ISO: Secret to "turkey" tasting turkey stock

[CWS4322]

For years, I have struggled to make the "perfect" turkey stock. I'm closer, but still think something is missing...here's how I make turkey stock:

I take the turkey, remove as much of the meat as I can, put the bones in a roaster, add water, pepper, fresh bay leaf, sage, parsley, rosemary, and thyme (I tie the sprigs and put them in), celery, celery seed, carrots, onions, fennel (small amount of the fresh leaves) and a spice ball with pickling spices in it. That goes in the oven at 250 for 3-4 hours (until the bones are brown). I strain that, let it cool so I can remove the fat and make soup from that. It is a "jelly" when cooled, so I think the "stock" part is working, it just doesn't have as much turkey flavor as I'd like.

What's missing? I don't use canned broth or bouillion cubes--too much sodium. Turkey is on the menu again for Thursday. I'm already thinking soup, but first I need to make the stock.

When I do the beef bones in the oven, the stock has fantastic beef flavor...I want the same from my turkey stock (not beef flavor, but fantastic turkey flavor).

 

[Andy M.]

When I make turkey stock, I simmer the bones for about 6 hours. In addition to the roasted carcass, I add in the raw neck and giblets (not the liver).

You put a lot of competing flavors into the water with the bones. They could be masking the flavor of the turkey. Try simmering longer with fewer non-turkey ingredients. When done, if necessary, you can reduce the liquid volume to concentrate the flavor.

If you always make soup with all the broth, adding the soup seasonings to the simmering stock is fine but expect it to taste like soup, not stock.

 

[taxlady]

I never heard of roasting the bones, etc. when making poultry stock.

I just put everything in a big pot, cover with cold water and bring it to a boil slowly. I skim off any scum and then I simmer it until the meat is tasteless. Then I strain out the bones, bits of meat, etc. I taste the stock and reduce it if it doesn't have enough flavour.

 

[joesfolk]

I have heard that boiling your stock causes the marrow in the bones to firm up before they can leach their flavor into the broth. As I understand it you have to raise the temp slowly to a simmer and no higher to get the best flavor. then of course long and slow cooking.

 

[Nicholas Mosher]

One of the few things I make VERY well is turkey in gravy. It is a deceptively simple method with a shorter than short ingredient list. While it doesn't have the traditional look of a whole bird, I prepare turkey this way whenever I'm asked to do turkey dinner.

Preheat your oven to 400, and get a big roasting pan out. Cuts the legs and wings off. Next, cut the carcass in half, leaving the breast whole on top with the breastbone and partial ribs. The bottom will be the back and more of the ribs. Arrange the pieces in a roasting pan skin-side up along with the neck and giblets (minus the liver), and lightly rub them with some canola oil and salt. Pop 'em in the oven and roast until everything is golden brown. All we care about is color, so remove them when they're done.

Take a large stock-pot, and put the back, wings, neck, and giblets in the bottom. Next, put the legs in, followed by the breast. It's okay to press down to flatten pieces. You want to get them as compact as possible. De-glaze the roasting pan into the pot (with water, not wine), and add just enough water to cover the turkey, along with another generous dash of salt. Bring it to a simmer, and cook for six hours. Notice there are no bay leaves, sprigs of thyme, carrots, celery, or even black pepper!

After eight hours, remove the turkey pieces to a bowl - they will be fall-apart tender. Pour the mix of stock and fat through a fine mesh strainer into another large pot (you have two right?) to remove the vast majority of small bits you miss. Wash teh first pot, then use a gravy separator to yield a pot of stock and a bowl of rendered turkey fat. Note that quite a bit of that turkey flavor is in the fat! When the meat has cooled enough, separate it from the skin and bones into another bowl. Discard the skin and bones, as they have given their all.

