Smoked Turkey Stock

Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F). Spread the quartered onion, celery, and carrot on a dry sheet pan in a single layer. Roast for 15-20 minutes until the vegetables have taken on golden-brown color on their cut faces and the onion edges are lightly charred. Do not oil them — dry roasting concentrates their natural sugars and adds caramel depth to the stock without adding fat. The char on the onion specifically contributes color and a gentle bitterness that balances the smoke.

Place the smoked turkey pieces in the stockpot with the roasted vegetables. Add the cold water, garlic, apple cider vinegar, bay leaves, thyme, sage, and peppercorns. The vinegar is essential: it draws calcium and collagen from the turkey bones, enriching the body of the stock without adding any detectable acidity in the final product. Bring slowly to a bare simmer over medium heat — 25-30 minutes. Immediately reduce to the lowest possible heat. Maintain at 85-90°C for 3 to 3.5 hours.

During the first 30-45 minutes of simmering, grey-brown foam and fat will rise to the surface. Skim it off every 10-15 minutes with a wide, flat spoon or ladle, dragging it to the edge of the pot where it collects. After the first hour, skim only the golden fat that pools in still corners of the pot surface. Do not over-skim — the fat carries flavor and will be removed in quantity after chilling.

Remove the large turkey pieces from the pot with tongs. Ladle the stock through a fine-mesh sieve lined with a double layer of damp cheesecloth into a large, clean pot or bowl. Press gently on the spent vegetables to extract their liquid, but do not force the vegetable pulp through. Reserve any turkey meat that has pulled clean from the bones — it will have given most of its flavour to the stock, but is excellent for a hash or pot pie filling.

Cool the strained stock rapidly over an ice bath, stirring occasionally. Refrigerate uncovered until completely cold — at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. A solid disc of pale golden turkey fat will form on the surface. Lift it off in one piece and discard or reserve for cooking vegetables. The de-fatted stock beneath should be a lightly gelled, clear amber liquid. Use within 4 days or freeze in 500ml portions for up to 4 months.