Go Back
+ servings
turkey bone broth being poured from a tablespoon in a jar.
Print Recipe
5 from 3 votes

Turkey Bone Broth Recipe

Transform leftover turkey bones into a rich, versatile turkey bone broth! Learn stovetop, instant pot, and slow cooker methods.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time1 day
Total Time1 day 1 hour 30 minutes
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Servings: 12 cups/ 3 liter
Calories: 42kcal
Author: Adina

Equipment

  • Instant Pot OR
  • Slow cooker OR
  • Large soup pot
  • Sieve
  • Fine mesh sieve

Ingredients

  • 4-5 lbs turkey bones or leftover turkey carcass 1.8 - 2 kg Notes 1, 2
  • 2 tablespoons oil optional if roasting the bones
  • 3 large carrots unpeeled, large chunks
  • 4-5 celery sticks or 1 piece of celeriac, large chunks
  • 3 onions unpeeled, halved
  • 3-4 garlic cloves unpeeled
  • a bunch of parsley stalks optional
  • ½ tablespoon coarse salt + more at the end Note 3
  • 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
  • cold water Note 5

Instructions

Instant Pot (Note 4):

  • Ingredients for instant pot: If using the instant pot, you might need to make a smaller batch, as the pot usually has a smaller capacity. You will need about 1.7 – 2 lbs/ 800 – 900 g of bones, 2 carrots, 2 onions, 3 celery sticks, 2 garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon coarse salt, ½ teaspoon peppercorns, 2 bay leaves, and ½ tablespoon vinegar.
  • Pressure cook: Place all the ingredients in the instant pot and cover them with cold water. Pressure cook for 2 hours. Natural release 30 minutes.

Slow cooker:

  • Slow cook: Place all the ingredients in the instant pot and cover them with cold water. Slow cook for 12 hours.

Stovetop:

  • Turkey stock: The necessity to leave the broth simmering on the stovetop for an extended period might be a concern. This is why the stovetop method is ideal for making turkey stock, which is usually ready in about 6 hours. Bone broth will need 24 hours.
  • Simmer: Place all the ingredients in a large pot, cover them with cold water, and bring to a boil on high heat. Turn down the heat immediately, and simmer the turkey stock for 6 hours (bone broth 24 hours). Add more water if necessary; the bones and veggies should be permanently submerged.

Finish turkey bone broth:

  • After such a long cooking time, the bones should begin to crumble; that is a good sign that all the nutrients have been extracted.
  • Strain and discard the bones and vegetables. Strain the bone broth again through a fine mesh sieve or a clean cloth.
  • Remove fat (optional): Chill the bone broth completely in the pot, covering it before refrigerating overnight. As it cools, the fat will solidify on the surface, making it easy to scoop out with a spoon.
    Alternatively, pour the cooled broth into jars before refrigerating. When you use a jar, remove the layer of solidified fat from the surface before using the broth.
  • Transfer: Pour bone broth into jars or other containers (suitable for freezing if you want to freeze the bone broth).

Notes

  1. Bones: You can use any bones to make bone broth—chicken, turkey, duck, goose, beef, veal, lamb, pork, or a mix.
  2. Roast fresh bones: If the bones are fresh, lightly oil them and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast on a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment paper at 400°F/200°C for around 1 hour, flipping halfway through.
  3. Salt: Begin with a small amount. As the liquid reduces, adding too much salt might make it overly salty. It's better to adjust the flavor towards the end or add more salt to taste when using the broth in other dishes.
  4. Add as many bones as will fit snugly in your pot or kitchen gadget. For an instant pot, which is usually smaller, you might need to reduce the number of bones cooked at once.
  5. Water: Use as much as needed to cover the ingredients with it. If cooking the broth on the stove, you might need to add some water as the broth cooks; the ingredients should be submerged in water permanently.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cups from 12 | Calories: 42kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 310mg | Potassium: 110mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 3017IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 0.2mg