Make use of the whole Thanksgiving turkey by turning the bones into a delicious rich turkey stock that is perfect for gravy, soup, or stew. Learn how to make turkey stock to store in your freezer, or pressure can it for shelf-stable jars.
So many people throw away the leftover turkey carcass after the Thanksgiving or holiday meal. This is such a tragedy because they are missing out. Those turkey bones are filled with nutrients and lots of flavor.
We don’t waste much in this household. Throughout the year, I save all my vegetable trimmings in zipper bags in the freezer. Tossed into these bags are the ends of garlic, pieces of onion, small carrots, celery greens and stalks, and broccoli stems. I use these vegetables to add flavor to our homemade stocks and broths.
During winter, I often have a pot of stock simmering on the wood stove that heats our home. I like to keep plenty of chicken, beef, vegetable, and turkey stock on hand for winter soups and stews. Once you start making your own homemade stocks, you will find that they taste so much better than store bought. You have full control over the ingredients and can eliminate the extra additives and sodium found in store-bought stocks.
Canning turkey broth is a great way to preserve the flavor and nutrition from leftover turkey bones after the holidays. Homemade turkey broth tastes amazing and provides protein collagen minerals and more extracted from the bones. Canning allows you to stockpile shelf-stable jars of turkey broth to use in soups, stews, gravies and other dishes all year long.
In this complete guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know to can turkey broth safely and successfully right in your own kitchen.
Why Can Turkey Broth?
There are many excellent reasons to can turkey broth at home:
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Saves Money – Home canned broth costs just pennies per jar compared to $2-3 per quart for store bought
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More Flavor – Homemade with your own fresh ingredients tastes better than commercial broths.
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Convenience – Canned broth is shelf-stable and ready-to-use. No need to make fresh each time.
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Versatility – Use broth for soups, stews, gravies, cooking grains, braising meats and more.
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Nutrition – Turkey bones provide protein, collagen, calcium, magnesium, potassium and more. Lower sodium than store-bought.
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Sustainability – Don’t waste leftover bones and scraps. Turn them into nutritious broth!
Step-By-Step Instructions
Canning turkey broth is simple if you follow proper canning procedures. Here are the basic steps:
1. Make the Broth
Place leftover roasted turkey bones, wings, legs, carcass and trimmings in a large stock pot. Add vegetables like onions, carrots and celery for more flavor. Cover with water by 2-3 inches.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and gently simmer for 2-6 hours. This extracts the collagen, nutrients and flavor from the bones.
Strain out the solids, reserving any meat to add to soups. Chill broth to allow fat to solidify, then remove fat layer.
2. Prepare Jars & Lids
Wash mason jars and lids in hot soapy water. Rinse well. Jars can be sterilized by boiling 10 minutes beforehand.
Inspect jars for any cracks, chips or defects. Use only perfect jars for canning.
Simmer lids in hot water to soften the sealing compound. Leave in hot water until ready to use.
3. Fill Jars & Apply Lids
Ladle hot turkey broth into the canning jars, leaving 1-inch headspace. Wipe rims clean.
Center lids on jar rims and screw on bands fingertip tight. Do not over tighten.
4. Pressure Can
Place filled jars on rack in pressure canner. Add 2-3 inches water.
Follow manufacturer instructions to pressurize canner to 10-11 PSI. Process pint jars 20 mins, quarts 25 mins.
When time is up, turn off heat and allow canner to depressurize naturally.
Test seals after cooling completely before storing.
5. Store & Use
Label sealed jars with contents and date. Store in a cool, dark place up to 1 year. Use oldest jars first.
Enjoy your home canned turkey broth in soups, stews, gravies, risotto, cooking grains and more all year long!
Tips for Best Results
Follow these tips for safe, high quality home canned turkey broth:
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Use a digital thermometer to ensure broth reaches 185°F before filling jars
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Simmer bones at least 2 hours, up to 12 for maximum extraction
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Chill broth completely so fat solidifies and is easier to remove
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Keep broth water-thin, not thickened, for proper heat penetration
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Leave 1-inch headspace in jars for expansion during canning
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Process at 10-11 PSI based on your altitude (higher elevations need added pressure)
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Let canner depressurize naturally; don’t rush the cooling process
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Test seals on cooled jars before storing to ensure a proper vacuum seal
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it safe to can turkey broth at home?
Yes, turkey broth can be safely canned at home when proper canning methods are used. Always use a pressure canner and recipes from trusted sources.
How long does home canned turkey broth last?
Properly canned turkey broth will store 12-18 months at room temperature. Check seals before use and discard any jars with mold, odors or leaks.
What are signs of spoiled canned broth?
Do not use turkey broth if the jar has loose lid, bulging sides, foul odors, mold, bubbles inside, slimy texture or any other signs of spoilage.
Can you use a water bath canner for broth?
No, a pressure canner is required to achieve temperatures high enough to kill bacteria and botulism spores when canning low-acid foods like turkey broth.
Why leave headspace when canning?
Headspace allows room for contents to expand when heated. Too little risks broth boiling out. Too much leaves oxygen that can lower quality over time. 1-inch is recommended.
Conclusion
Step 3: Strain and Chill to Separate the Fat
Let the stock cool, remove the larger bones, and strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve into a large container. Discard the bones and solids. Let the stock cool, and then refrigerate overnight. Once the stock cools in the refrigerator, the fat will rise to the top.
Don’t let the stock cool at room temperature for more than 2 hours. To cool the stock quickly before refrigerating, place the container in an ice-water bath. Change the water as needed to keep it cold, and let the stock cool until it is lukewarm. Then dry the container and place in the refrigerator overnight.
How to Make Turkey Stock
Making stock is not difficult. It just takes a little time, and you will be rewarded with a tasty stock that you can stash in your freezer, or pressure can to use in your favorite recipes.
Stocks and broths are made by combining leftover bones with vegetables, herbs, spices, and simmered slowly to extract lots of flavor.
The key to making a deep flavored stock is to start with a roasted turkey. After removing the meat, use the leftover turkey carcass to make turkey stock. Roast the bones and vegetables in the oven, add everything into the stockpot, fill with water, and simmer slowly into a tasty stock. This will result in a rich flavored, savory turkey broth with a nice depth of flavor.