How to Make Turkey Stock from the Carcass

So Thanksgiving is finished. You successfully cooked an amazing turkey, along with all the sides, appetizers, and desserts. Everything went off without a hitch. However, before you start cleaning up and toss that bird in the trash, consider making turkey stock from the carcass. The process is incredibly easy (just what you need after a full day or longer spent in the kitchen) and it results in a delicious, healthful, homemade broth that you can use in recipes all winter long.

How to Make Turkey Stock Using Your Thanksgiving Turkey

To start, you’ll need to pick all the good stuff off your Thanksgiving turkey. Get in there with your hands and don’t be afraid to get messy. If you have enough, you can use any leftover meat in recipes that call for shredded turkey or chicken (such as in our leftover turkey pho).

Then, place the turkey in your largest soup or stock pot. If you don’t have a pot large enough to fit the turkey, you may need to cut or break the carcass into multiple pieces. You need enough space to fit the carcass, cover it with plenty of water, and add any extra ingredients that you prefer.

Once the turkey is securely in your pot, cover it with cold water. Keep in mind that the more water, the thinner your broth, but the more broth you’ll make. Choose accordingly. There’s no right or wrong amount, but the water should cover the entire carcass.

You don’t have to add any other ingredients from here. You can make stock using just the turkey carcass and water. However, for extra flavor, consider adding other spices, seasonings, and veggies.

Popular additions include:

• Chopped onion
• Chopped carrots
• Chopped celery
• Chopped garlic
• Tomato paste
• Mushrooms
• Parsley
• Thyme
• Sage
• Bay leaves
• Peppercorns
• Apple cider vinegar

Once all your desired ingredients have been added to the stock pot, bring the water to a boil, then take it down to a simmer, cover, and let the ingredients work their magic for about four to six hours. You’ll know it’s done when the broth looks, smells, and tastes like delicious, from-scratch turkey stock.

Strain your broth into jars or other containers for storage. The broth will only last a few days in the fridge but will last up to six months in the freezer.

Tips for Making Turkey Stock

When making turkey stock, start with cold water rather than hot, as this can affect the color of your broth.

Additionally, when straining your broth for storage, do your best to remove all larger pieces of turkey carcass and vegetables using a straining spoon first, before straining the turkey broth through a colander.

Tasted your broth at the end of the cooking process and think it’s too bland? If you added vegetables, spices, and other ingredients to increase flavor, but you’re finding the resulting broth is not all that flavorful, you may have added too much water to the pot. After straining, let the broth cook a little more, reducing it down to increase the flavor.

How to Use Homemade Turkey Stock

There are near-endless ways to use homemade turkey stock. Wherever you might use chicken stock or any stock normally, you can use your homemade turkey version. Try it in your tomato soup, to cook your rice, or to add extra flavor to a bowl of savory oats.