A Thanksgiving Turkey is a fabulous thing, I mean, you get to eat the turkey meat on Thanksgiving day, and then you get leftovers to make a leftover turkey soup, a turkey casserole, and even sliders. And then you end up with the leftover turkey bone and bits, that you can also use to make flavorful and nutritious turkey broth. I almost never buy canned stock or broth (although it’s easy to find high quality ones), but I do it just because it’s so easy to make my own homemade stock with ingredients I already have on hand. It’s also way healthier to make your own homemade stock, and you get to season it however you like. You can make homemade stock over the stovetop, and it’s great but keep in mind that it will be simmering for a couple of hours. A shortcut is to use the Instant Pot, which I do most of the time just because it takes about half an hour to make and that’s it. Check out my Instant Pot Vegetable Stock Recipe, I’m sure that you’re going to love it!
The Best Turkey For Turkey Stock
You can use any turkey carcass to make turkey stock. You can even use the turkey neck, and buy additional turkey wings to roast and use in turkey stock if you like. My favorite turkey stock is made with roasted, smoked, or grilled turkey. But feel free to use the carcass of a deep-fried turkey or a bacon wrapped turkey as well.
Ingredients Notes
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Turkey Carcass: Use the bones and bits of meat left on it. If it doesn’t fit your pot, use kitchen shears to break it up a little.Vegetables: I like to use ribs of celery, carrots, onion, and garlic. To season the turkey, I add fresh herbs (you can use dried) such as thyme, rosemary, parsley, and sage. You can tie the herbs together for easy removal.Seasonings: For even more flavor, I throw in some peppercorns and a couple of bay leaves that I get from my mother’s garden! Cold Water: To make a clear and gorgeous stock, always start with cold water. Hot water will make your stock cloudy.
How to Make Turkey Stock
Instant Pot Turkey Stock
It’s much quicker to make turkey stock in the Instant Pot. Here’s how you do it:
Recipe Tips
Yield: This recipe makes 2-3 quarts of stock depending on how much water you add.Storage: To store the turkey stock, divide between jars and seal (I use 16-ounce jars) don’t forget to leave half an inch of head space. Store in the fridge for up to 7 days or freeze for up to 6 months. I recommend labelling the jars with the date.Use Frozen Stock: To use the frozen stock, thaw in the fridge overnight or leave on the counter for a couple of hours to thaw.Use the Slow Cooker: If you prefer to use a slow cooker, cook on high for 3 hours or on low for 6 hours.
How To Use Turkey Stock
Homemade turkey stock can be used interchangeably with chicken stock. So you can use it in any recipe that calls for chicken stock. It’s great for making soups, try it in this delicious Turkey Soup with Rice that uses turkey leftovers. Another great leftover recipe is this Creamy Turkey Casserole with Buttery Ritz topping. Now that you know how to make a delicious turkey brine, you’ll make it every time you roast a turkey. Don’t forget to pin this recipe to easily find this recipe later. © Little Sunny Kitchen
