What type of pot should I use?

We recommend using a large stockpot or a large Dutch oven for this recipe. Look for a sturdy, relatively tall pot that will hold at least 5-6 quarts of liquid.

Can I make this stock vegetarian?

Yes! Leave out the turkey and double the veggies if you'd like a plain vegetable broth.

Is turkey stock the same as broth?

Typically, stock includes bones - it's made with drippings and scraps from chicken, turkey, or beef. Stock also tends to have a longer cook time in order to pull all of the nutrients and collagen out of those bones, and can therefore have a thick, gelatinous texture once it's cooled. Broth, by contrast, is cooked a little bit quicker. Broth may include meat , but won't necessarily include bones. Because this particular recipe uses bones, it's easiest to classify it as a "stock." But honestly, they're pretty interchangeable. (Bone broth, for example, is technically a stock. So basically: Call this whatever you want.) Learn more: What's the difference between stock and broth?

Should I keep a lid on my pot while stock is cooking?

It's really up to you! I typically leave my turkey stock partially covered (with the lid kind of perched on top of the pot, leaving about 1/3 of the pot uncovered) while it cooks because I love the way it fills the house with its aroma. Because this stock cooks in just a few hours, you won't lose too much liquid to evaporation - plus, letting that little bit of the liquid evaporate as the broth cooks helps to concentrate the flavor for a richer final product! If you have kids running around, or if you're planning to let the broth simmer for a longer period of time, you can pop the lid on while it cooks.

Can I make turkey stock in a slow cooker?

Yes - sauté the veggies in a separate pan (or skip this step entirely!) and toss everything in a large crock pot for 6-8 hours on low heat.

Can I store my turkey stock in glass jars?

If you're keeping turkey stock in the fridge, you can absolutely use glass mason jars! We do not recommend freezing this stock in glass jars though, as they can crack and break when the stock expands in the freezer.

Can I can turkey stock?

This recipe has NOT been tested for safe home canning and we do NOT recommend canning or preserving this recipe at home. If you would like to can homemade turkey stock, we recommend searching for a recipe that has been specifically tested for home canning.

How do I remove fat from turkey stock?

As the turkey stock sits in its containers, you may notice a thin layer of fat rise to the top. If you'd prefer to remove any extra fat from your turkey stock, don't worry: This fat will cool into a fairly solid piece as the stock sits in the fridge. Once the stock is cold, you can lift that solid fat off the surface of the stock and discard or compost it.

Can I make this recipe BEFORE Thanksgiving?

Yes! If you don't already have a picked-over leftover turkey carcass, you can buy a few turkey wings and turkey legs at the store and roast them up specifically for this purpose. Roast the turkey pieces until they're browned and cooked through, pick off any meat (if you like) and proceed normally.

Homemade Turkey Stock

Description

Turn those Thanksgiving leftovers into delicious homemade turkey stock with this easy recipe!

Ingredients

Scale

1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 yellow onion, roughly chopped
2 large carrots, roughly chopped
2 stalks celery, roughly chopped
1 1/2 pounds turkey bones and drippings
2 fresh bay leaves
2-3 sprigs fresh parsley
2-3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 Tablespoon whole black peppercorns
small pinch kosher salt
4 quarts (16 cups) water

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Instructions

Sauté the Veggies (5-10 minutes)

Melt butter in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery and sauté, stirring only occasionally, for 5-10 minutes until some deep, golden brown color has developed across the surface of the veggies.

Build the Flavor & Simmer the Broth (3-4 hours)

Add turkey bones, bay leaves, parsley, thyme, and peppercorns to stock pot along with a small pinch of salt. Add water until the pot is nearly full. Stir to combine.
Reduce heat to medium. Let the stock cook, uncovered or partially covered, at a low simmer for 3-4 hours. If any scum or foam appears on the surface of the stock as it cooks, use a large spoon to skim it away and discard. Add a little more water to the pot if needed as liquid evaporates. Note: I like to place a lid on top of my stockpot and slide it slightly to one side, so that about 2/3 of the pot is covered as the stock cooks. I find this helps reduce evaporation but still lets any impurities rise to the surface so I can skim them away as the stock cooks. This isn't super necessary, though - just leave it uncovered if that's easier!
When the stock is ready, the veggies will be quite soft and have lost most of their color, while the broth itself will be a rich golden hue.

Strain, Cool, and Store (no more than 2 hours)

Turn off the heat and let broth cool for 15-30 minutes before straining.
Use a large slotted spoon or spider strainer to pull any large veggies and turkey bones out of the stock. Compost or discard these remnants.
Set a mesh strainer on top of a very large mixing bowl. Carefully pour the stock through the sieve to remove any lingering solid pieces.
Transfer stock to airtight containers (we like to use large deli containers). Let stock cool, uncovered, for another hour, or until it reaches room temperature. Add lids to the containers of cooled stock and transfer to the fridge. Store in the fridge for up to a week, or freeze for up to a year.

Notes

Additions and Substitutions. This stock recipe is SO flexible! The turkey bones and water are the star players here, but the rest of the ingredients - what we like to call our "flavor enhancers" - are easy to adjust. We recommend using 4-6 flavor enhancers any time you make turkey stock for a balanced, robust flavor. Shallots, white wine, rosemary, sage, mushrooms, and leeks are all wonderful additions here. This is also a great place to use any leftover veggie scraps, like carrot peels, dark green leek pieces, garlic trimmings, or end pieces of an onion. Be sure to read the full post above for more guidance on swaps and substitutions!

Do I have to sauté the veggies? No - if you're short on time, you can skip this step. You'll lose a little bit of depth and complexity, but the stock will still taste great!

How long should I cook my stock? This stock is typically "done enough" after about 3 hours on the stove: It'll have a rich color, lots of flavor, and be perfectly usable in all your favorite recipes. That said, you CAN cook it longer if you like: We frequently leave the stock simmering a little longer if it suits our schedule (or if we're just enjoying the general vibes and aroma). A longer cook time yields even richer, more concentrated flavor, and can also extract more collagen from the turkey bones (similar to a thick, gelatinous bone broth, which often takes 8-12 hours or more to cook).

Food safety. Transfer cooled turkey stock to the fridge within 2 hours of taking it off the heat; if your turkey stock is still hot as it approaches the 2-hour mark, set the containers in a shallow ice bath to bring it down to room temperature before placing it in the fridge. For more food safety tips, be sure to read the full post above.

Storage and freezing. Ladle turkey broth into individual containers, and let it cool uncovered on the counter before putting on the lids and transferring it to the fridge. Store in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to 6 months. Defrost frozen stock in the fridge overnight when you're ready to use it. If you plan to freeze your turkey stock, we recommend using plastic airtight containers instead of glass (the broth will expand as it freezes, which can cause glass jars to crack).

As the stock sets, any lingering fat will solidify! When the stock cools, any butter or turkey fat still in the broth will rise to the surface. After a few hours in the fridge, the fat will solidify and can be easily lifted out of the stock with a spoon if you'd like to discard it.

Use turkey stock anywhere you would use chicken or veggie stock! We love this broth in brothy butter beans, tortellini soup, in a cozy butternut squash risotto, or in place of veggie broth in our Magic Cauliflower Cream sauce!