THE BASICS - TURKEY AND CHICKEN BROTH

     Many home recipes call for chicken broth.

     OK, you may be tempted to buy it in a box or can at the supermarket. Don't do that !!! I will have to hunt you down and do terrible things to you. Do you have any idea of the crap and preservatives they put in that garbage? Not to mention the salt.

     Broth is by far the easiest thing in the world  to make. You should always have some on hand. We keep a ton of it in the freezer.

     After Thanksgiving, the last thing you do is throw away the Turkey carcass. DON'T DO IT ! Same with that huge oven roasted chicken your wife made tonight. DON'T THROW IT AWAY !!

     I remember when my step mother started to pitch one in the trash. Penny in a flash grabbed that puppy right out of thin air. It was move that would make Lynn Swan and Chris Collingsworth proud. She should have been a first round draft pick. But I digress.

     You can throw broth together on a weekend, and have it available through the week. Or freeze it for later So don't give me the "I don't have the time". Poor excuse, and I don't want to hear it. This takes about about 20 minutes and one beer to put together. You can do it during half time. Then you can have another beer and get back to the game while it cooks.

          

     Darn, it's March and you don't have  a chicken carcass? Do not

despair my friend, I have an idea.

     Let's go down to the store and get a couple precooked roasted chickens. Most larger stores have a deli section that offers these. Just don't get one from Wally World.

     Take it home and cut all the chicken off of the bones.  If you bought roasted chickens, save the meat for later (IE: SOUP) and throw the carcasses, the wings and legs into the pot.

 

      Also use any left over skin as well.

     Break two large carrots in half and add with 1 large Onion

onion  cut in 4 parts. Add 4 stalks of Celery and just a touch of salt and pepper. Don't over do it. You can always add more later but it's damned hard to take it out.

     Cover and bring to boil (about 15 minutes)

     Reduce to a simmer.

     Temperature should be around 208 degrees and you should see   an occasional bubble. Use your handy dandy temperature thing.

     Cook about 8 hours, then add 3 to 4 cups of water (if needed)

     Cook overnight

     Using a slotted spoon or strainer, remove all the bones, veggies

and chicken pieces.

     Strain remaining broth through cheese cloth into a container.

     Place a frozen water bottle into the container with the hot broth and let cool

     When the ice melts, replace the ice bottle .

     When the liquid cools to about 70 degrees, place in refrigerator.

You did keep the temperature thingy handy?

Doesn't that look good !!!!!

     The next day, remove the fat layer from the top of the container.

     NOTE: SAVE the fat in a separate container. You can use it 

later  to make GRAVY.

     Your broth is ready to use. YOU CAN FREEZE WHAT IS LEFT.

     MAKES ABOUT ½ GALLON, and you did it.