Liquid Gold

I love fall.  I love Thanksgiving.  Many chef's over the years abhor the holiday because turkey has little flavor.  I am not one of those chefs.  I love the holiday.  The smell of a well seasoned bird as it roasts brings food memories from holidays past.  Did you know that NOW is a great time to begin prepping for the big turkey day?  I am all about taking the time to prepare ahead by making my liquid gold...Roasted Turkey Stock.  Nothing compares to store bought stocks and broths when measured up to freshly made stock.  (Side Note:  What's the difference between stock and broth?  Answer:  Broth is just the meat and bones.  Stock is meat and bones with onion, carrots and celery added in.)  Below is a basic recipe for you use as a base for making your own stock.  Enjoy!

Turkey Stock  
5 Lbs turkey thighs, legs, wings, necks, feet (chicken feet works too).  A mix of all 5 is great 
3 lg onions, quartered (you may keep the skins on, just remove the root end)
2 large carrots, washed, unpeeled, chopped into 3 or 4 pieces
2 celery stalks, washed, chopped into 3 or 4 pieces
2 whole garlic bulbs
6 sprigs of thyme
8 parsley stems
10 black peppercorns
Olive oil

Directions:  Preheat oven to 425.  Place vegetables at bottom of large roasting pan.  Top vegetables with turkey parts.  Drizzle with olive oil and roast for 1 hour 30 minutes or until turkey is golden brown.  Be sure to turn the turkey over every 20-30 minutes.  Stir the vegetables occasionally so they don't burn.  Remove roasting pan and let sit for 5 minutes. 
Add water to roasting pan, enough to fully cover the bottom.  Start placing the meat into a large stock pot.  Once completed, take a wooden spoon and start scraping the bottom of the roasting pan and swirl the water around releasing any stuck bits.  Once complete, pour remaining contents of pan into the stock pot.  Add the thyme to the pot, parsley stems and peppercorns.  Fill the pot with water until everything is just covered.  Place on stove and bring to a light boil.  Reduce heat to medium low and let simmer for 3-4 hours.  Once complete, let cool for 20 minutes.  Remove the turkey and set aside (you can use the turkey for soup, turkey sandwiches or even pot pie  Don't let it go to waste).  Strain the stock with a fine mesh strainer into a different pot.  Let cool.   You can freeze in smaller containers or pressure can it in jars for future use.