Don’t toss those bones after cooking your bird, they’re chock full of vitamins minerals and FLAVOR! This turkey bone broth makes a killer base for soups, stews, sauces, and gravies. Or you could use it as a meat marinade, or as braising liquid to cook veggies, or just sip on a cup straight up! You can do all kinds of awesome sh*t with those bird bones, so let’s talk about it!

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“Turkey, good to the bone”

-Tyson

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WTF is Turkey Bone Broth?

Turkey bone broth is a potent, versatile, liquid made by simmering turkey bones, veggies, herbs and other seasonings for several hours. The bones are typically roasted, to add depth of flavor, before being added to a large pot with the other ingredients.

Everything is then simmered at least six hours, often longer. The long simmering time breaks down the bones and releases nutrients such as collagen, minerals, amino acids, and gelatin. This is the good stuff, it gives the broth its rich and savory taste.

All you need to make a turkey bone broth is water and bones. But come on, you know we’re gonna put all kinds of sh*t in our broth. Ingredients like white wine, garlic, onions, salt, and fresh herbs enhance the flavor of the broth.

In addition to being a great base for stews and soups and such, this bone broth is a really awesome treat on its own. Frankie and I will pack some in a thermos and bust it out during a winter hike. It’s a GAME CHANGER!

Oh, and it’s suppose to be pretty freaking good for you too. It’s believed to have a number of health benefits, such as supporting gut health, improving joint health, and strengthening the immune system.

Some people even consume it as a daily supplement, believing that it can help with detoxifying the body and promoting overall wellness. #hippies. BBC did a whole write up about it, check it out here. Top 5 Benefits of Bone Broth.

Broth vs Stock

Okay, so wtf exactly is the difference here?

In the simplest of terms, broth uses bones that still have meat on them, and stock doesn’t. Broth usually takes less time to simmer than stock, which often has cooking times of, upwards of 12 hours.

Both broth and stock can contain herbs and veggies for extra flavor, but stock is usually thicker because the longer cook time breaks down all of the collagen and connective tissue in the bones.

Don’t waste too much time trying to decipher the difference. They’re both pretty much interchangeable.

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TURKEY BONE BROTH

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Turkey Bone Broth Ingredients

Here’s a list of the ingredients you’ll need to make this turkey bone broth:

• Turkey bones: The star of the show if you will. Use the leftover bones from a cooked turkey, neck, wings, and legs. Ideally the bones should still have some meat on em, they’ll most of the flavor to the broth.

• Vegetables: Listen to your mother and eat your veggies… or drink them in this case. Carrots, celery, onions, and garlic to be specific. You can substitute and add here, just avoid any bitter greens like cauliflower, kale, or broccoli, they’ll turn your broth into a sulfurous pit of garbage.

• Herbs and spices: We’ll be using fresh rosemary, thyme, salt and black peppercorns. Nothings off limits here though, feel free to add some bay leaves, parsley, tarragon, whatever flavors you dig.

• Water: Okay, so turkey bone broth IS mostly water. But hey beer is mostly water too, and I love beer.

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How to Make Turkey Bone Broth

Follow these step by step instructions to make this turkey bone broth recipe.

Step 1: Roast Bones

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Place the turkey bones on a baking sheet and roast them in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes, until they are golden brown.

Step 2: Chop Veggies

While the bones are roasting, roughly chop the vegetables.

Step 3: Bring to a Boil

After the bones are roasted, transfer them to a large pot. Add the chopped vegetables, herbs, and spices, and cover everything with water by a couple inches. Bring the pot to a boil, then immedietly reduce the heat to low and let simmer.

Step 4: Simmer Turkey Bone Broth

Simmer the broth for at least 6 hours, or up to 12 hours for a richer flavor. Use a large spoon to skim off any foam or impurities that rise to the surface. Most of this will happen sooner than later.

Step 4: Stain Turkey Bone Broth

Remove the pot from heat and let it cool slightly. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth, discarding the solids.

Step 5: Cool & Store Turkey Bone Broth

Let the broth cool completely before transferring it to air tight containers. We save pickle jars and pho containers from our take out nights. They both make great broth containers. Store in the fridge or freezer.

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How to Store Turkey Bone Broth

If you plan on using your broth within the next 5 days, simply pour it into airtight containers and store it in the refrigerator. This will keep your broth fresh and flavorful, and it will be ready to use whenever you need it.

If you’re freezing your bone broth it’ll be good for up to six months. In addition to storing some in larger containers, I also like to pour some into those plastic popsicle molds. This way I can just use a little when I need to spice up a sauce or warm up a cup to sip on.

I’ve heard of some folks pouring turkey bone broth into zip lock bags and freezing it like a teacher would stack graded papers. They say it saves space, but this just seems silly and not worth the hassle. Just use a jar or something like a recycled sour cream containers. Make sure to label and date it.

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How to Use Turkey Bone Broth

All righty then. So now that you have your turkey bone broth, what the f$%@ do you do with it? Here’s a couple applications and recipes that we like to use our turkey bone broth for.

• Sip it straight up: It’s perfect on a chilly day by the fire, or in thermos on a ski day. It’s probably my favorite way to use turkey bone broth.

• Make a soup: Making homemade broths and stocks is simple way to elevate your cooking. It really makes a big difference.

• Make risotto: You gotta have broth or stock to make risotto, its major ingredient, so make sure its a super tasty one.

• Marinade: Marinate your meats in turkey bone broth to add flavor and tenderness.

• Freeze it into ice cubes: Freeze your broth into ice cubes and use them like little flavor bombs in soups, stews, and gravies for added flavor.

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More Broth/Stock Recipes

Enjoy this recipe and need some more help making unique stocks? Try out Wild Mushroom Stock Recipe. We harvest our own golden chanterelles to make this stock. But you can use whatever mushrooms you like. 

It’s perfect for our Chanterelle and Sage Risotto recipe. But honestly its so good you could just drink a warm cup of it on a cold day.

Or try our Crab Stock recipe. We make it from the Carcasses of our beloved west coast Dungeness crabs. Its so freaking tasty and I makes the best base for our Sweet & Sour Thai Salmon Curry. Check em out and let us know what you think!

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Turkey Bone Broth FAQ’s

What is the difference between turkey bone broth and turkey stock?

Broth still has meat on the bones when it is cooked. Stock does not.

What is Turkey Bone Broth?

Turkey bone broth is a potent, versatile, liquid made by simmering turkey bones, veggies, herbs and other seasonings for several hours.

What are the benefits of turkey bone broth?

Turkey bone broth is high in protein, collagen, and minerals such as calcium and phosphorus. It is also rich in amino acids and is believed to have health benefits such as improving gut health and reducing inflammation.

Can I use turkey bones from a cooked turkey to make broth?

Yes, that’s exactly what you should do.

Can I use turkey bone broth for drinking?

Absolutely, thats one of the best ways to use it!

Can I make turkey bone broth in a crockpot?

Certainly, most crockpots will be smaller than a normal stove top stock pot so it won’t yield as much liquid, but it is certainly a viable way to cook bone broth.

Are there any vegetables I should avoid when making turkey bone broth?

Great question, and yes! Broccoli, Kale, and cauliflower, can give the broth a strong bitter flavor, and veggies like potatoes and pumpkins break down too easily and make for a cloudy stock.