Make a simple, freezable turkey stock from leftovers with our easy recipe and top cooking tips. Use as the base for rich gravies or warming soups.
Were all on a mission to waste less food and making a flavour-packed stock from your turkey carcass is the ideal way to use up leftovers and get more meals out of one roast. Check out our top 10 turkey leftover recipes for plenty of thrifty meal inspiration.Ad
Turkey stock falls into two categories; the first is a stock you make beforehand with the neck, to use as the base for a gravy. The second is a stock you make after cooking with the leftover bones. You would use this as the base for other recipes in the same way youd use chicken stock, in soups, sauces, stews and risottos. Take a look at our ultimate turkey recipe collection for everything from traditional roasts to curries with a twist.
After a big holiday meal, you’re often left with a picked-over turkey carcass. But don’t throw it out! That leftover frame of bones and scraps can become the base for a hearty and delicious turkey soup. Making soup from the turkey carcass ensures you use every last bit of your holiday bird. Let’s look at how to transform that leftover into a satisfying turkey carcass soup.
What Exactly is a Turkey Carcass?
The turkey carcass refers to the skeletal frame of a turkey after most of the meat has been removed It often still contains smaller pieces of meat, cartilage, and tendons The bones and scraps left on the carcass provide excellent flavor. Simmering them makes a rich turkey broth perfect for soup.
So don’t discard the carcass after carving your holiday turkey or ordering a roasted turkey from the market. With minimal effort, you can convert it into the foundation for a nourishing homemade soup
Tips for Making Turkey Soup from the Carcass:
Start with a good carcass
Use the frame of a fresh, raw turkey if you have it. A leftover roasted carcass works too. The more meat remaining on the bones, the better your broth and soup will taste.
Cover with water
Place the carcass in a large pot and add enough cold water to cover. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer.
Simmer for 1-2 hours
Letting the carcass simmer extracts flavor from the bones. Simmer for at least an hour, up to 2 hours.
Remove the carcass
Once the broth tastes rich, remove the carcass. Pick off any meat scraps and set aside. Discard the bones.
Strain the broth
Pour the broth through a strainer to remove any bits of bone, cartilage or herbs.
Start the soup
Return the strained broth to the pot. Add any picked turkey meat, chopped carrots, celery, onions and spices.
Simmer the soup
Let the soup simmer until the vegetables are tender, 15-30 minutes. Add egg noodles, rice or other starches if desired.
Season and serve
Add any additional seasonings to taste. Garnish bowls of the soup with fresh herbs.
Turkey Carcass Soup Recipes
There are many recipe variations for turning your turkey carcass into a hearty soup Here are some tasty options
Classic Turkey Noodle Soup
Simmer the carcass in water with onions, carrots, celery, garlic and bay leaves. Shred the picked turkey meat and add it back to the strained broth along with egg noodles, parsley and seasoning.
Turkey and Wild Rice Soup
Follow the same method as above, but use wild rice instead of noodles. For more flavor, saute onion, celery, carrots and garlic before adding to the broth.
Turkey Tortilla Soup
Make the broth with turkey carcass and seasonings. Shred the turkey and add it back to the broth along with tomatoes, onions, garlic, chilies, cilantro and lime juice. Top with tortilla strips.
Turkey Posole
Use bold seasonings like garlic, cumin and oregano when making the broth. Add the turkey along with white hominy, onions, chilies and cilantro. Top with lime wedges, radish slices and more cilantro.
Turkey and Dumplings
Drop simple dough dumplings onto your simmering soup near the end of cooking. Sprinkle on some parsley before serving.
Tips for Storing and Freezing
-
Refrigerate leftover soup for 3-4 days.
-
Freeze in airtight containers for up to 3 months.
-
Allow frozen soup to thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
Enjoy Every Last Bite
With these tips for crafting turkey carcass soup, you can get the most out of your holiday bird. Transforming the leftover bones, meat and broth into a homemade soup lets you stretch your dollar while enjoying delicious flavor from what might otherwise get thrown out. Experiment with seasonings and additions to make this frugal soup your own holiday tradition.
Using up leftover veg
Making stock is a great way of collecting and using up the parts of vegetables you might otherwise throw away. Carrot and onion peelings, celery leaves and parsley stalks can all be added to the stock.
How to make stock in a pressure cooker
Pressure cookers are great at making stock and really extract all the flavour out of the ingredients. Simply follow the basic stock method but cook on medium pressure for 30 mins.
