The capon or turkey carcass, a few vegetables and three hours of gentle simmering: two liters of golden stock for January soups and risottos.
Throwing out the capon carcass means throwing out the best part. The bones, skin and bits of meat still clinging to them make a golden, fragrant stock that sets a little in the fridge: nothing like a cube. It's the base for a risotto, a vegetable soup or a chestnut soup.
The secret comes down to two words: brown and simmer. You brown the carcass pieces at the bottom of the pot for color and flavor, then let it barely simmer for three hours, never boiling: that's what keeps it clear.
Good to know · Use a carcass that went into the fridge within 2 hours of the meal, and make the stock within 2 days of the feast. Once cooked, cool it quickly and refrigerate within 2 hours: it then keeps 3 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer. Always bring it to a boil before using it.
Cut the carcass into 6 to 8 pieces with the poultry shears, so it fits in the pot and the water covers it. Pull off the big pieces of fat, keep the skin and leftover meat.
Heat the oil in the pot over medium-high heat. Brown the carcass pieces for 8 to 10 minutes, turning them now and then, until deep brown in places. Halve the onion without peeling it and set it cut side down on the bottom for 3 minutes, until almost black.
Pour in the 3 liters of cold water all at once and scrape the bottom with a wooden spoon to loosen the brown bits. Slowly bring to a simmer over medium heat, over 15 to 20 minutes.
As soon as it starts to simmer, a gray foam rises to the surface. Skim it off for about ten minutes, until almost none comes back.
Add the carrots and leek cut into big chunks, the celery, the onion studded with the cloves, the garlic, the bouquet garni, the peppercorns and the salt. Turn the heat down: only a few bubbles should break the surface. Simmer for 3 hours with the lid ajar, skimming from time to time. The bones should always stay under water: top up with a little hot water if needed.
Lift out the big pieces with the skimmer, then pour the stock through the fine sieve set over a large bowl, without pressing the vegetables. For a very clear stock, line the sieve with a clean damp cloth. You should get about 2 liters. Taste: it's lightly salted on purpose, you'll season whatever you cook with it.
Divide the stock straight away into the small tubs, set them in the sink filled with very cold water and ice cubes, and let them cool for 20 to 30 minutes. Close them and refrigerate: everything should be chilled within 2 hours of the end of cooking.
The next day, the fat has set into a yellow layer on top: lift it off with a spoon. Underneath, the stock has often set into a jelly: a sign it's rich, it turns liquid again as it heats.
Check off every step to celebrate.
The stock keeps 3 days in the fridge in closed tubs, or 3 months in the freezer. Freeze it in 250 to 500 ml portions (or in an ice-cube tray for sauces) and leave 2 cm of space at the top of jars: it expands as it freezes. Thaw in the fridge or straight in the pan, and bring it to a boil before using.
2 days in the fridge at most, wrapped, as long as it went in within 2 hours of the meal. If you don't have time, freeze the carcass and make the stock later, straight from frozen.
It boiled too hard, or the foam wasn't skimmed at the start. It's still perfectly good to cook with. Next time: start in cold water, skim carefully, and keep the heat so low it barely simmers.
It's actually a very good sign: the skin and cartilage released their gelatin. It turns liquid again within seconds in a hot pan.
Add this recipe to your meal, then come back for appetizers, a drink, cookies with coffee: Popotam brings them together, with the shopping for your whole table and the timeline up to dessert. Free, no account.
