Leftover Turkey? Make Turkey Bone Gumbo!

Wondering what to do with those turkey leftovers? Well I have the best recipe for you! Each year, right after Thanksgiving, my neighbors send over their turkey bones. I boil this bones in a large pot for a long time until it transforms into a golden opaque broth. I like to call this broth "liquid gold." It is great for soup but even better for my specialty, gumbo. Sometimes I wait a couple of days before starting this project, after recovering from the Thanksgiving celebration.

I never made this type of gumbo until I moved to New Orleans in the late 80's. My Cajun mom never had time for boiling broth for hours (I have seven brothers and sisters) and she usually made her famous Turkey Rice Casserole--casseroles were big in my family since everything was in one dish (link to the recipe follows). After I read an article in the Times Picayune newspaper about a guy who always made his own turkey bone gumbo, I decided to make mine in the Cajun way. This is not a creole gumbo which might have okra stewed and cooked until it dissolves and might even have tomatoes in it (a Cajun No No!). No this is a dark roux based gumbo that is cooked low and slow with Cajun spices and lots of love.

This gumbo freezes beautifully and is great to serve on New Years Eve if there is any left!

Turkey Bone Gumbo

Ingredients:

1 or 2 leftover baked turkey carcasses with leftover turkey meat (don't use a fried turkey carcass-it makes the gumbo oily)

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup flour plus another 1/3 cup flour

1 onion, chopped

3 ribs celery with the leaves, chopped

1 bell pepper, chopped

4-5 garlic cloves, chopped

1 teaspoon dried or fresh thyme

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning

2 bay leaves

1 large handful curly parsley, chopped

1 teaspoon white vinegar

6 green onions, chopped

1-2 pounds turkey, cut into chunks (dark meat is my favorite for this)

1 pound sliced smoked sausage, browned and fat rendered

Optional: Chicken or turkey base or chicken bouillon

Cooked rice for serving

Directions:

To make the turkey broth:

On the day after Thanksgiving or anytime you bake a turkey, debone as much of the turkey meat as you can and place all the bones in a large pot and fill 2/3 full with water (don't fill with water to the top because it may boil over and you will lose some of this liquid gold)

Bring to a boil and then simmer the bones for about an hour, add more water as it evaporates. Actually, the longer you cook it, the better (optional, you can add an onion, celery and garlic to the water).

When the broth is ready (it has changed color and may look opaque) remove the bones and allow it to cool and then skim the fat off the top (I like to put it in the refrigerator overnight). Debone any meat still on the turkey carcass and set aside. Hopefully, you will have a gallon of broth when you are done.

Prep the vegetables:

It is very important to chop all of your vegetables and before starting your roux. A roux is like a newborn baby. It need love and constant supervision. If you take care of your roux, it will respond with love. If you neglect your roux, even for a couple of minutes, it is sure to burn. So, chop up all your vegetables before you start the roux! Don't think you can turn around and chop up an onion, because you will have to start all over!

To make the roux:

Preheat a heavy bottomed pot on the stove on high heat. Add the oil and 1/2 cup flour. Stir with a whisk or use a wooden spoon (my preferred utensil).
Stir to dissolve the flour, lower the heat to medium and continue to stir and cook for about 20 minutes. The roux will slowly start to gain color, but once it starts to brown, it will darken quickly.
When the roux is the color of light peanut butter, add the rest of the flour. Stir well to blend the flour into the roux. I explain the reason for this in my video which is linked below.Most people like their roux to be a little lighter than the color of milk chocolate.
When your roux reaches the correct color, add the onions, celery and bell pepper. Lower the heat and continue to stir for 3 minutes. The roux should darken further to become a dark chocolate color.

To make the gumbo:

Begin adding the turkey broth. Add 3 cups of broth (you can eyeball it) and stir to combine.
Bring the broth and roux to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and cook for 20 minutes, adding more broth as it evaporates. I don't add all of the broth at one time. I like to let the roux and vegetables cook together slowly and make sure that the gumbo doesn't come out watery by adding too much broth at one time (leftover broth freezes well).
After the broth has cooked for a while, add the seasonings, chopped garlic, and bay leaves. Stir and make sure the seasoning dissolves into the broth.
Add the browned sausage, and half of the chopped parsley and cook for 10 minutes. Add more broth if necessary. You want the broth to be a couple of inches higher than the ingredients already in the pot. Always bring the water to a boil and then reduce after adding more broth.
You can add the vinegar now. My mom did not teach me to put vinegar in my gumbo, but one day I caught her adding it (like it was a secret). I asked her about it and she said she always put a little in all her soups and sauces. A little acid can be a really good thing!
At this point, it is time to taste for seasoning. It might need salt, bouillon or onion powder. I always say, if it needs something, it probably need onion powder!
It's time to add the leftover turkey meat. I like to chop it into large chunks. Always add the poultry last in gumbo so it doesn't overcook. You may need to add more broth with the turkey. If you don't have enough turkey meat, add chicken--I like to use chicken thighs.
Bring the gumbo to a boil again after adding turkey and cook for about 3 minutes.
Top the gumbo with chopped fresh parsley and sliced green onions. You don't have to do this, but I'm telling you it's good! The freshness of the parsley and green onions are a perfect garnish. If you have finicky people who don't like green things, serve this on the side and let everyone top their own.
To serve, put a scoop of rice in the bowl and top with the gumbo. Make sure to stir the ladle down to the bottom of the pot because the sausage tends to float and the turkey sinks to the bottom.

To garnish:

How you garnish your gumbo bowl is up to you (we like a scoop of potato salad) but here are some suggestions:

1/8 teaspoon File' powder sprinkled on top
Potato salad (a savory one, not the sweet kind)
Sliced boiled egg
Pepper Vinegar
Picked mirliton

Tips:

If the bones will fit, make the turkey broth in a slow cooker on low heat and let it cook all night.
If you have any turkey gravy leftover, add it to the gumbo. This will give it a rich flavor.

Watch the video: