Turkey stock / soup

[missnevermind]

Is it as simple as I put the carcus and bits in a pot, cover it with water and then boil and simmer for a few hours. Then sieve?

There has to be more to it.

Almost! Put carcass in pot, 1 large or 2 small onions chopped into quarters (no need to peel, couple of roughly chopped carrots and 3 roughly chopped sticks of celery, couple or 4 cloves of bashed but not peeled garlic, couple of bay leaves, few peppercorns, then fill with water so it's just covered. Bring slowly to the boil, skim off the scum and simmer uncovered for at least 3 hours. I tend to sieve mine through a muslin which results in a nice clear stock.

Another, slightly longer way, is to roast the carcass, veg etc in highish oven for about 30 minutes, then tip the lot into big pot and carry on as before - makes a deeper stock IYSWIM.

Sometimes I fling a star anise or two in for using with oriental soups/dishes. Lovely for a nice chicken noodley soup sort of thing.

boosmummie has it right. Would just add two additional bits of advice: keep the simmer very low or it can boil away too quickly, and control any instinct to add salt - as the stock concentrates down it will be too salty.

Also remember not to do what my DH did - I think he thought it was like pasta, disengaged brain and just put a colander in the sink. Came in to his face looking all with a lot of bones and soggy veg and all the lovely stock down the drain!

Tyel I would have killed him! Or in the very least engaged sharp knee somewhere!!!

I still laugh at the memory because he looked so utterly confused. He actually stood there staring blankly down into the sink for about 5 minutes and was unable to explain to me what had actually happened - I drew my own conclusions from the colander full of rubbish and the empty stock pot. I nearly cried with laughter and will never ever let him forget it, especially as he is usually so competent and sensible!!