Thanksgiving

An easy homemade turkey broth perfect for soups and stews. I like to use a large-size slow cooker for this but a large stock pot or soup kettle can be used instead. Just be sure to watch the water level if using anything other than a slow cooker to be sure that bones remain covered with liquid. The stock is flavored by whatever stuffing or aromatics have been placed inside the turkey during roasting. If I'm in a hurry and don't want to deal with stuffing, I like to use some aromatics loosely placed inside of a raw turkey that has been rinsed out and patted dry with a clean towel. Coat the inside with Kosher salt, coarsely ground black pepper and ground cinnamon (or use a couple cinnamon sticks); then loosely place some quartered onions, chunks of sweet raw carrots, celery cut into 4 inch pieces, leek, and a red apple or two that has been quartered and cored into both the front breast cavity and the main body cavity of the turkey. Roast however you prefer. I like to preheat my oven to 500 degrees F. and put the turkey in a roasting pan on the lowest rack. Make a tent out of aluminum foil to put over the breast portion only. Roast for 30 minutes at 500 degrees. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue roasting, basting every 30 minutes until meat thermometer registers 161 degrees F. Turn off oven and let turkey sit until temperature reaches 180 degrees F. (Turkey will continue to cook even with oven turned off.) This makes a beautifully browned,moist and tender turkey with lovely pan drippings to use for this stock recipe.