Stock up! How to use your leftover turkey properly

I hate the idea of a turkey carcass going to landfill when there’s so many delicious ways to use it. In my opinion, everyone should make a turkey stock, and with the spare turkey meat there’s usually enough to make a turkey "grostl" (a bit like a hash), stock for future gravies or casseroles and soup.

General stock principles:

1. Choose your pan wisely

Use a pressure cooker or large saucepan (something large enough to fit your turkey carcass in to).

A pressure cooker will make a stock in 45 minutes. Pressure cookers may have the advantage of speed, and probably get more flavour and goodness out, but the stock will be cloudier.

A stovetop stock should simmer and very gradually reduce – usually over a minimum of 3 hours (but it could even be put in a low oven overnight). A slow simmered stock will be clearer than a pressure cooker but other than that there’s little difference. There is of course, the added bonus of the delicious aromas the kitchen will be filled with as you simmer a large stockpot on the stove.

2. Pick your base ingredients

Turkey stock is no different from any other meat stock in that the base ingredients are the same. A classic meat stock would include carrot, leek, celery and onion. The purists would finely chop the onion first (called a sofrito in Italian or mirepoix in French) before sautéing and sometimes adding brandy. You would then add the bones, cover with water and cook.

3. Make it a Christmas themed stock

Christmas is a time for leftovers, and all stocks love leftovers. Pour any wine dregs from bottles or glasses into the pot, add carrot peelings, onion skins, leek tops and any other veg off cuts you manage to salvage. You can even add leftover gravy and pan scrapings (put some hot water into the roasting pan and leave to soak – you’ll be able to scrape it out and use the water).

Other things to include can be any leftover herbs, fresh bay leaves, oil & vinegar dressings and old tomatoes (this can be scrapings of tinned tomatoes too). Pretty much anything goes.

4. Prepare your stock

• Pick all the edible meat off the carcass and place in a Tupperware or similar container.

• Place the vegetable ingredients in the stock pot and add a dash of olive or rapeseed oil.

• Quickly sauté for 1-2 minutes.

• Add a splash of brandy before adding the carcass and all the bones. Pour in your reserved liquids (wine, gravy, roasting pan water, scrapings of tinned tomatoes) and make sure the bones are covered. In a pressure cooker make sure you don’t go above the max level. The idea is for the liquid to reduce during the cooking process so be careful not to add too much.

• Turn the hob on and simmer all day (or cooked on high for 45 minutes in a pressure cooker – then turn off and leave to de-pressure/cool for an hour). If you think the stock is too watery you can turn the heat up before removing any of the vegetables and reduce the liquid with the lid off (this works with a pressure cooker too).

• Once cooked and cooled, try to remove as much solid matter as possible with a slotted spoon (this makes the sieving process a lot easier and a lot less messy). Next, pour the liquid through a sieve into a large container.

• Place the stock into the fridge once cooled. The fats will solidify which means you can scrape them off and throw them away.

So now you have your stock. It can be frozen in batches or used straight away. I defy your family not to appreciate a hearty and warming turkey soup stew, made with your homemade stock. It tastes delicious and it’s good for you too.