What to do with a turkey carcass…

on NOVEMBER 25, 2018

During our trip to the mainland, we ate so frequently that periodically, I found myself looking for something lighter. Almost every restaurant we went to had a version of caldo de pollo (chicken soup) on the menu. Now the quality varied quite a bit and there were standouts, but in general, it is such a simple dish, that it was almost always tasty and satisfying.

The base is a rich, clear chicken broth likely made by boiling a whole chicken until it is falling apart. Throw in some veggies and a bit of rice and you have a warm, savory soup with the added brightness of lime and herbs. I really couldn’t ask for anything better on a rainy day.

Staring at my turkey carcass after the big feast this year, I decided to add a Mexican twist to the inevitable turkey soup. The results were tasty, so I thought I would share with all of you in case you were wondering what to do with your carcass. This recipe uses a couple tricks from chinese clear broths, but emulated the original caldo de pollo pretty well.

Caldo de Pavo

1 turkey carcass

2 shallots

1 tbsp whole black peppercorns

2-3 large carrots peeled and cut in 1/2″ chunks

1 large fennel bulb (or celery) cut into 1/2″ chunks

2 chayote squash peeled and cored (or zucchini) – cut in 1/2″ chunks

salt and pepper to taste

Garnishes

White or green onions, chopped

Cilantro roughly chopped

lime wedges

Add the turkey carcass to a crockpot or large stockpot, cover with water, bring to a boil, skim any scum and fat that rises to the surface (this creates the clear broth), and leave on a very low simmer until it smells rich and fragrant (~6-8 hours on low in a crockpot or 3-4 hours on the stovetop). Strain the broth through a fine mesh and reserve the turkey bits. When cool, pick the turkey bits off the bones and discard the bones.

Add the broth to a large pot – you should have at least 8 cups, so add more water if necessary. Bring to a boil and do another skim if you see foam on the top. Toss in the fennel and carrots, bring to a boil and reduce the heat to cook about 10 minutes. Add the reserved turkey bits and chayote, bring to a boil again and skim one more time if needed. Simmer for 5-8 minutes until the chayote is tender. Taste and add salt to your desired saltiness – you may want it a bit more salty because the garnish will add lime which will mellow out the salt.

Serve with the garnishes.