This Turkey Bone Broth recipe is an easy and nutritious way to use up leftover turkey bones after the holidays. I will give you the secret to getting that perfect gel whether you are making it in the slow cooker, stove top, or pressure cooker!
This Turkey Bone Broth recipe is always a hit around the holidays as it is a great way to make use of the leftover turkey bones from my Dry Brined Spatchcocked Turkey.
Use this nutritious slow cooker turkey bone broth in place of chicken or beef broth in any of my soup or stew recipes, including Chicken and Sausage Gumbo, Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili, or Hearty Beef and Barley Soup. Or just warm some up in a mug and sip on it for a nutritious snack.
Jump to:
Ingredients
- Turkey bones, skin, and scraps - wings included for the jiggliest broth!
- carrots
- onion
- celery
- bay leaves
- whole black peppercorns
- filtered water
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Here are some step-by-step photos of how to make turkey bone broth in the slow cooker. If you don't plan on making your turkey bone broth right away (within one or two days), store the turkey carcass in the freezer. You can make broth with it straight from frozen. And don't forget to use that backbone you reserved from my Dry Brined Spatchcocked Turkey! Just toss it right in with the leftover carcass - no need to roast or even thaw it first.
Slow Cooker Instructions:
Place all ingredients in slow cooker, cover, and cook on low for 18-24 hours. Remove solids, strain broth, transfer to jars or container of choice and refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 12 months.
Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker Instructions:
Place all ingredients in instant pot, seal and pressure cook for 240 minutes. Allow to naturally release before straining and storing. Remove solids, strain broth, transfer to jars or container of choice and refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 12 months.
Stovetop Instructions:
Place all ingredients in a large dutch oven and cook on low for 18-24 hours. Remove solids, strain broth, transfer to jars or container of choice and refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 12 months.
Combine all turkey bone broth ingredients in slow cooker and top with about 1 gallon of water.
Cook on low for 18-24 hours.
remove all solids and strain broth well.
transfer strained broth to storage containers and refrigerate or freeze.
Hint: Wings are the secret to that perfect jiggly, gelatinous bone broth. If you do not have the wings leftover from Thanksgiving, you can purchase turkey wings at many stores or you can substitute with a few chicken wings. But even if you do not include wings and do not get a gelled broth, it is still packed with nutrition!
Equipment
I love using my slow cooker for this as it has a larger capacity than my instant pot, but if you have a large pressure cooker that can fit the turkey bones, feel free to use that!
If you want to make turkey bone broth in the instant pot, you will cook it on high pressure for 240 minutes and let it naturally release before straining and storing.
To make your bone broth on the stove top you will first have to be comfortable leaving the burner on low for 18-24 hours (which I have done many times). To make this on the stovetop, place all ingredients in a large dutch oven, cover, and cook on low for 18-24 hours.
This post contains affiliate links, please feel free to check out my full disclosure policy
Storage
After straining, transfer bone broth to jars or containers of choice and store in refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 12 months. I love to store mine in Weck Jars or Le Parfait jars. If freezing be sure to choose freezer safe containers and leave room for expansion as the broth freezes.
Top tips to get bone broth to gel
The key to this turkey bone broth recipe is time. To get a true, rich, gelatinous bone broth you must let it simmer for 18-24 hours and for extra gel insurance include the turkey wings or substitute with a small pack of chicken wings.
bonus tip: If you don't want your house to smell like broth for 24 hours, do what I do and put your slow cooker outside on a covered porch if you have one!
FAQ
Turkey bone broth contains proteins, healthy fats, and easily digestible nutrients as well as many vitamins, minerals, and gut-healing collagen.
I do not add apple cider vinegar to my bone broth. Some people claim it pulls more collagen out of the bones. Based on research and experience I find this to be false.
Yes, there is an abundant amount of collagen in a turkey carcass but especially in the wings.
The trick to getting bone broth to gel is to use bones that have some connective tissue and cartilage remaining, such as knuckle bones and wings. Also, the broth must cook for 18-24 hours. Keep in mind that the broth will gel after refrigeration, not at room temperature.
Related
Looking for other poultry recipes? Try these:
- Make Ahead White Wine Turkey Gravy
- Dry Brined Spatchcocked Turkey
- Lemon + Herb Grilled Chicken Skewers
- Pink Peppercorn Baked Chicken Wings with Pecorino + Rosemary
Pairing
Any of my soup and stew recipes are a great way to use turkey bone broth. Just replace the beef or chicken broth or the water in these recipes with turkey bone broth:
- Minestrone with Sausage, White Beans, and Kale
- Cream of Mushroom Soup
- Thai Red Curry Sweet Potato Soup
- Brothy Beans with Fennel + Parmesan
Turkey Bone Broth
- Total Time: 24 hours
- Yield: 4 quarts 1x
Description
Turkey Bone Broth is an easy and nutritious way to use up leftover turkey bones after the holidays. I will give you the secret to getting that perfect gel whether you are making it in the slow cooker, stove top, or pressure cooker!
Ingredients
- 1 turkey carcass (include bones, skin, scraps, drippings)
- 4 carrots
- 4 celery stalks
- 1 head garlic, halved
- 1 large onion, halved
- 5 black peppercorns
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 4 quarts filtered water (or enough to cover bones)
Instructions
I do not add salt to my bone broth since we are using a turkey carcass that has been well seasoned. If you want to add salt to taste after it has cooked and you've tasted it, feel free.
Slow Cooker Instructions:
Place all ingredients in slow cooker, cover, and cook on low for 18-24 hours. Remove solids, strain broth, transfer to jars or container of choice and refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 12 months.
Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker Instructions:
Place all ingredients in instant pot, seal and cook on high pressure for 240 minutes. Allow to naturally release, remove solids, strain broth, transfer to jars or container of choice and refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 12 months.
Stovetop Instructions:
Place all ingredients in a large dutch oven, cover and cook on low for 18-24 hours. Remove solids, strain broth, transfer to jars or container of choice and refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 12 months.
Notes
If you don't plan on making your turkey bone broth right away (within one or two days), store the turkey carcass in the freezer. You can make broth with it straight from frozen. And don't forget to use that backbone you reserved from my Dry Brined Spatchcocked Turkey! Just toss it right in with the leftover carcass - no need to roast or even thaw it first.
I do not add salt to my bone broth since we are using a turkey carcass that has been well seasoned. If you want to add salt to taste after it has cooked and you've tasted it, feel free.
If you find the water level dropping significantly, top off with more water as the broth is cooking.
If you don't want your house to smell like broth for 24 hours, do what I do and put your slow cooker outside on a covered porch if you have one!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 18-24 hours
- Category: poultry, soups and stews, fall
- Method: slow cooker
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: turkey bone broth, turkey bone broth recipe, turkey bone broth for humans, slow cooker turkey bone broth, instant pot turkey bone broth
Leave a Reply