Nourishing Turkey Bone Broth Recipe for Deep Flavor and Gelatin

Thanksgiving dinner takes a lot of effort, but the rewards are worth it: tender roasted turkey, creamy mashed potatoes, rich gravy and a table full of desserts. Rather than letting the meal end with a few leftover sandwiches, you can extend its life by making turkey broth from the carcass and scraps.

Homemade bone broth delivers a depth of flavor you won’t find in store-bought options. Once you make your own, it’s easy to swap it into any recipe that calls for chicken or turkey stock.

Store the finished broth in the freezer or transform it into dishes like turkey noodle soup, turkey stroganoff, or turkey divan throughout the season. Homemade broth is also a nourishing base that can boost the taste and nutrition of many meals.

Making turkey broth isn’t exact — use what you have on hand. The essentials are a carcass, some aromatics, salt, and water.

• Whole turkey carcass: bones, skin, and any small pieces of leftover meat.
• Vegetables: carrots, celery, onion, garlic. You can use whole vegetables or saved scraps.
• Seasoning: 1 bay leaf and about 1 teaspoon salt, adjust to taste.
• Water: enough to fill your pot, leaving a few inches of headspace.

💡Pro Tip: Save peelings and veggie scraps in a bag in the freezer while you prepare the holiday meal. They make excellent stock flavoring when you’re ready to cook.

Step 1: Remove any large pieces of meat from the carcass; small bits left on the bones are fine and add flavor. Store the removed meat separately for future recipes.

Step 2: Place the carcass in a large pot, Dutch oven, or slow cooker.

Step 3: Add chopped vegetables (or saved scraps), smashed garlic cloves, a bay leaf, and salt. Use whatever aromatics you enjoy.

Step 4: Fill the pot with cold water until it reaches about 2–3 inches below the rim to prevent boiling over.

Step 5: Bring to a boil, then reduce to low and simmer gently for 4–6 hours. Longer simmering extracts more flavor from the bones.

Step 6: When finished, strain the broth through a fine mesh strainer into a large bowl to remove bones and solids. Running the broth through the strainer a second time helps catch small fragments.

💡Note: Use a fine mesh strainer — a coarse strainer can allow tiny bone pieces into your stock.

Step 7: Refrigerate the strained broth overnight. Chilled broth will develop solidified fat on the surface.

Step 8: Remove the chilled broth and skim off the solidified fat with a slotted spoon. Discard the fat and the used bones and vegetable scraps — do not feed cooked bones to pets.

You now have a clear, flavorful turkey bone broth ready to use. It works as a 1:1 substitute for chicken broth in recipes and stores well in the freezer in mason jars, freezer containers, or ice cube trays for easy portions.

Yields will vary by pot size; an 8-quart Dutch oven typically produces about 12 cups of stock.

Yes. Freeze in mason jars, freezer-safe containers, or ice cube trays. If using glass jars, leave about 1″ of headspace for expansion to prevent breakage.

Homemade turkey bone broth will keep 5–7 days in the refrigerator. For longer storage, freeze it.

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Turkey Bone Broth

Equipment

• Fine mesh strainer
• Large Dutch oven (8–9 quarts) or slow cooker
• Slotted spoon

Ingredients

• 1 whole turkey carcass (meat removed and reserved)
• 2–3 carrots, large pieces
• 2–3 celery stalks, large pieces
• 1 yellow onion, large pieces
• 1 bay leaf
• 2–3 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
• Cold water to cover the carcass, leaving 2–3″ headspace

Instructions

1. Remove any large pieces of meat from the carcass and store them separately for later use.
2. Place the carcass in a large pot, Dutch oven, or slow cooker.
3. Add vegetables, smashed garlic, bay leaf, and salt. Vegetable scraps may be used instead of whole vegetables.
4. Fill the pot with cold water until it’s about 2–3 inches from the top.
5. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer gently for 4–6 hours.
6. Strain the broth through a fine mesh strainer into a large bowl, discarding solids. Strain a second time if needed to remove small particles.
7. Refrigerate the strained broth overnight. Skim and discard the solidified fat the next day.
8. Store the cooled broth in the refrigerator for up to 7 days or freeze in appropriate containers for longer storage.

Notes

Using scraps: Save peelings and vegetable ends in a bag in the freezer to use when making broth. They add excellent flavor without extra prep.

Straining: A fine mesh strainer is recommended to prevent small bone fragments from passing into the broth. Straining twice improves clarity.

Nutrition (per cup, approximate)

• Calories: 10 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 2 g
• Protein: 1 g
• Fat: 0.1 g
• Sodium: 37 mg