How to make stock in a slow cooker
The joy of using a slow cooker to make stock is that you can just walk away and leave the stock to bubble away gently. Follow the basic stock method and cook on low for 8-10 hrs.
If youre not using your stock straightaway, leave it to cool, then it can be chilled for three days or frozen for up to one month. Freeze in usable portions and mark clearly what it is and when it was frozen. Skim off any fat on the top of the stock when cold, as this will help it last longer.
How to make stock for gravy
If youre after a turkey-flavoured stock to use as the base for your Christmas gravy, then follow the instructions below just using the neck and giblet that come with the turkey. The giblet is the round, hard deep red muscle that comes in the bag inside the turkey. Do not use the liver.
If youre making a stock with the turkey bones, first pick all the meat off the bones and set them aside. Youll now have cold turkey meat to use in other recipes. The meat can be frozen for up to one month.
Basic stock recipe
A stock can be as basic as turkey bones and water, but a few simple extras can help it along.
- Tip the turkey bones and neck (if you have it) into a large saucepan or stock pot.
- Add roughly chopped onions, carrots, celery (if you have any), a few whole peppercorns, a sprig of fresh thyme and a bay leaf.
- Pour over enough cold water to generously cover all the ingredients.
- Bring the stock to the boil, scooping off any froth that forms on the surface, then turn down the heat and simmer everything gently for 3 hrs.
- Turn off the heat, leave the stock to cool slightly, then carefully strain into a container. The stock is ready to use, chill or freeze.
Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey Soup
FAQ
How to make turkey soup from a carcass?
- Place turkey carcass in a large, deep pot. …
- Pour in chicken broth. …
- Remove carcass and any bones. …
- Season soup with garlic salt and pepper. …
- Stir in peas and continue to simmer until rice is tender, about 10 minutes more. …
- Adjust seasonings to taste before serving. …
- Serve hot and enjoy!
What to do with turkey carcass?
After Thanksgiving, I use the turkey carcass to make a rich-tasting stock that I can pull out of the freezer in the months ahead to use in risottos, soups and stews. The stock is easy to make but requires a long simmer, six hours if possible.
How long to boil turkey carcass for broth?
- Put the turkey carcass, bones, and remaining meat in a large stock pot.
- Add enough cold water to cover the carcass.
- Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Reduce heat and simmer.
- Simmer until the stock has reduced by about half.
- Strain the stock through a fine-mesh strainer into a large bowl.
- Let the stock cool and store in the fridge or freezer.
How long can you keep a turkey carcass for soup?
Freeze for up to one month. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat on the stove or in the microwave.
How do you cook a turkey carcass in soup?
Bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Simmer with the Carcass: If you still have the turkey carcass, add it to the pot. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and let the soup simmer for 45 minutes to an hour. This allows the bones to release their flavors and enrich the broth. Shred and Add the Turkey: Remove the carcass carefully, discarding any bones.
Can one have turkey and carrots?
Eating turkey and carrots is part of healthy habits. The turkey has meat like chicken and is another healthy poultry option. Carrots are rich in carotenoids, it is a source of vitamin A, fiber, potassium and vitamin B3.
What do you put in a turkey carcass soup?
Stuffing: This turkey carcass soup recipe is a great use for all your holiday leftovers, including stuffing. Fresh vegetables: You’ll need to dice an onion, two carrots, and two celery stalks. Seasonings: This flavorful turkey soup is seasoned with poultry seasoning, ground sage, bay leaves, garlic salt, and black pepper.
Can I use leftover turkey carcass for Soup?
Leftover turkey: Once you’ve removed all of the meat for other turkey leftover recipes, use the carcass and other parts you don’t eat (giblets, neck, etc.) for this soup. Chicken broth: Although you’re basically making a stock with the turkey carcass, adding chicken broth increases the flavor and adds richness to the soup.
How do you cook a turkey carcass in a stockpot?
In a stockpot, place the turkey carcass, water and broth. Bring it all to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for four to five hours. Editor’s Tip: If the carcass is really large, simply break it up into smaller parts so it fits in the pot and water can cover it. Taste of Home Remove the turkey carcass and any meat from the stock.
How do you cook a turkey carcass?
Straight from my Grandma’s recipe box! ▢ 1 turkey carcass, with as much of the meat and and stored in the fridge for the soup. Place the carcass in a large soup pot. If necessary, break the turkey carcass apart at the joints. Add turkey neck if it’s available and hasn’t been used for another purpose (like stock for the gravy).