Be sure to save the turkey bones from your Thanksgiving feast -- you can use them to make a pot of flavorful stock. Simmer them with some onions, carrots, and celery, and you'll have a freezable, low-sodium base for soups, stews, rice dishes, and more.

Related: All of the Turkey Recipes You'll Ever Need

What You'll Need

5 pounds leftover turkey bones (with some meat still attached), broken into large sections if necessary

1 pound yellow onions, skins on, halved or quartered depending on size

1/2 pound carrots, cut into 4-inch lengths

1/2 pound celery stalks, cut into 4-inch lengths

1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

8 sprigs parsley

Related: 21 New Thanksgiving Dessert Ideas to Try This Year

1. In a 3-gallon stockpot, combine all ingredients and fill with enough cold water to cover everything by 3 inches when submerged (about 6 quarts). If you don't have a large stockpot, use two smaller pots.

























2. Bring to a rapid simmer over high (do not boil); reduce heat until bubbles barely break the surface. Simmer until flavorful, about 2 hours, skimming stock with a ladle every 30 minutes. Keep the stock at a bare simmer; a hard boil would evaporate too much liquid and make the stock cloudy. Any fat that remains after skimming can be easily removed once the stock is chilled.

















3. Strain stock through a fine-mesh sieve. Discard vegetables. Remove meat from bones and save for another use; discard bones. Let stock cool completely before refrigerating. (To store, refrigerate, up to 1 week, or freeze, up to 6 months.)

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Not in a soup mood? Use leftover turkey in this tasty sandwich, complete with quick homemade pickles.