Thanks to Fall Line Farms’ Sallie Godwin
Thanksgiving is just around the corner, meaning that TURKEYS are in season! Yay! I love turkey stock. It is more robust in flavor than chicken stock, but not quite as intense as beef stock. It is perfect for drinking! Any time. Any meal. Any weather. 🙂 This recipe is easy to change to use any kind of chicken, duck, turkey, or a mix of the three. All of it would be delicious! You really cant go wrong.
Don’t throw away your turkey carcass after Thanksgiving! I might have a panic attack if someone does that. ;).
As Thanksgiving approaches, home cooks nationwide are preparing to roast their treasured holiday birds. And after carving and gobbling up the tender turkey meat, many will be left wondering – what’s the best use for the leftover carcass and scraps?
Rather than sending them straight to the trash get the most value from your turkey by transforming the bones and bits into mouthwatering stock. This liquid gold can impart deep savory turkey flavor into recipes for months to come.
How To Make Turkey Stock
Making turkey stock is very simple:
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Place the turkey bones, wings, neck and giblets into a large pot. Add in veggies like onion, celery, carrots and herbs.
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Fill with water just to cover and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat and simmer for 5-6 hours, skimming foam and fat.
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Strain the stock through a sieve into a container. Discard solids. Chill stock in fridge overnight so fat solidifies.
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Scrape off fat layer and you have delicious turkey stock ready for use!
When cooled, turkey stock will gel up nicely thanks to natural collagen released from the bones. The stock keeps for 5 days chilled or 4 months frozen.
Creative Ways To Use Turkey Stock
Now comes the fun part – transforming your turkey stock into tasty dishes! Here are 17 delicious ways to put leftover stock to use:
1. Turkey Noodle Soup
A classic. Cook egg noodles, carrots, celery and cubed turkey in the stock. Finish with parsley. Hearty and comforting.
2. Turkey Wild Rice Soup
Simply delicious. Simmer wild rice with sauteed aromatics then add shredded turkey and enriched stock.
3. Turkey Chili
Love chili? Use your stock as the base for a hearty turkey chili packed with beans, tomatoes and spices. Garnish with avocado, cheese or sour cream.
4. Southwest Turkey and Rice Soup
Black beans, corn, poblano, cilantro and lime add Tex-Mex flair. Stir in some cream cheese or crema for added richness.
5. Turkey Posole
Transform the stock into hearty posole by cooking hominy and spicing it up with garlic, cumin and oregano. Top with all the fixings.
6. Classic Turkey Gravy
For the easiest gravy ever, whisk together turkey stock, flour and herbs in a saucepan. Perfect over mashed potatoes, dressing or the turkey itself.
7. Turkey Pot Pie Gravy
Use stock to make a scrumptious gravy as the base for turkey pot pies. Thicken with equal parts fat and flour plus milk and seasonings.
8. Cider Turkey Gravy
For a special twist, deglaze the pan with apple cider first. Then use stock and cream to create a delightful gravy.
9. Turkey Risotto
Making risotto with turkey stock instead of plain chicken stock adds incredible depth of flavor. Stir in Parmesan at the end.
10. Leftover Risotto
Jazz up risotto by folding in all your leftover turkey, veggies, cranberries – whatever you have! The stock provides a rich base.
11. Turkey Broth Rice Pilaf
In place of water, cook rice pilaf in seasoned turkey broth boosted with aromatics. Simple but so tasty.
12. Turkey Congee
For Asian flair, slowly simmer rice in stock until totally broken down into a soothing, soft congee. Top with scallions, cilantro and egg.
13. Braised Winter Squash
Intensify the flavor of baked squash by braising in seasoned turkey stock. It adds a lovely glaze when reduced.
14. Braised Collard Greens
Saute chopped greens then braise in stock for silkier texture. Sprinkle with vinegar or hot sauce.
15. Baked Beans
Soak beans overnight then simmer with stock, onion and molasses for the mostamazing baked beans ever.
16. Farro with Mushrooms
Cook farro in the stock then toss with sauteed mushrooms and lemon zest for a simple, hearty side.
17. Turkey Stock Pasta
Boil pasta shapes right in your seasoned turkey stock instead of water for a boost of savoriness.
