Follow these easy steps to learn how to make the best turkey stock that’s flavorful and full of body. It’s perfect for lending a rich, savory flavor to soups, casseroles, and of course, gravy.
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Homemade Stock Is a Cinch to Make, Trust Me!
If you’ve ever made your own stock, you know there’s a certain kind of magic that happens when water, meaty bones, veggies, and aromatics mingle together in a simmering stockpot. The water gets richly infused with fat and flavor, transforming into a savory, golden elixir.
Homemade turkey stock (and chicken stock, too) lends a richness and complexity to dishes that the store-bought stuff simply can’t match. I use it in casseroles like my turkey tetrazzini, and soups like my turkey pot pie soup. But the main reason I make turkey stock is for gravy. If you can get ahead of the game plan and make your own turkey stock, you’ll have the best flavor base for your Thanksgiving gravy. Your turkey and your guests will thank you.
Part of the beauty of making stock is that precision isn’t really required, — meaning, you don’t really need to follow a recipe, but rather use it as a guide. But if you’re the type who thrives of following recipes step-by-step, the turkey stock recipe below is one you’ll come back to time and again.
Enjoy!
Heidi’s Tips for Recipe Success
Give it time to bubble away. Homemade turkey stock is incredibly low-maintenance, but it does require a long simmer to develop its flavors. Start it on a Sunday afternoon and forget about it while you clean your house (it’ll do it’s thing, perfuming everything around you with a warm, cozy, savory smell). Or, start it in the evening while you go take a bath and settle down with the latest show you’re binge-watching.
No need to peel the veggies. Vegetables and aromatics are two important flavor building blocks for your stock. Bonus? There’s no need to even peel them! Just cut it in half and toss it in, papery skins and all. Cut the larger vegetables into large pieces before adding to the pot.
Don’t be alarmed if you see a gelatinous layer of fat form on the top of your stock as it cools in the fridge. Gelatinous blob = more flavor, and more flavor is good. It’s just collagen rendered from the turkey bones, and it also helps preserve the stock while in the refrigerator.
Ingredients You’ll Need
The full recipe, with amounts, can be found in the recipe card below.
- Turkey parts — 2 to 3 pounds of wings and backs will do it.
- Aromatic vegetables — I prefer using a blend of carrots, celery, onions or leeks, a parsnip, and a whole head of garlic. Feel free to mix and match veggies, but don’t use anything cruciferous (i.e. broccoli, cabbage, that kind of thing).
- Herbs — Bay leaves are always a must, but from there you can play around with the fresh herbs you use. Italian parsley and thyme are always floating around in my fridge, so I typically stick with those.
- Whole black peppercorns — Use 6-8 peppercorns. If you add too many the stock will be extra spicy.
- Kosher salt – Seasoning the broth with kosher salt is important as that is what provides the pronunciation of its flavor.
How to Make Turkey Stock
- Roast your turkey parts. If you’re using a leftover turkey carcass from your Thanksgiving feast, just use whatever you have on hand.
- Simmer down. Add all of your ingredients and water to your stockpot and bring to a boil, then reduce to a gently rolling simmer for at least 1 ½ hours up to 3 hours. The stock will reduce quicker if you simmer it uncovered, but I like to cover my pot 80% of the way with a lid so the liquid doesn’t evaporate so fast.
- Strain and discard. Fish out all the, bones, vegetables and herbs. Place a colander that fits over a Pyrex glass 4-cup measuring cup and slowly drain the stock into the glass, separating it from any straggling solids. The colander will catch any veggies or bones that may fall from the pot. Next, use a fine-mesh strainer and strain the stock into your next recipe’s soup stockpot.
Heidi’s Tip: If storing to use later, strain into 1 quart glass canning jars and cool before adding a tight fitting lid (these are my favorite).
What to Make With Your Turkey Stock
Fun fact: you can swap in turkey stock anytime a recipe calls for chicken broth or stock, so you’ve got plenty of ways to use up your liquid gold.
- Turkey Pot Pie Soup
- Curry Turkey Pot Pie
- Turkey Gravy
- Butternut Squash Turkey Chili
- Chicken Noodle Soup
- Dijon Chicken
- Chicken Gnocchi Soup
- … the list goes on!
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.
The BEST Turkey Stock Recipe
Ingredients
- 2-3 lbs turkey parts wings and backs
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 4 carrots unpeeled and cut into halves
- 2 ribs celery cut in half
- 1 yellow onion cut into quarters (you can also use leeks)
- 1 head of garlic unpeeled and cut into half crosswise
- 1 parsnip unpeeled and cut into 3-inch chunks
- 1 bunch of fresh Italian parsley
- 6-10 sprigs fresh thyme
- 6-10 whole black peppercorns
- 2-3 bay leaves
- 1-2 tablespoons kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Arrange your turkey parts on a baking sheet, toss with olive oil, and roast for 1 hour, or until golden brown, turning the parts every 10 minutes or so.
- Add the roasted turkey parts, carrots, celery, onion, garlic halves and parsnip to a large stockpot. Add cold water, covering everything by at least 1-2 inches—about 12-16 cups of water. Add a handful of the parsley (with leaves and stems intact), thyme sprigs, peppercorns, bay leaves, and kosher salt.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce to a lightly rolling simmer and cook partly covered for 1 ½ to 2 hours or until the stock is amber brown and tastes well flavored. Add more salt to taste if necessary.
- Turn off the heat and allow the stock to cool or if using immediately, fish out all of the bones, veggies and herbs, and discard. Place a large colander over a Pyrex 4 cup glass measuring cup and slowly drain the stock from any straggling aromatics so the colander catches anything that may fall from the pot. Then, use a fine-mesh strainer to strain the stock into your next recipe's soup stockpot. Or, if storing to use later, strain into 1 quart wide-mouth glass canning jars and cool before adding a tight fitting lid.
- Refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze in gallon bags for up to 6 months.
Nutrition
Storage and Freezing Instructions
Homemade turkey stock will stay good in the fridge for 4-5 days. Signs that it’s time to discard are when the broth gets cloudy or doesn’t pass the smell test.
To freeze:
- Make sure to leave an inch of space between the stock and the top of the container you’re freezing it in. This allows enough room for the liquid to expand in the freezer.
- Freeze stock in freezer bags, in 4-cup portions, since that’s the amount of stock or broth many soup recipes call for. Fill the bag and lay flat on a shelf until frozen, then stack upright like little turkey stock soldiers.
- If you want to freeze smaller portions of stock for recipes that don’t call for much, ice trays or 1-inch muffin tins are the perfect vessels, and each one is roughly equivalent to ¼ cup. Tip: These reusable silicone liners will make this a snap.
- Always remember to label and date! Homemade stock will stay good in the freezer for up to 6 months.
- To thaw your stock, simply place it in the fridge 1-2 days before you want to use it.
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Sabrina
thank you, always appreciate from scratch recipes, and have never made turkey stock from scratch before, so I really appreciate this, especially since there’s more than enough time to do it!
Give it a try Sabrina, it makes a big difference and is super easy to make.