Deeply savory and spiked with onion, garlic, and herbs, this homemade turkey bone broth is a favorite way to use up a leftover turkey from your Thanksgiving dinner. It's easy to make, and you can make it in an Instant Pot, a slow cooker, or on the stove in a big pot.
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What is turkey bone broth?
Bone broth is the liquid that results from simmering bones and joints of meat over time. This version is made from leftover roasted turkey bones, and it has a deep, savory flavor enhanced by onion, garlic, herbs, and just the right amount of wine (or lemon) for acidity. Making homemade turkey bone broth is a great way to use up Thanksgiving leftovers.
Traditionally, broths are sipped as a restorative food, but you can also use it as the foundation for other dishes such as gravy, soups, and stews.
Why this recipe works
- Deeply savory with an amber-brown color, it's one of the easiest broth recipes you can make.
- Onions, garlic, and fresh herbs give the broth an amazing flavor.
- You'll use a leftover turkey carcass, minimizing food waste to make a budget-friendly broth.
- You can make this turkey bone broth in an Instant Pot, stovetop, or slow cooker.
- This recipe calls for a little wine instead of apple cider vinegar, which gives the broth a better flavor.
- It's nutritious. Turkey bone broth is rich in gelatin and amino acids such as proline, glycine, and glutamine.
Ingredient Notes
- Leftover turkey bones give the broth its flavor, substance, and nutrition. They're an excellent source of collagen, which breaks down to protein-rich gelatin.
- White wine adds acidity to the broth and improves its flavor. The acid in wine also helps to break down the collagen in the turkey carcass, resulting in a silky, gelatinous broth.
- Yellow onion and garlic give the broth a deeper flavor, with light, sweet notes that balance the rich umami flavor left by the turkey.
- Herbs give the broth a little brightness. Parsley lends a clean note, while thyme and sage lend a distinctly vibrant flavor. Bay leaves are also a good choice, contributing robust herbal undertones.
Recipe Tips
If you can boil water, you can make this easy recipe. It's painlessly simple and a foundational culinary technique that can help build confidence in the kitchen. But there are a few things you need to keep in mind to make sure it consistently comes out good every time you make it.
Tips for Making Turkey Bone Broth
- Let the broth come to a boil, then immediately turn down the heat when you're cooking this recipe on the stove. Rapid and prolonged boiling can damage the proteins and emulsify the broth, resulting in a greasy texture, off-flavors, and watery rather than gelatinous texture.
- Add just enough water to cover the bird by an inch or two. For optimal gelatin, aim for equal amounts of leftover bones and water.
- If you're using an Instant Pot, you may crush or break the leftover bones a little so that they fit into the insert more efficiently.
- Don't simmer your broth too long. While cooking homemade bone broth for a very long time is popular, it can sometimes break down the gelatin. Instead, aim for about 4 to 6 hours. It will still be just as nutritious.
- To de-grease the broth, transfer it to a jar and let it rest in the fridge until the fat rises and the broth gels. When you're ready to serve it, gently lift the fat cap off the gelled liquid and discard it.
Tips for Seasoning the Broth
- Use the leftover turkey carcass from a roasted turkey. Roasting enhances the development of flavor, especially savory notes.
- Onions and garlic work well when you add them at the beginning, but avoid adding other vegetables too early.
- Carrots and other root vegetables can make the broth taste too sweet, while cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli can make it taste bitter when you add them too early.
- Salt your broth at the very end. As the broth cooks, its liquid evaporates. So, if you add salt too early in the process, your broth risks being too salty. Instead, add it to taste at the end or right before serving it.
- Add herbs toward the end of cooking. Their flavor will taste brighter without overpowering the broth. For the stovetop and slow cooker methods, that means you should add them in the last 20 to 30 minutes. Or let them steep in the Instant Pot for a few minutes before straining.
How to Use It
There are many different ways to use up your homemade turkey bone broth.
It's the perfect foundation for turkey soup, especially in combination with leftover meat. We love it in our turkey and wild rice soup recipe and find it also works well in place of homemade chicken broth in other recipes, although it has a deeper and richer flavor.
