them into two or three pieces each. Add them to the pot with the turkey and the onions.
Next grab four or five stalks of celery and wash them up. Cut into two or three large pieces (leave the leaves on) and add to the pot.
Now, fill the pot with enough water to cover everything if possible. If your turkey is still sticking out over the top, fill it to within 6 inches of the top.
Add a few tablespoons vinegar to help draw out the calcium and a few tablespoons of salt. We like sea salt. You can also add a couple of bay leaves, some ground sage and thyme, a little black pepper, and some garlic powder, if you like.
Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat, and let it simmer for several hours. If your turkey fits into the pot, cover with a lid while simmering. If not, it will slowly get soft and cook down and after a while you should be able to get the lid on. You may need to add a little water as it simmers to keep everything covered.
I typically start this the morning after Christmas (or Thanksgiving) and let it cook all day. If we want, we can have turkey noodle soup for dinner.
Pour everything through a large strainer (or colander) into a massive bowl or pot. Pick through the bones to find any remaining meat, and add that meat to what you stored before boiling.
After the broth is cool, package it in one cup to 1 ½ cup portions in Ziploc bags (or glass pint jars). Most recipes call for “a can of broth” which is about 1 ½ cups; but others say “a cup”, so I package them both ways. Freeze the freezer bags flat, like CDs, and when I need them I pull them out the night before or run it under hot water for a few seconds before adding it to a recipe.
Submitted by Heather @ Penny-wise
Addendum: I (Lindsey) did this exact process just last week with some chicken breasts. I had four, uncooked, bone-in-skin-on chicken breasts. I boiled them, adding the onions, celery, carrots and spices. After straining that initial batch of broth and de-boning the chicken, I put the bones and skins back in the pot, added more veggies, spices, and water and did it all over again. From those four chicken breasts, I yielded 7 cups of meat and 15 cups of homemade broth. It really is worth it to take the time to go through this process!
Soup made this way is the absolute best, beats canned any day of the week. I do this often and though it is best to use the freshest vegetables in the stock and soup, it is also a good way to use those that are a little past their prime! Great for these winter days that is for sure. Linda
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