Turkey Carcass, bay leaves, water

Put the leftover turkey carcass in a BIG pot. Add enough water to cover most of the bones and 3 or 4 bay leaves.

Cooks Note #1: Any or all of the following may also be added: 3 or 4 cloves of garlic, a few celery stalks, a few whole carrots, one or two onions studded with whole cloves, a pinch of thyme, rosemary, basil, oregano and a few sage leaves.

Simmer for 3 to 4 hours, scraping off the meat from time to time.

With most of the meat taken off, remove the bones (scoop or strain) and discard. Let the broth cool for several hours. (Here in Alaska, I just set it out on the porch) The fat will float to the top and solidify. After cooled, remove as much fat as you can with a slotted spoon or spatula before using the broth to make a wonderful Turkey Soup.

Cooks Note #2: Strain the soup and discard vegetables toward the end of cooking and discard (they've done their job in flavoring the soup!). Add new vegetables; chopped carrots, cubed potatoes, thinly sliced celery, soup greens such as kale, collards, chopped savoy cabbage or escarole, sliced onions, fresh herbs, and last but not least, pasta. Thanks for sharing Pat!

Submitted by: pat check