The Turkey Carcass

 

Well the Thanksgiving weekend is drawing to a close. I thought a word
about handling the Turkey carcass might be in order. Like most people
that cook I hate to throw anything away that is usable. Hence the turkey
soup must be made.



Jack Wilson the Chef that taught me to cook was a soup chef. And he was
very strict in his methods of handling carcasses and bones. Be it
Turkey, chickens, veal bones, beef marrow bones of seafood halls, it all
had to be rendered.



The turkey method is pretty easy and designed to create a stock and soup
that is more representative of true turkey taste. The secret is to
separate the carcass of today's modern turkeys. (If you are buying these
new heirloom birds that actually have taste again you don't have to
separate the carcass but should anyway)



To render the turkey carcass we will separate the leg transport system
of the turkey from the wing (used to be flight) part of the bird. This
will give us two stocks. One dark stock for the pasta or noodle less
soup and one light soup for a noodle soup base.



I like the original mirepoix when making the dark base. So I dice the
carrots, onions and potatoes to 1/8 and sweat them in the bottom of the
stock pot. To that I add half the pan drippings and drop in the dark
meat carcass offerings. Cover with water and start the boil. Once
boiling I reduce to a simmer and add in bay leaf (Derek sent me these
Turkish bay leaves that are fantastic if you can get them) Roasted
garlic, oregano, lemon and orange zest, thyme, parsley, basil, salt
pepper and rosemary, I also add in sage leaves and tarragon. But you can
sub in poultry seasoning. Render this until the bones are empty. I mean
nothing is left holding onto the bone.



Strain into another stock pot, cool the strainings and pick out all dark
meat. In the strained stock pot add julienne red and green bell peppers,
julienne onions and chopped celery, (one of the TV guys refers to this
as Trinity, it is actually just another mirepoix), chopped tomatoes,
salt pepper, sage, bay leaf and crinkle sliced carrots and Italian green
beans. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer. Add in a couple cans of
large white lima beans and allow to come to temp again. Kill the heat
and eat or kill the heat and prepare to store the stuff.





Flight end of the carcass rendering:



Using an expanded mirepoix in the bottom of the flight end of the turkey
stock. So we have celery, carrots, onion, and potato sweated out, add
the other half of the pan drippings and any left over gravy you made.
Cover in water, bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer covered. Add,
salt pepper, sage, bay leaf, Spanish paprika, basil, parsley, and reduce
until bones are empty. Strain into stock pot, pick light meat out of
strainings and chop. Add to strained stock, bring to boil, add in salt
and pepper to taste, more paprika and a little red pepper. When boiling
reduce to a simmer, add peas, baby lima beans and cubed carrots. As soon
as the vegetables are in add in flat large egg noodles. Homemade is
better than store bought, but either will work. Bring back to a boil and
cook the noodle, as the noodles near finish add in one cup of corn meal
and stir, reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes and then add
in 2 cups of parmesan gratings. Stir in, remove from heat and serve.



The difference between these two is the dark one amplifies the meat and
the taste of the dark meat. The lighter one is made to offer the
background taste of turkey but the noodles and stock are the stars of
this show!

Chef Bob Ballantyne

The Cowboy and The Rose Catering

Grand Junction, Colorado, USA