Notes: Great way to use the turkey carcass during the days after Thanksgiving. Serve over hot, buttered white rice and pass the hot sauce at the table. Makes enough for 3 meals for 4 people each. Takes all day to make. Set up crockpot for Step 2 from 9:00-9:30am. OK to leave the house until about 3:30pm. Then come home to pick carcasses (takes a while) and do Steps 3 and 4. Ready to serve at 6:30pm. Originally from http://grist.org/article/2009-11-23-thanksgiving-turkey-gumbo
Ingredients
1 or 2 large meaty turkey carcasses
4 stalks celery, halved
2 large yellow or white onions, quartered
3 Bay leaves
A handful of fresh thyme sprigs or a teaspoon of dried thyme
A handful of parsley stems
3 smashed whole garlic gloves
Salt
A few drops of Tabasco sauce
Black pepper
Enough water to cover turkey carcasses (about 1/2-1 gallon)
1 lb. Andouille or country sausage, cut into bite size pieces, or 1 lb. chorizo, crumbled
40 oz. (2 large bags) of frozen okra pieces
Directions
1. Mise en place all of the seasonings and vegetables.
2. In a large stock pot or crockpot, start the turkey stock. First position the pieces of carcass so they fit in the pot or crockpot with the lid tightly sealed. It will likely be necessary to cut the carcass into several pieces to make this work. Add large chunks of celery and onion wherever they fit. Add Bay leaves, thyme, parsley, garlic cloves, salt, Tabasco, and pepper. Confirm lid fits firmly. Then, add only enough water for the carcass to be fully submerged under water. Bring the stock to a gentle boil, then turn down to a steady slow simmer and cook for about 2 hours. (Or, start crockpot on High for 1 hour, then Low for 6-8 hours.) Taste stock for seasoning and add more salt if necessary. Remove the carcass from the stock and set aside on a plate to let cool. When cool enough to handle, meticulously pick all of the meat from it and set the meat aside. Strain the stock through a filtered gravy separator and reserve. At this point you should have the following items all in separate containers:
-Bite-sized pieces of turkey meat (picked off the carcass)
-Turkey stock
-Vegetable chunks (onion and celery) - dice them into smaller, bite-sized pieces
Discard the used bones, thyme sprigs, Bay leaves, and fat that was separated from the stock.
3. In a large Dutch oven or heavy bottomed stockpot, saute' the sausage until fully cooked and sizzling. Add your vegetable chunks – onion and celery from Step 2 above - into the sausage and stir. Add a good pinch of salt and pepper and cook about 5 minutes.
4. Next, whisk in gradually about 6 cups of turkey stock (from both Step 2 and also from previously frozen turkey or chicken stock) . Bring to a simmer. Add frozen okra and reserved bite-sized pieces of turkey meat. Cook uncovered for 1.5-2 hours, stirring occasionally. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper as desired.
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