Smoked turkey necks to make gumbo stock

Yea that's my fear. I figure I can put it through a colander or something after.

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Yea that's my fear. I figure I can put it through a colander or something after.

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Cheesecloth, my friend. Cheesecloth. I can't stand skin or bones in my gumbo, but I sure as hell want them in the gumbo while it's cooking. So, after I debone and skin my chicken, I cut the bones in half with my kitchen shears and wrap them and the skins up in a bundle of cheesecloth to toss into the pot. When you're ready to fish it out, you can stick a couple of skewers through it to set up a way to balance it on the rim of the pot and a spoon laid across the top of the pot. It'll hang above the liquid to let it drain all that goodness into your pot. Then, you just toss it all into the garbage and your gumbo has perfect bite sized chicken pieces and no skin and bones, but all of the flavor.

I call it a bouquet poulet(tm). I don't see why you couldn't do the same here.

Great idea. That's what I'll do. I'll report back.

The neck is just one bone. If you don't want the meat then strain or wrap in cheesecloth.

I make a stock a day or 2 before in the pressure cooker with bones, skin, smoked necks, chicken broth, (or crabs, shrimp shells etc). I sometimes break the bones and oven roast at 425 for 1 1/2 - 2 hours first. In the pressure cooker for 1 - 1/2 hrs (2-3 hours in normal pressure pot), let cool (I set the pot in cool water in the sink). Then strain all the bones, skin, etc and refrigerate over night (or ice chest). The fat gels on top and can be easily skimmed off (dogs love it).

This stock I use for the gumbo. Excess stock freezes well in freezer bags. The deboned chicken stays in a bag in the refrig until 30 min before the gumbo is ready. I add it with the Andouille. I try to minimize the heat history of the protein so it stays more tender.