I seem to be able to connive my family out of the turkey carcass every year. I break it into two large hunks and make two big batches, combine the broth together, then cook it and freeze it to use throughout the year. It’s SO YUMMY and a great way to recycle and use all the leftover turkey parts!

Ingredients for EACH crockpot batch

• 1/2 turkey carcass
• 2 medium yellow onions, coarsely chopped (large pieces)
• 7 organic carrots, diced
• 1 small bunch of organic celery, diced
• 1/2 turnip, diced
• 1 parsnip, diced
• 1/2 bunch of organic parsley
• 3 sprigs of fresh rosemary (optional)
•  5 leaves of fresh sage (optional)
• 2 bay leaves

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Throw it all in a large crockpot, fill with water and cook on low for 8-10 hours. (having done this twice, I recommend putting the carcass in first, then the veggies so the bones are fully submerged).
   

   Before shot of batch #2

   

   After shot of batch #1

2.  

   Once the time is up, set up a fine mesh colander and ladle the soup, carcass and veggies into the strainer, emptying into the garbage every few minutes as it gets full, ensuring it’s drained well each time. 

3. If you are doing two batches, like I needed to do b/c my turkey carcass was THAT big, combine all the soup together and fully cool overnight.
4. I measure the soup into 1.5 to 3.5 cup jar serving sizes, label and freeze, so I know exactly how much is in there when I need it for a recipe. Be sure to leave a little room in the jars for the broth to expand in the freezer, which it will. Even with cooled soup, never fill a jar of liquid to the top and then freeze it… it will expand and you’ll have a very frozen, very broken jar of soup on your hands (can you tell I’ve done that a time or two?)

I use this stock throughout the year and it really does make the BEST soups. I had a ham hock on hand and made a Ham Hock Vegetable Soup using the fresh broth and it was DIVINE! If you also have a ham hock on hand, get to stocking your freezer for deliciousness!