No matter how fast you prepare Thanksgiving dinner, you must have gravy, and you must have stuffing. And both need homemade turkey stock. This one is fast, even with the time it takes to brown the giblets, neck, and wing tips. You can mostly ignore it while it simmers, but you wont be able to deny its enriching, ennobling presence in your finished gravy and stuffing.
Stock can be made 3 days ahead and chilled (covered once cool). Discard any solidified fat.
Recipe information
Total Time
2 hr
Yield
Makes about 3 cups
Ingredients
Preparation
Pat neck, giblets, and wing tips dry, then cook with onion in butter in a large heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until well browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Add broth, water, carrot, celery, and thyme and bring to a boil, then simmer, skimming any foam, until reduced by half, about 1 1/2 hours. Pour through a sieve into a bowl, reserving giblets (if using for gravy) and discarding remaining solids. (Reserve 1 cup stock for stuffing.)
