Turkey Broth

Yields 5 to 6 cups.

by Tom Douglas
from Fine Cooking
Issue 81
Last Edit Date: 3/6/2013 4:29:32 PM

I use the turkey neck, tail, wing tips, and giblets to make a turkey-enriched chicken broth, which is the foundation of the gravy. Make the broth while the turkey is roasting or a day ahead if you like.

more about:

2 tsp. vegetable oil
Neck, wing tips, tail, and giblets (excluding the liver) from one 11- to 12-lb. turkey
1/2 cup dry white wine
8 cups homemade or low-salt canned chicken broth
1/2 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1/2 medium carrot, coarsely chopped
1/2 medium celery stalk, coarsely chopped
8 black peppercorns
2 parsley sprigs
1 bay leaf

Heat the oil in a 3- or 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the turkey parts and brown them well on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes. Pour in the wine and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the broth, onion, carrot, celery, peppercorns, parsley, and bay leaf and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium low or low and simmer the broth gently for 1 hour, skimming off the scum occasionally with a skimmer or a large slotted spoon. Strain the broth through a sieve and discard the solids. Let the broth cool and spoon off the fat.