With these delicious ideas, you’ll look forward to roasting turkeys just for the stock possibilities! From Italian risotto to Southern collards, the flavor opportunities are endless.
More Uses For Turkey Stock
Beyond the recipes above, turkey stock can be used as a base for soups, stews, baked goods, grains, pastas and more.
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Use in place of water when cooking rice, quinoa, oats or other grains.
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Make turkey pot pie by simmering veggies in stock then making a velvety sauce.
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Add to cornbread batter in place of milk for delicious moistness.
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Poach fish or seafood in seasoned turkey stock for bonus flavor.
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Use as the braising liquid when cooking pork, beef or chicken in a Dutch oven.
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Reduce stock by simmering to concentrate it into an intense turkey glaze.
With a little creativity, leftover turkey stock can transform everyday cooking into gourmet cuisine. So don’t throw out those bones and bits – they’re the key to amazing flavor!
Step 5: Add the veggies and herbs.
Add the peppercorns, herbs of your choice, onions, and Celtic sea salt. You can also add this to taste at the end. Carrots and celery can also be added, but don’t do so until the last 6 to 12 hours of cooking. If you do, they will taste funny. For the last 15 minutes of cooking, adding a big bunch of parsley is also a nice touch! These days I like to keep things simple: a bulb of crushed garlic, some big sprigs of fresh rosemary and thyme, and some Celtic salt tastes great! Don’t worry about cutting things too precisely; you can just cut the onion into quarters and the garlic bulb in half, leaving the skins on. They don’t need to be chopped up at all; the rosemary and thyme sprigs and carrot and celery sticks can just be thrown in!
10 steps for awesome turkey stock:
Put the turkey or chicken carcasses, chicken feet, turkey or chicken necks, and—if you want—beef bones into the stock pot. It is totally fine if they are still totally frozen solid – I do that all the time!!.
**I also save any beef bones from the food we eat, like the bone from a chuck roast, steak bones, or marrow bones that are empty. I put them in a bag and freeze them. Then I like to add them to my chicken stock because the bones add extra minerals and calcium, but they don’t taste strongly of beef because they’ve already been cooked!
How To Make Turkey Stock – Turkey Broth Recipe
FAQ
What is turkey broth good for?
Can I use turkey stock in place of chicken stock?
How long does turkey stock last in the fridge?
What’s the difference between turkey broth and turkey stock?
What can I make with Turkey stock?
Making Turkey Stock is easy and a delicious base for homemade soups, sauces, stews and more. Making turkey stock is a great way to use all of a turkey. Lemony Turkey Stock is an easy recipe perfect as a base for homemade soups, sauces or braising.
What are the health benefits of ground turkey?
Ground turkey has multiple benefits. It is a good source of minerals, and B vitamins, rich in proteins, low in fat and it is lower in calories than common turkey.
Can you make Turkey stock from a roasted turkey?
Cooked turkey carcass: When it comes to making turkey stock, the best turkey to use is from a roasted turkey. Because turkeys are a larger bird, the leftover bones and bits of meat from one are plenty enough for making stock. When preparing your bird for roasting, remember to save the neck bone for stock-making too.
Can you use Turkey stock instead of chicken stock?
The most common use for turkey stock is turkey gravy. I use this homemade stock in both my classic turkey gravy and my flourless gravy. It’s also a wonderful flavor booster for any homemade soup, like this Leftover Turkey Noodle Soup, or Turkey Meatball Vegetable Soup. You could use turkey stock in place of chicken stock in most other recipes too.
Can you make Turkey stock every year?
Once you taste it you are going to want to make it every year, so from now on just remember to over-buy a little bit on all your celery, carrots, onions, and herbs, and you are all set to go for your turkey stock! Heat your turkey carcass with any turkey parts you have: neck, giblets, any skin, or leftover turkey drippings.
Can you make Turkey stock from turkey bones?
Learn how easy it is to make Turkey Stock from the bones of your Thanksgiving turkey! All you need is a picked over turkey carcass and some vegetables and herbs that you probably already have on hand from cooking your turkey. You are going to love using this flavorful turkey stock in your next soup! Originally posted November 21, 2012.