Turkey Bone Broth
Making bone broth from your bird is an excellent way to use all parts of your Thanksgiving turkey! You can use your turkey bone broth as a base for soups, stews, and sauces, but sipping a steaming cup of this restorative draft is traditional.
1 carcass from a roasted turkey (no need to remove any remaining meat and skin; you can also use chicken bones or other animal bones)
turkey giblets, optional
1 large onion, quartered
6 cloves of garlic, smashed
1 cup fresh herbs (parsley, rosemary, sage, thyme, oregano) with stems, okay to mix
1 peel from citrus fruit (mandarin, orange, or lemon)
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 bay leaves
1-2 cups vegetable scraps (carrot tops and bottoms, celery tops and bottoms, garlic skins, or onion skins)
water enough to cover (about 7 quarts)
salt and pepper, to taste
- Add turkey, giblets (if using), veggies and scraps, herbs, citrus peel, apple cider vinegar, and bay leaves to a large stockpot. Add just enough cold water to cover the contents of your pot.
- Heat broth on medium-high heat until boiling. As soon as your broth is boiling, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 6 – 8 hours. Skim any foam that forms off the top of your broth.
- Remove from heat. Carefully remove solids from your broth. Strain with a fine mesh strainer. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour into glass containers for fridge or freezer storage. If freezing, allow 1 inch of space for broth to expand. As your broth cools, a layer of fat will form and solidify on the surface. Remove the fat layer before consuming.
- To learn about some of the health benefits of bone broth or to check out our favorite nutrient-boosting additions, read our Turkey Bone Broth blog post.
Yield: 8 servings