The difference between a good Thanksgiving dinner and a great one is homemade broth. But it's Thanksgiving morning and you're on the internet. If you don't already have the stock pot simmering, it's still possible to have homemade broth, but you need to get cracking.
It would help if you'd bought extra turkey parts for making said broth, but you probably didn't. Don't worry, if you've got a whole bird, you're in business. There's usually a neck tucked into the abdominal cavity and you've got the other spare parts if, instead of roasting it whole, you cut off the wings and spatchcock the bird. It cuts the roasting time and, really, it's just you and a few people who know you too well: you don't need to impress them with a bronzed whole bird.
Crank up the oven now and brown those spare parts by briefly roasting them at a high temperature. That'll add depth of color color and flavor to broth that's sort of last minute, and will also make the house smell like you're on top of your game—even if you aren't.
To spatchcock the bird, just cut out the back with sharp kitchen shears lay the thing breast up on the work surface, and flatten it by pressing down on the breast's keel bone.
Oh, and you might want to tell your family that dinner might be a little late but it's going to be worth the wait.
Now, get off the internet and get in the kitchen.
(Sort of) Last Minute Turkey Broth
Makes about 3 quarts
3 pounds turkey wings, necks, etc. (see notes above)
Olive or peanut oil
1 large or 2 medium yellow onions
2 large or 3 medium-sized carrots
2 large, leafy ribs celery
1 large, leafy sprig sage, optional
2 large, leafy sprigs parsley, optional
2 bay leaves, 5-6 if they've been around since last Thanksgiving
1 teaspoon whole peppercorns
4-5 quarter-sized slices fresh gingerroot, optional
3½ quarts water
Salt
1. Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 400° F. Pat the turkey dry with paper towels. Rub a rimmed half-sheet pan or large roasting pan with oil, then spread the turkey parts over it, drizzle lightly with oil, and turn to coat them. Turn skin-on pieces skin up and roast, turning them after 20 minutes, until they're nicely browned, about 40-45 minutes altogether.
2. While those are roasting, get out a heavy-bottomed 8 quart stock pot or Dutch oven and prepare the vegetables. Trim, split lengthwise, peel, and thinly sliced the onion and put it in the pot. Scrub the carrots and celery well under cold running water. Trim and cut the carrot crosswise in 2-3 pieces, then quarter the thickest pieces, halve the smaller ones, and slice and add them to the pot. Snap the leafy tops off the celery and put to the pot, then slice and add the stalks.
3. Add the herbs if using, peppercorns, and ginger root, and lay the roasted turkey parts on top of the vegetables. Pour 2 quarts of water over them and add a couple of large pinches of salt. Bring it slowly to a boil over medium high heat. Meanwhile, cover the bottom of the pan in which the turkey parts browned with water and scrape up the cooking residue. Pour it into a 2 cup measuring cup and add enough water to the cup to make 2 cups and then add it to the stockpot.
4. When the broth is beginning to boil, adjust the heat to a slow simmer and let it simmer for at least 2 hours, checking periodically to make sure it never boils hard. You want to lose about a pint of liquid but no more, so if the liquid evaporates too much, bring a teakettle of water to a simmer and replenish as needed. Ladle off what you need for the dressing and gravy into a gravy separator if you have one, or just let it settle for a few minutes and spoon off the fat.
5. After the meal is over, let the remaining broth cool and strain it into lidded containers, discarding the solids. (You may pick the meat from the turkey parts and save it for soup if you like, although it'll have surrendered most of its flavor.) Cover and refrigerate until needed. When the fat rises to the top and solidifies, it can be lifted off and discarded. The broth will keep for at least 5 days and can be used for soup or for a base if you make broth with the roasted turkey's carcass. To store it longer, transfer it to freezable containers and freeze for up to 3 months.