I have a confession: I don’t love Thanksgiving dinner the way that it seems most people around me do. Don’t get me wrong, it certainly has its good qualities…the mashed potatoes with gravy, the dressing and sweet potatoes, any myriad of the traditional desserts… Ok, so maybe it’s really more just the turkey that I don’t love that much. Over the years, several people have suggested to me but I don’t have to make a turkey for Thanksgiving, and I’ve been left trying to explain that, yes, I do. Here’s the thing: turkey is a tradition on Thanksgiving. And for all my lukewarm feelings about the meat, I do love tradition.
I also love the promise of what waits at the end of the turkey, after all of the leftovers have seen their glory days. The rich, hearty stock that will find its way into a variety of warm, cozy comfort foods throughout the winter. Homemade stock is a cooking essential in my home, most especially in the colder months. In fact, as a busy mom who’s often scurrying to get dinner on the table, it’s one of my go-to secret weapons to a tasty, quick meal that will fool people into thinking you’ve spent all day slaving away in the kitchen. How can you not love that?
Best of all, with a little planning, you can make your own stock with very little expense. I love all things budget-friendly when it comes to my meal planning, so that gives this homemade version loads of bonus points over the boxed stuff at the store.
So, what’s the secret to really good stock? Cooking it at a very low temperature for a long time. That means keeping it off the stove top. Now, I know that a lot of people choose this method – throwing all the goodies in a pot of water on the stove to boil for a couple to a few hours before calling it “done.” I hope you’ll forgive my boldness when I say that if this is how you’re currently making your stock, you’re doing it wrong. I’m not saying there isn’t hope of making tasty soups and other goodies with your “chicken juice,” as my grandma used to call it, but there really isn’t much comparison to the rich, hearty flavor that doing it Grandma’s way will get you.
Homemade Stock
Poultry, Beef, or Pork Bones
Onions, Celery, and Carrot
1 Tbsp Ground Black Pepper
1 Tbsp Salt
Water
Put all ingredients in roasting pan or crock pot
Simmer in 180-degree oven or on low setting of crock pot for 18-20 hours
Stock will be a rich, golden color when done.
TIPS:
If you have space in your freezer, keep a bag or two for stashing bones as you use them, then make up a batch of stock when the bags get full.
I also keep a freezer bag stashed at the back of the freezer for all of my veggie tid-bits (cut off ends or veggies that aren’t going to get used up before they’re going bad.
For easy use, freeze stock in small batches. I usually bag it up in 1 cup increments.
Happy Thanksgiving, friends. May your day bring you lots of laughter and happy memories with your loved ones. And the promise of some yummy comfort foods with your new batch of stock.
Aramelle Wheeler is the Marketing & Communications Coordinator at the Food Bank of Northern Nevada. Aramelle joined the Food Bank in 2012 and is proud to be part of the fight against hunger in our community. Aramelle grew up in a family that often struggled with not having enough food and considers it an honor to be able to help other families like hers. She loves social media and really loves it when Food Bank friends share their hunger fighting fun with us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
