Find out how easy it is to make Turkey Stock from your Thanksgiving turkey bones! All you need is a clean turkey carcass and some herbs and vegetables that you probably already had from cooking the turkey. You will love making your next soup with this tasty turkey stock! Originally posted November 21, 2012
The people in the apartment above us vacuum about once a week. (It’s pretty loud because the insulation in our apartment building is practically nil. “Are they vacuuming again?” I ask myself every time. Then I quickly remind myself, “Yes, Karen. Most people vacuum more than once every three months, like you.”
Anyway. Now that you’re feeling so good about yourself compared to me. We have news! We just found out we are having a baby BOY!! I’m still in complete shock. I was convinced it was a girl. (I think I just told myself that because I didn’t want to have to repaint Charlotte’s room. Also, I thought Charlotte was a boy, so my mom’s intuition might just be stuck in Opposite-Day mode all the time. We are so excited to have a little boy!.
For now I’m focusing on doing some toddler training before the baby gets here. It was someone else’s idea to let our toddlers sleep on small trampolines. Charlotte loves to jump in her crib, which makes it not quite as good of a place for a time-out. You would not believe the height she gets. I can tell she’s awake from her nap not by hearing her cry, but by hearing her mattress springs moving around. One of these days she is going to go sailing over the edge. I should start lining the floor with pillows.
Have you guys decorated for Christmas yet? I broke down over the weekend. There is nothing better than a lit Christmas tree, yes, even the week before Thanksgiving!!.
But don’t worry Thanksgiving, I am still SUPER excited about you. When I cooked my first turkey last week, I wanted to get as much as I could from it, so I made turkey stock. It was super easy. Throw everything in a pot and forget about it for a few hours. And man is it good! This stock makes the BEST soup. My favorite is to use the stock to make this Creamy Turkey Wild Rice Soup. Here’s what you’re going to need, hopefully you have most of this stuff leftover from your Thanksgiving shopping!.
Making turkey bone broth is one of the best ways to use up leftover turkey after the holidays. Simmering the bones pulls out collagen, gelatin, nutrients and rich flavor – transforming your leftovers into liquid gold. But how long should you actually boil turkey bones to get the most out of them? Here’s a complete guide to maximizing your turkey bone broth.
Why Make Turkey Bone Broth?
Before jumping into boil times let’s look at why you’d want to make turkey bone broth in the first place
-
Sustainability It reduces food waste by using the entire bird The bones and scraps that would normally be tossed can be recycled into a nutritious broth.
-
Flavor: Long-simmered bones impart a rich, savory turkey flavor that store-bought broth can’t match. It makes soups, gravies, rice dishes and more taste amazing.
-
Nutrition: When simmered for hours, bones release health-boosting compounds like collagen, gelatin, amino acids, minerals and more. This nourishes your body from the inside out.
-
Cost savings: Homemade broth is infinitely cheaper than store-bought. Turning leftovers into broth lets you get more value from your holiday bird.
-
Versatility: Turkey broth can be used as the base for soups, stews, gravies, rice, stuffing and so much more. The possibilities are endless.
Clearly, there are lots of excellent reasons to make your own turkey bone broth at home. Now let’s look at boil times.
How Long Should You Boil Turkey Bones?
The collagen and gelatin is what you’re after when making bone broth. Achieving that rich, silky texture requires low and slow simmering to fully extract the bones.
Here are some general turkey bone boil times to follow:
-
Neck and backbone: Simmer for 2-3 hours. These bones contain the most collagen.
-
Wings, legs and thigh bones: Simmer for 4-6 hours. More time is needed to breakdown the marrow inside these larger bones.
-
Carcass: Simmer for 8-10 hours. It takes a full day of gentle boiling to get the most out of an entire turkey carcass.
If you have a mix of different bones, aim for the longer simmering time of 8-10 hours. The only exception is if you have just the neck and backbone, then 2-3 hours is sufficient.
For a quicker broth, you can simmer the bones for just 1-2 hours. But the longer you boil, the more rich, concentrated and nutritious the broth will become. Plan for a full day of simmering to maximize the benefits.
