Turkey Soup, Yummy and Easy Way to Clean Roasting Pan

After spending all day roasting a turkey, it is quick to fill the roasting pan with water and let it simmer overnight for easiest roasting pan clean up.

Step 1: Divide Out the Turkey

I put the meat in one bowl, and the fat and skin in a smaller roasting pan or a casserole dish with a cooking lid to cook separately..

I also like to drain off and strain juices to freeze (or can) for later meals.

It works really well to freeze the meat in small sandwich bags inside a large freezer bag.

This instructable also works well with chicken necks, backs and wings.

Step 2: Add Water and Simmer Overnight

Separate the bones from each other so that they lie in the water better. I fill both roasting pans with water (the large one with the bones and the small one with fat and skins), heat at 500º until the water starts to steam, then reduce heat to about 200º - 215º overnight.

Some ovens have an auto shut off after 12 hours, so check that.

Note: this does not look very appetizing at this stage, but the end result is yummy!

Step 3: Combine Fluids

Pour most of the fluid from the bones into another bowl temporarily to more easily remove the bones.

Step 4: Remove Bones

I like to "rinse" the bones a bit in the soup fluid.
I let the bones drain further in the same colander with the fat.

Some of the bones are very small. This is the only tedious, time-consuming part.
Tapping or stirring the meat with the tongs can help find bones.

Once the bones are all removed, pour the broth with floating bits thru a sieve to return the soup from the bowl and from under the colander back into the soup with the meat bits.

Step 5: Skim Off the Fat Bits

Use the sieve to strain out the bits of fat floating on top.

Stir gently and repeat a couple of times.

NOW it looks like good soup broth!

Step 6: Freeze or Can the Soup

Either freeze the soup or reheat it until it starts to steam and boil, then can it according to pressure canner instructions.

BE SURE to leave at least 1-inch head space or you might see shooting soup!

This is how much meat I get from the leftovers, AFTER removing all the meat I can to freeze for later meals.

Since the meat sinks, I often add the liquid to the jars leaving some room for the meat, then apportion the meat evenly.

Step 7: Satisfying Soap

This is one of my favorite parts, introducing soap to the greasy pans.

If you do not want to throw away ANY part at all of your turkey? Put the bones in a brown paper bag and hammer flat, then put the resultant bone meal, and fat if you want, in a compost pile or bury in your garden.

On a cold winter day, fat in the soup is more warming than just vegetables.