Homemade Turkey Stock or Bone Broth

Reduce food waste by turning your leftover turkey into a delicious, savory homemade turkey stock or bone broth. Use now for seasonal soups or later for cozy winter recipes.

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Keyword Homemade Turkey Stock, Leftover Turkey, Leftover Turkey Recipe, Turkey Bone Broth, Turkey Stock

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 8

Total Time 8 5

Calories 168kcal

Author Cara Harbstreet

Ingredients

1 roasted or smoked turkey carcass or 3-4 pounds of turkey wings or bones
1 large white or yellow onion roughly chopped
2 large carrots cut into 2-inch chunks
3 ribs celery cut into 2-inch pieces
4 to 5 cloves garlic peeled and smashed
1/2 tbsp peppercorns
1 tsp MSG (monosodium glutamate) optional
12 to 16 cups water or enough to cover the contents

Instructions

Use the largest, heaviest stockpot available. Remove the leftover turkey meat from the bones, then add the finished turkey along with all bones, skin, and drippings to the stockpot.
Fill with enough water to cover the turkey, but not so much that it floats. Reserve enough room in the stockpot for the vegetables. Turn to high heat and start to bring to a low boil.
While the stockpot is heating, prepare the vegetables. Roughly chop the onion, then slice the carrots and celery into short pieces. Use the back of a spatula to smash the garlic cloves on a flat surface. Drop them into the stockpot along with the peppercorns and MSG (if using).
Pour in more water until the contents of the stockpot are just covered. Once simmering, cover and leave for at least six hours (eight or more recommended for richer flavor). Stir occasionally.
Once finished, use a fine mesh strainer to pour the turkey broth into storage containers or jars. Discard the remaining pieces of turkey and seasonings. To cool the broth more quickly, add a few ice cubes or cool water to the broth, diluting it and increasing the volume to your desired amount.
Seal tightly and place in the refrigerator (see notes for food safety tips). If freezing, leave room at the top to allow for expansion. Use chilled broth within one week or frozen broth within six months.

Notes

Avoid bacterial growth in your finished turkey broth by using these tips:

Store in a shallow, wide container to cool. Later, transfer to jars or freezer-friendly containers for long-term storage.
Use ice cubes to cool the broth quickly. The dilution effect will be minimal after such a long cooking time.
Avoid placing steaming or piping hot turkey broth directly in the fridge. Cool using an ice bath or the other techniques mentioned, otherwise you risk raising the overall temperature of your fridge.

Nutrition