The Aftermath
Nov. 23rd, 2007 11:07 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
pecuniumYesterday was (here in the states) a day of feasting. The house ended up with a 26 lb bird. Needless to say it was not all eaten (esp. as Maia is now, mostly vegetarian, and we ate elsewhere).
When I got home I saw the carcass. It had a couple of lbs of meat on it, as well as some skin, both wings and all the juice which ran out in the carving. I wasn't going to let it go to waste. I also know that turkey soup isn't going to be a dinner object anytime in the next few days (because there is stuffing, pie {brekkie this morning was my traditional, post-thanksgiving mince pie and coffee. There may be enough left to enjoy the same tomorrow} turkey, and the other oddments of dinner).
So demi-glace was the idea. First thing, break the carcass so it fits in the pot. Cover the bird with water (in this case about 3/4s, maybe 1.5 gallons of water). Some peppercorns, celery seed and celery. We were out of onions and carrots, and they aren't really needful.
Boiled it, hard, for about an hour. The lid on the pot has a construction which makes a vapor lock (not as solidly as my mother's Lifetime Ware... any of you who really love me, can just snag any big pots you see at the goodwill, but enough) and so I killed the fire and went to bed.
First thing after I got up, put the pot back on the boil. After another couple of hours I turned the fire off and started pulling out the bones and scraps. There was a lot more meat hiding in the nooks and crannies (and boiling the bird will get every last bit off the bones). That made the dogs really happy, since I just piled it into their bowls (they eat well on the holidays).
Strained it through a screen, and set it to simmer. Skimmed the fat, and then skimmed some more, and again. Pulled about a cup and a half off.
Then I ran it through a cheesecloth. Back on the simmer, with the lid off. Skim the coagulating protiens every hour or so. An hour ago, I put up a quart. A have about a 1/4 cup which didn't fit. It's dark, and rich. It is, in fact, demi-glace. At strength, it's just a trifle salty. It has the taste of roast turkey (the browned taste of crisped skin). I can use it to sauce fowl, or thin it out and make about a half gallon of really rich soup.
When I got home I saw the carcass. It had a couple of lbs of meat on it, as well as some skin, both wings and all the juice which ran out in the carving. I wasn't going to let it go to waste. I also know that turkey soup isn't going to be a dinner object anytime in the next few days (because there is stuffing, pie {brekkie this morning was my traditional, post-thanksgiving mince pie and coffee. There may be enough left to enjoy the same tomorrow} turkey, and the other oddments of dinner).
So demi-glace was the idea. First thing, break the carcass so it fits in the pot. Cover the bird with water (in this case about 3/4s, maybe 1.5 gallons of water). Some peppercorns, celery seed and celery. We were out of onions and carrots, and they aren't really needful.
Boiled it, hard, for about an hour. The lid on the pot has a construction which makes a vapor lock (not as solidly as my mother's Lifetime Ware... any of you who really love me, can just snag any big pots you see at the goodwill, but enough) and so I killed the fire and went to bed.
First thing after I got up, put the pot back on the boil. After another couple of hours I turned the fire off and started pulling out the bones and scraps. There was a lot more meat hiding in the nooks and crannies (and boiling the bird will get every last bit off the bones). That made the dogs really happy, since I just piled it into their bowls (they eat well on the holidays).
Strained it through a screen, and set it to simmer. Skimmed the fat, and then skimmed some more, and again. Pulled about a cup and a half off.
Then I ran it through a cheesecloth. Back on the simmer, with the lid off. Skim the coagulating protiens every hour or so. An hour ago, I put up a quart. A have about a 1/4 cup which didn't fit. It's dark, and rich. It is, in fact, demi-glace. At strength, it's just a trifle salty. It has the taste of roast turkey (the browned taste of crisped skin). I can use it to sauce fowl, or thin it out and make about a half gallon of really rich soup.
