A recipe for creating a flavorful soup stock from leftover chicken or turkey. Roast turkey from Thanksgiving takes on a whole new life!
It is deceptively easy to prepare a homemade soup stock, do not be afraid to try it!
Start with your leftover carcass from a roast chicken or turkey. Pull off as much usuable meat as possible, and set aside in the refrigerator for adding to your soup. Next, break the carcass up into pieces that will fit into your pot (at least 3 quart size). Place all the bones, skin, fat, and trimmings (liver, heart etc) in also. Do not worry about the fat, that will be removed later. Breaking the bones also helps to release the marrow, which is where most of the flavor hides.
Fill the pot with COLD water to cover bones, up to 2 inches from the top of the pot. Do not try to save time by starting with hot water, the results will not be the same. Place the pot on a large stove burner, and turn the heat on to high.
While waiting for the water to heat, peel and quarter one large onion. Peel 2 large carrots and cut into large 3" chunks. Wash 3 celery ribs and cut into 3" chunks, leaving the celery leaves on. Add all of these vegetables to the pot.
As the water heats and begins to boil, skim off any foam that begins to form. This will leave you with a much clearer broth. When the foam is pretty much gone, sprinkle with a teaspoon of seasoned salt, and reduce heat to medium-low. You want just the barest hint of a simmer while the pot is covered.
Let simmer very gently, stirring occasionally for 3 to 4 hours.
Place a large pot in your kitchen sink, with a strainer or seive over it. CAREFULLY pour your stock in, letting the strainer catch all the solids in the pot. Discard all solids.
Cover and place your clear stock in the rerigerator several hours or overnight. To speed the cooling process you can add some ice cubes to the hot stock, but this will dilute your stock slightly. (In the winter, it is perfectly ok to place the pot on top of a snowback on the back porch to cool down before refrigerating). When it cools for several hours, all the fat will have solidified on the top, and you can easily remove it with a spoon.
Your stock is now ready to be made into soup. Remove fat, and heat to boiling. Add, in any amounts you wish: chopped onion, celery, carrots, potatoes, leeks. Boil about 20 minutes until everything is tender.
Now taste for seasonings. You may want to add 3 or 4 chicken bouillon cubes, some more seasoned salt. Trust yourself to know when it tastes just right. If you accidently oversalt, just add a little more water.
Next add pasta, rice or dumplings, boil gently for another 15 minutes, taking care to not overcook pasta.
Your soup is done! Your friends and family will be amazed when you tell them it was all made from scratch!