You can also sip it on its own or with chopped garlic and fresh herbs as a restorative tonic. Turmeric, ginger, and scallions are also nice additions to a sipping broth. It's a pleasant way to start the morning.
Consider freezing the broth and using it to make turkey gravy. You can also use it in place of water when cooking rice, beans, or braising vegetables.
It also makes a good choice as the liquid component of Sourdough Stuffing.
Get the Book
Our best-selling cookbook, Broth & Stock, guides you through making a dozen master recipes (for everything from bone broth to seafood stock) with guidance on how to use them to make amazing soups, stews, risottos, and more. It's everything you need to know about nourishing broths.
Variations + Substitutions
Make it plain. Made with only turkey bones and water, your broth will taste plain but will be versatile. That means you can add seasonings when you're ready to cook so that you can adjust the broth's flavor to suit the dish you're making.
Swap the wine for lemon juice. Many people will add a splash of apple cider vinegar to their homemade broth, but it can make your broth taste vinegary. Instead, wine gives better flavor. You can also skip the wine and add the juice of half a lemon, which gives just the right amount of acidity without the addition of alcohol.
Try different herbs and spices. While this version of turkey bone broth gets its flavor from onion, garlic, and herbs, you can also try other variations. Garlic, ginger, green onions, and crushed red paper flakes are nice together. Turmeric, ginger, and garlic are also delicious.
Add vegetable scraps. Veggie scraps, such as onion skins or carrot peelings, can lend both flavor and nutrients to your homemade turkey broth.
Add them toward the end of cooking (with about 30 minutes of cooking time left when using slow cookers or the stovetop method) for optimal flavor.
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Recipe Questions
Pour the broth into mason jars or another container with a tight-fitting lid, allowing at least 1 inch of headspace. Seal the jar tightly, and then place it in the fridge. It will last about 5 days
Yes. You can freeze turkey bone broth. Pour it into freezer-safe containers, allowing 2 inches of head space. Seal the jar and freeze it for up to 6 months.
If you wish to freeze it in smaller portions, pour the broth into ice cube trays and freeze. Then, transfer the frozen cubes of broth to a freezer bag and store them in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Yes. If you don't have a leftover turkey carcass, you can roast the raw bones on a rimmed baking sheet for about 20 minutes at 425 F.
Then, add the roasted bones, water, wine, and remaining ingredients to the pot and follow the recipe directions above.
Leg bones, neck bones, wing tips, and feet are rich in collagen and make excellent broth.
If you have leftover turkey bones but aren't ready to make broth immediately, transfer them to a resealable plastic bag or an airtight container and store them in the fridge or freezer. They'll keep in the fridge for about 3 days and in the freezer for about 6 months. Then you can make broth when you're ready.
Mivchele says
Good information, we have made several different batches of bone broth which we then can for later use. Thank you!
Nancy Splan says
Can you add time Ric to the broth? If so when and how much. ( using two oven roasted Turkey wings )
Jenny McGruther says
You can add turmeric or just about any spice you want.
Lynn says
Good general information with nice tips. Thanks!
Shelly Szekely says
Because of this recipe, I can now enjoy turkey broth! Thank you :)!
Shellan says
I'm going to try making your turkey bone broth recipe tomorrow. I have some fresh ginger that I'd like to add. Would I add it with the onions in the beginning or wait until the end and add it with the other herbs. Thanks! Can't wait to try it!
Lucia smith says
The recipe for Turkey Bone Broth is delicious. I added a bit of clarified butter to mine.
Kraig B Richard says
Flavored turkey fat is great for frying popcorn in.
Lisa says
My 4th recipe attempt and finally I got it right!!! Great flavor, no bitter taste and it gelled!!
Kaytie Hunt says
This sounds awesome! I can't wait to try it. I don't have any wine on hand... What is your opinion on using Apple Cider Vinegar instead?
Jenny says
I think a squeeze of lemon is more delicious.
Debra says
Would this work in a crock pot???
Jenny says
Yes, it should!
Liz (Eight Acres) says
Yum! I always make stock 🙂