40-Minute Chicken Stock

Total Time: 40 minutes

From Kathie Dever's January 2011 Fallsmead Forum Cooking and Entertaining Column: This is a streamlined recipe for homemade chicken stock from "The New Best Recipe" from Cook's Illustrated - my Bible. I have in the freezer a ziplock bag in which to throw chicken backs, wing tips, etc. until I have enough for stock.

Rich Turkey Stock for Gravy

Total Time:

From Kathie Dever's November 2004 Fallsmead Forum Cooking and Entertaining Column: Turkey day approaches and there is much to do beforehand, not the least of which is to make the magic ingredient which will make your gravy sing. We are talking homemade stock here - something you can do right now and freeze and YESSERIE it is most definitely worth it! If nothing else, it will turn your mother-sister-whomever-in­-law pea green with envy. This stock ends up being more of a glace - when chilled it
will look more like Jell-0, but that's a good thing. You will throw this into your roasting pan after removing the turkey over medium heat, scraping up those wonderful brown flavor bits on the bottom, and stirring until it becomes wonderful. This makes plenty so experiment with it before the big day. If you are doing a huge turkey, you may have to add more liquid, I'd suggest chicken broth, if you run out of stock. You will undoubtedly have to skim off the fat, but you will already have done that from the stock, so it won't be much to deal with. Thicken the gravy using your favorite method. Pour through a strainer into your gravy boat. If you cannot devote the total time needed to make the stock, do the roasting one day and the boiling the next. I find that only the cat will eat the turkey drumstick meat - it's way too tough - but thighs might yield meat suitable for casseroles or salad.