I have a new obsession. Its repurposing. I’m trying to repurpose everything from food to fabric scraps to unused picture frames…you name it! I decided to repurpose two things that a. I use the most and b. the biggest thing I have used that has no other purpose.
I am repurposing my kitchen scraps and juice pulp and the beloved Thanksgiving turkey to make my very own turkey stock. Let me tell you not only was it so simple to make, it was so delicious. Some added benefits include no added sugar or salt, a heaping amount of vitamins and minerals from the turkey bones, and a cheap endless supply of stock.
What I used:
-1 leftover turkey carcass
-1 4-inch bottom from a celery bunch and 5 tops of the celery (where leaves are) (used for my mom’s stuffing)
– approx. 1 onion from cut up left overs. (used for my mom’s stuffing)
– 1 cup of carrot pulp after juicing
-1 cup of spinach pulp after juicing
-2 sprigs of fresh thyme from my garden
-bunch of parsley stems and leaves from my garden
-2 cloves of whole garlic
-2 corn cobs
-4 quarts of water.
-2 T of distilled vinegar
Now you see, I didn’t have to buy a single thing. Everything in this recipe I either had from my garden or it was left overs from Thanksgiving cooking so this recipe was free for me! I also love this because I was able to re-use the turkey carcass and prevent about a plastic bag’s worth of perfectly good food from going into a landfill!
The great thing about this recipe is you can use any type of old bones you want! You can use turkey bones, chicken bones from thighs or a rotisserie chicken, pork bones, or steak bones, OR you can go the vegetarian option and just use left over veggies. I would’ve done this, but I had an entire turkey to do with what I pleased 🙂
It makes me so incredibly happy knowing how easy this recipe is!
Step 1: Gather all ingredients and put them in a crock pot or huge pot. (I used the crock pot, but you can use either) The crock pot option seems to be the easiest because you can just set and forget, but it does take a little longer and I understand not everyone has a crock pot.
Step 2: Pour in COLD water and add 1 or 2 T of vinegar to your mixture. The vinegar helps to release the vitamins and minerals that are found in the bones, so you get extra benefits!
Step 3: Cook the “stock” either in the crock pot for 18-24 hours on medium heat with lid on OR for 4 hours on the stove at a simmer. If you cook on the stove, stir occasionally. This is why I like the crock pot option because you can just set it and forget it and do your daily activities without having to worry if the house will burn down! It will also make your house smell AMAZING!
Step 4: Once your stock has cooked for the allotted time, grab a second pot that will hold the liquid and drain it using a colander to separate the bones and veggie scraps from the broth.
Step 5: Once all of your liquid is in 1 pot, use a cheesecloth to sift out small pieces of fat, veggie debris, etc. so you have a clean broth. Pour your liquid into a clean pot with the cheesecloth rubber-banded around.
Doesn’t that look delicious?!
Step 6: Store as best suites you. I poured all of my broth into a plastic baggy and froze into sections for future use. Some people like to freeze in muffin pans to have individual servings. You can do it however you want. Since there are no preservatives in this batch, the stock will only keep for about 5 days in the fridge.
Step 7: Use, use, use, and know that you have just created an all-natural repurposed broth for your family to enjoy guilt-free!
I use broth ALL the time. I like to put it in mashed potatoes for extra flavor, in my quinoa, as a soup base, etc. I can’t wait to use this soon!
Healthy Soul B 