Why is my turkey stock so flat and blah???

[HollyBearsMom]

I brined a 20lb turkey in brown sugar, salt, fresh bay and sage leaves and whole peppercorns. In the cavity I placed aromatics of apple, rosemary, sage and onion. Roasted it to yummy prefection.

Into a large pan the carcas went. I covered it with cold waterand added a generous amont of ACV, 4 garlic cloves, a large onions, with the skin, cut into quarters, 3 bagy leaves, a bunch of peppercorns. The turkey still had lots of skin/fact and meat stuck to the bones. Oh and it still had the aromatics in its cavity.

It simmered about 2 hours last night before I had to go to bed so I left it in the cold room and got it back on the stove tops this AM where it has beem simmering away for about 3 more hours.

I just tasted it and it is so.....blah. I know I haven't degreased it but it tasted fatty and flavorless. The color is gorgeous but thats it.
What can I do to add more flavor? more richness? I have some dried mushrooms, more onions, more apples, a spice cabinet with every spice undersun.

The goals was to use the schmaltz for potato pancakes (love leftover mashed!) and then strain the stock for a base of tradtional turkey soup, maybe add lentils per another posters recco. But at this rate I might end up using it to cook rice or boil potatoes.

[Ruthla]

I don't think it's cooked for nearly long enough! I put my carcass in the soup pot Thursday night (with the meat cut off and in the fridge) and let it simmer overnight, then strained it Friday afternoon (since I was too lazy to do it Friday morning) and added fresh veggies, simmered it a while longer, then served it as soup. I threw out the bones then kicked myself for doing so, when I realized I probably could have added more water (and ACV and herbs) and gotten a second soup of of it.

[kittyhead]

yeah, i do mine in the crockpot over night, at least 12 hours usually more.

[seashells]

I am thinking the same, not long enough.

I didn't brine my turkey. I didn't add aromatics. I just roasted the turkey, carved it, and later stuffed the carcass into the crock pot and let it simmer on low overnight. I would have added ACV but I don't know what glaze my crock pot uses (lead leaching concerns).

I just needed to add salt... tastes good to me

[HollyBearsMom]

OK so should I gve it another 6 hours? Also I cover it to keep the evaporatin down? I have lost at least an inch of liquide so far....

[littlecityfarmer]

Our turkey stock is still on the stove from Thursday night (in a huge 7 gallon former brewing pot), but we're straining it this afternoon... We let stocks simmer a looooong time in our house.

I think, OP, that it may have just needed more time.

[Peacemamalove]

Not long enough we also do our 12 hours or more. I got 2 1/2 Gallons of a reaaly nice thick stock.

[Nitenites]

Salt.

[Drummer's Wife]

I agree with cooking it longer... My carcass has been in the crock pot for almost 24 hrs and I'm not ready to turn it off.

[MamaMamaMama!]

Sauteeing the vegetables before they go in the pot makes a really big difference, in my opinion. I'll put them on low heat for around 20 minutes (my favorites are onions and lots of celery) and then throw them in with the carcass.

[seashells]

Yes, definitely cover it.

[HappyMommy2]

Add carrots and celery. Those are must haves in my yummy stock!

[CookiePie]

HappyMommy2 said what I was going to say, you can't skipp carrots & celery! But I also agree that you need to cook it longer, I do my stocks overnight as well, & don't forget to season it.