Step-By-Step Guide To Boiling Turkey Bones
Follow these simple steps for foolproof turkey bone broth every time:
1. Gather Supplies
- Turkey bones (neck, backbone, wings, legs, thighs, carcass)
- Stock pot or slow cooker
- Water to cover bones
- Veggie scraps (onion, celery, carrot)
- Herbs and spices (peppercorns, bay leaves, parsley)
2. Roast The Bones
- Roast bones at 400°F for 30 mins to caramelize.
- This adds richer flavor (optional, but recommended).
3. Simmer The Bones
- Place bones in pot and cover with water by 2-3 inches.
- Add veggies, herbs and spices.
- Bring to a boil then reduce to a bare simmer.
- Simmer for 8-10 hours, replenishing water as needed.
4. Strain and Store
- Strain out the bones and veggies using a fine mesh sieve.
- Cool broth completely then transfer to jars or containers.
- Refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze for several months.
And that’s it! With just a few simple ingredients and some patience, you’ll have quart after quart of rich, homemade turkey broth.
Tips for the Best Turkey Bone Broth
Follow these tips for maximum flavor and nutrition in your homemade turkey broth:
-
Make it fatty: Leave connective tissue on the bones and roast wings and legs for added body. Fat equals flavor!
-
Simmer, don’t boil: A gentle heat extracts the most without making the broth cloudy. Maintain a bare simmer.
-
Skim regularly: Impurities will rise to the top as it simmers. Skim off any scum or foam every hour.
-
Add vinegar: A splash of vinegar helps leach minerals like calcium from the bones into the broth.
-
Use a variety of bones: A mix of neck, back, wings and thighs makes the richest, most balanced broth.
With a little time and technique, it’s easy to turn leftover turkey bones into an incredible superfood broth overflowing with nutrition. Try making turkey bone broth this holiday season – your body will thank you!
Frequently Asked Questions
How much meat should be left on the bones?
For the most flavorful broth, leave a good amount of meat on the bones. Any remaining scraps of turkey will impart extra richness and body as they simmer.
Can you boil a turkey carcass more than once?
While you can reuse a carcass for a second batch of broth, each successive batch will be less rich than the first. For the best results, use fresh bones each time.
What color should turkey bone broth be?
The broth will range from pale yellow to deep golden brown depending on the boil time. Longer simmering results in a darker, more concentrated broth. All are perfectly healthy!
Can you use a pressure cooker?
Yes, turkey bones can be simmered in an Instant Pot or other pressure cooker on high pressure for 1-2 hours. Just keep in mind the broth may be cloudier and less concentrated than stovetop.
How do you know when broth is done?
It’s done when the bones have released all their collagen, marrow and minerals into the water resulting in a rich, silky, and flavorful broth. This takes 8-10 hours for a whole turkey carcass.
Boiling down turkey leftovers into nourishing bone broth is one of the best ways to avoid food waste after the holidays. Follow this guide for maximizing flavor and nutrition from your turkey bones. Happy simmering!
How to use Turkey Bone Broth
Turkey stock that you make yourself can be used in any recipe that calls for chicken broth. If you still have turkey from Thanksgiving, you can usually use that instead of the chicken that the recipe calls for. Turkey and chicken are very similar. I find that turkey stock has an even richer, deeper flavor than chicken broth. It’s so good in any kind of poultry-based soup! See a list of soup ideas down below.
Turkey Bone Broth FAQs
Yes, the culprit is high heat. A very long simmer time (up to 4–5 hours) is fine, as long as it’s a slow simmer and not a quick boil. High heat deadens the flavors of all those wonderful herbs. Also, it basically turns solids and fat into tiny bubbles that you can’t separate from your stock. This destroys the smooth texture you’re going for and adds calories that you don’t need (fat that doesn’t even taste good isn’t invited to my party). Just keep your heat low and slow and you’ll be good to go.
They’re the same thing, right?? Almost. If you cook stock from bones, it will always gel when it cools because of the bone marrow. Stock is usually not seasoned (today’s recipe doesn’t have any salt), and it takes longer to cook (usually 3–6 hours, depending on the recipe). Broth, on the other hand, can be made from meat without bones and is usually done in less than 2 hours.
The good news is that you don’t really have to remember any of this. You can use stock and broth interchangeably. Just remember to check the salt level in your final dish when using stock.