Thanksgiving Turkey Carcass: Five Dinners, Zero Waste

Why the Turkey Carcass Is the Real MVP

It's Thanksgiving, which means there is a picked-over turkey frame headed for your counter by tonight. Most people send it to the trash with a salute. Don't. That carcass is basically free flavor: it makes a rich stock that would cost you $4 to $6 a carton at the store, and the leftover meat stretches into several dinners. Consider it the dinner your future self will thank you for.

The One Step That Makes It Work: Simmer a Proper Stock

Everything else here hangs on a good stock. Break the carcass into pieces that fit your biggest pot, and add any leftover bones and skin. Toss in 1 quartered onion (skin on is fine), 2 carrots, 2 celery stalks, 2 bay leaves, and a few peppercorns. Cover with cold water by about an inch, usually 10 to 12 cups. Bring to a gentle simmer, never a hard boil, and cook 2 to 3 hours, skimming foam in the first 20 minutes. Strain, salt lightly, and cool. Pick off any remaining meat and add it to your leftover pile. Refrigerate stock up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months. Leftover cooked turkey keeps 3 to 4 days in the fridge.

Five Dinners From One Carcass

1. Classic Turkey Noodle Soup. Simmer 8 cups stock with sauteed diced carrot, celery, and onion for 10 minutes. Add 3 cups wide egg noodles and cook 6 to 8 minutes, then stir in 2 cups shredded turkey and a squeeze of lemon.

2. Turkey and Rice Soup With Greens. Simmer 8 cups stock with 1 cup long-grain rice for 15 to 18 minutes. Add 2 cups chopped kale and 2 cups turkey for the last 5 minutes.

3. Turkey Pot Pie Skillet. Make a gravy with 3 tablespoons butter, 3 tablespoons flour, and 2 cups stock. Stir in 3 cups turkey and 2 cups frozen peas and carrots, pour into an oven-safe dish, and top with a store-bought pie crust or biscuit dough. Bake at 400°F for 20 to 25 minutes until golden.

4. Turkey Tetrazzini. Toss 8 ounces cooked spaghetti with 2 cups turkey, 8 ounces sauteed mushrooms, and a sauce of 3 tablespoons butter, 3 tablespoons flour, 2 cups stock, and 1/2 cup Parmesan. Top with more Parmesan and bake at 375°F for 20 minutes.

5. Turkey Congee. Simmer 1 cup rice in 7 cups stock for 45 to 60 minutes, stirring now and then, until creamy. Top with turkey, scallions, soy sauce, and a soft egg.

Grocery and Pantry Checklist

• 1 turkey carcass plus leftover meat
• Onions, carrots, celery
• Bay leaves and peppercorns
• Egg noodles
• Long-grain rice
• Kale or other sturdy greens
• Frozen peas and carrots
• Pie crust or biscuit dough
• Spaghetti and mushrooms
• Butter, flour, Parmesan
• Lemon, scallions, eggs, soy sauce

Bottom Line

One carcass, one pot, and about three hours of mostly ignoring it gets you five dinners and a freezer stocked with stock. That's real money saved, a lot less waste, and zero guilt about the pie you ate for breakfast. Happy Thanksgiving, and go easy on the second helping of stuffing. Or don't.