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Don’t toss those turkey bones! Use them to make fragrant, flavorful turkey stock to enjoy in your winter soups and stews.
The very first thing I do after we cook a chicken or turkey is make sure I’ve got a plan to save those bones for stock.
Even if I don’t plan to make the stock immediately, we always save the leftover turkey carcass, because I know it’s going to make absolutely delicious stock. Plus, I’ve already got everything else on hand, so there’s no reason not to.
Turkey stock can be used anywhere you’d use chicken stock or broth. And, since a turkey is so much bigger than a chicken, you’ll have plenty of quarts of stock to help get you through soup season! It’s also great for making your own homemade gravy.
If you’ve never made your own soup stock, why not start this year? It’s incredibly easy and ensures you get the most out of that expensive holiday turkey.
Ingredients for turkey stock
Full list of ingredients including quantities is located in the recipe card.
You’ll need:
- Turkey bones
- Carrots
- Celery
- Onions
- Garlic
- Fresh herbs: parsley, thyme, rosemary
- Salt and pepper
- Bay leaves
- Water
Get as much meat off the turkey bones, but they do not need to be completely clean. Any remaining meat will help flavor the stock.
You can add other vegetables to the stock too, but make sure to not use anything that is too strong in flavor, like broccoli, or starchy vegetables like potatoes.
Save your scraps from prepping vegetables, like celery ends, onion skins, and carrot peels. Store in a large freezer bag, and when you’re ready to make stock, you’ve already got veggies prepped!
If you don’t have fresh herbs on hand, dried can be used. Keep in mind that dried herbs are more potent, so you’ll want to reduce the amount.
How to make this recipe
Grab a large pot. It should be big enough to hold your turkey bones and vegetables, as well as enough water to cover. If needed, break the turkey bones into smaller pieces to fit, or divide into smaller batches.
Add everything to the pot, making sure you have plenty of water so the ingredients are submerged (note that they might float). Ideally, there will be extra room at the top of your pot to prevent boiling over.
Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Depending on your stove and the size of your pot, this can take as long as 20 minutes.
Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low to low. Let simmer for at least 3 hours, until the turkey bones are broken down. For a richer stock, keep simmering another 2 hours.
Remove from heat and let cool, then strain out bones and vegetables. I like to use a skimmer to pull out the bigger pieces, then pour the broth through a fine mesh strainer to get the smaller pieces.
Portion into containers, cool to room temperature, then seal and store in the refrigerator or freezer.
Storage and reheating
I like to portion my stock both for using immediately and freezing for later.
To store in the refrigerator, you can use mason jars or deli containers โ quart size is perfect for these.
If you plan to freeze the stock, you can use the same containers, but it’s important to not fill the containers all the way. Leave space at the top to account for freezer expansion, or you might have containers burst!
You can also use Souper Cubes, which are built for freezing. Plus, you can portion the stock just how you need, and easily pop it out for use.
To thaw the stock, place in the refrigerator overnight. Frozen cubes can be popped out of the silicone containers and gently warmed on the stove.
Homemade stock will keep in the refrigerator for about 3 days. Frozen stock should be used within 6 months.
FAQ
Enjoy soup season with your homemade turkey stock!
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Turkey Stock
Ingredients
- 1 turkey carcass, meat removed
- 4 carrots
- 2 ribs celery
- 1 to 2 onions, quartered
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed, plus more as desired
- Handful fresh parsley
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 1 tablespoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 2 bay leaves
- 12 cups water, plus more as needed
Instructions
- Add everything to a large stock pot, making sure there is enough water to completely cover all of the vegetables and turkey bones.
- Cover, set over high heat, and bring to a boil. This can take as long as 20 minutes, depending on your stove efficiency.
- Once boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer for at least 3 hours, until bones are broken down.
- Turn off heat and let cool slightly. Strain stock into containers, or strain into a large bowl and portion from there.
- Let cool to room temperature, then store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freezer for 6 months, until ready to use.
Notes
- If freezing, make sure to leave 2 inches of headspace in containers to allow for expansion and prevent containers from cracking.
- Makes about 12 cups broth.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate based on online calculators. Any nutritional information found on Stetted should be used as a general guideline only.
About Megan
I learned how to cook by exploring seasonal ingredients, and you can too! Meal time shouldn’t be stressful or complicated, and with fresh ingredients and easy methods, Iโm here to help you enjoy the time spent in the kitchen.ย Read moreโฆ
