Wildcard Weekends: Making Soup

Nick and Nora, enjoying the snowfall. They like the falling stuff, not so much trudging through the drifts. Luckily, this was gone the next morning.

My version of the instant pot came with a steamer. And that has been a great feature. I use it for steaming potatoes (best way to make mashed potatoes) and chicken breasts, among other things. But the best use I’ve ever found is making chicken or turkey broth.

Take those bones you hate dealing with because, ugh, in order to have a good broth, after boiling, you have to strain everything by pouring it through a strainer and into a big bowl. It gets messy, and I usually end up with everything everywhere.

But now, I put the bones into the steamer and then place the steamer into enough water to just cover it. Bring it to pressure for an hour (that gets all the good stuff from the bones), and then let it release naturally. Once the steamer is just cool enough to grab the handles, lift it out, letting all the liquid drain out and then place the contents into a bowl with ease.

What’s left is a nice clear broth and a bowl full of bones. Once cooled, you can remove any meat from the bones to add to your broth, if desired. I know some folks like to use herbs and veggies when creating broth. Those can be put in the steamer, too.

I did that with the turkey carcass and I must say, I made the most amazing turkey soup with it. I will never be able to replicate that recipe because, of course, I was just throwing stuff in from the refrigerator and spice cabinet. C’est la vie! That’s the joy of cooking.

What are you doing with your holiday leftovers?

And a quick note: I am redoing the kitchen, so recipe photos may be a bit dull over the holidays, as I am running out of room and counter space to stage things.