Tips and Techniques: Turkey Stock and Gravy

Don’t throw out that turkey neck! Hold on to the spatchcocked backbone! Here are a couple of uses for the parts that often end up in the trash.

This recipe yields about 2 quarts of turkey stock, which can be used to make soups or sauces, like the all important gravy!

• 1 turkey neck
• 1 turkey backbone
• 1 cup carrots, peeled, diced
• 1 cup celery, diced
• 2 cups onions, diced
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 tsp whole black peppercorns

Step 1: Place all ingredients in a stock pot. Cover with one gallon of cold water. Bring the water to a simmer. Reduce heat. Let simmer until reduced by almost half. On a low enough heat setting, this can be done overnight. Do this the night before your dinner and it will make your house smell wonderful.

Step 2: Strain the stock with a cheesecloth lined strainer into a bowl or other container. Let the stock cool then remove the fat from the surface. You now have a stock that is perfect for making gravy to go with your turkey!

This simple recipe makes about one quart of turkey gravy. This is a great place to use the juices collected in the pan in which you have roasted your spatchcocked turkey. Just throw them in along with the turkey stock!

• 1/4 cup Butter
• 1/4 cup Flour
• about 1 quart turkey stock, see recipe above
• reserved juices from turkey roasting pan
• salt and pepper, to taste

Step 1: Melt the butter in a 12″ Lodge Logic Cast Iron Skillet. Add the flour and whisk continuously until mixture is slightly browned and becomes aromatic.

Step 2: Slowly add the turkey stock and reserved turkey juices, while continuing to whisk. As the gravy thickens add more and more of the liquid, until most of the liquid is incorporated and desired consistency is achieved. Season with salt and pepper.