Get the stock reducing some on a back burner, and make a roux with the turkey fat and some flour in the pot you've cleaned a couple times now (don't use butter or another oil). When the roux is golden in color, whisk in your stock. Bring it to a boil (which will be the point you reach maximum thickening power), and continue to simmer (and whisk now and then) until it reduces to the sauce/gravy consistency you desire. The last step is to season with salt and finely ground white pepper.

I usually reduce it to a gravy, and then fold the turkey back into it. This concoction is one of my favorite things on earth. I can eat it straight or as a dish in itself with rice/potatoes/bread. You can also add veggies and make a pot pie, dilute it a bit to make an amazing soup... or my favorite... Pilgrim sandwiches.

 

[jennyema]

I'd suggest editing the aromatics.

With so many competing flavors, and strong ones at that, it would be pretty hard to taste the turkey.

 

[CWS4322]

Okay--my understanding is that broth is when you cook it on the stovetop and don't remove the meat from the bones, whereas stock is made by roasting the bones after the meat has been removed. Have I confused the two?

 

[FrankZ]

You can make stock by roasting or not. Roasting makes a "brown" stock whereas not roasting makes a "white" stock. Both are good. When I make mine I let the bones simmer slowly, not a boil.

Also keep the bones covered.. if you make it too thin you can reduce the stock later. Don't try making, reducing and flavoring all in one go. I usually don't add the veggies and spices until near the end of simmering the bones.

 

[jennyema]

Okay--my understanding is that broth is when you cook it on the stovetop and don't remove the meat from the bones, whereas stock is made by roasting the bones after the meat has been removed. Have I confused the two?

Technically, "broth" is made from just meat and no bones.

"Stock" is made from bones. And meat most often.

The distinction is that one uses bones and the other does not.

 

[jennyema]

I have heard that boiling your stock causes the marrow in the bones to firm up before they can leach their flavor into the broth. As I understand it you have to raise the temp slowly to a simmer and no higher to get the best flavor. then of course long and slow cooking.

Boiling will emulsify the fat and water and give you greasy stock.

 

[CWS4322]

So, when I toss my bones in to the roaster to brown them, if I add the neck and wingtips, and the "pope's nose" as my GA always called the "tail," that will lend more turkey flavor to the stock?

 

[Andy M.]

A combination of raw and roasted parts gives great flavor.

 

[Nicholas Mosher]

I agree with Andy. It's part of the built in complexity of how I prepare my "Turkey Gravy" that is "under the hood" - so to speak. Obviously if you're looking for a clear turkey consomme my method isn't the way to go, but I decided to post it as 90% of the turkey dishes I make are based on this turkey-laden turkey gravy. It also exemplifies the most platonic instance of "Turkey" flavor I've ever consumed.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

I never make turkey stock, at least by the definition. Stock is simply a liquid usually made of meat, bones, and maybe celery, with salt as the seasoning. Back in the day, stock was a way of loading up the pantry with a basic liquid that could be used for a host of things. It's a simple thing. Broth has other flavors added to it through the use of herbs, spices, and veggies. You can also make a vegetable stock just as you would make a meat stock.

For intense turkey flavor, and max nutritional value, break the bones before immersing them in the cooking liquid. Also add sliced celery, as that will acidify the water just slightly, and leach the nutrients from the bone marrow. Add the neck, and giblets so as to extract the flavor from them. Put as many bones into the pot as you have available and boil for three or more hours. Strain the broth into a large bowl. When you taste it, it will be bland. This is where the salt comes in. It is a required ingredient to give the stock it's characteristic turkey flavor. When the liquid is chilled, it will have gelled, indicating that you have dissolved the collagen and nutrients from the marrow, connecting tissues, and cartilage. Preserve the stock by freezing, or canning, or use as needed.

Tip: A little low sodium soy sauce will enhance that turkey flavor as well. But you have to be careful. You don't want to actually taste the soy sauce flavor.

This stock can be used to make gravies, sauces, soups, or to flavor rice, potatoes, etc.

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North