Thank you to Sallie Godwin, Fall Line Farms & Local Roots customer and creator of Real Fat Life, for sharing this post with all the details on making turkey stock.
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 can easily be adapted for any kind of poultry stock – chicken, duck, or turkey – or a combination. All of it would be delicious! You really cant go wrong.
So be sure to save your turkey carcass from your Thanksgiving meal! I may just have a panic attack if anyone puts their turkey carcass in the trash… 😉
Turkey stock is the secret ingredient that can take your cooking to the next level. This flavorful broth made from turkey bones is easy to make, and has endless uses beyond just gravy. Here are 10 of my favorite ways to use turkey stock:
1. Make Turkey Gravy
The most common use for turkey stock is, of course, gravy. I use this homemade stock in both my classic turkey gravy and my flourless gravy. It adds an incredible depth of flavor that store-bought broths just can’t match.
2. Enhance Soups
Homemade turkey stock is a wonderful flavor booster for any homemade soup. Try it in recipes like Leftover Turkey Noodle Soup, Turkey and Rice Soup, or Turkey Meatball Vegetable Soup. The stock adds richness without overpowering other ingredients.
3. Cook Grains and Beans
Cooking rice, quinoa, oatmeal or beans in turkey broth instead of water makes them insanely delicious. The extra savory flavor takes a basic side dish to the next level.
4. Braise Vegetables
Turkey stock is perfect for braising vegetables like carrots, parsnips, turnips, onions and more. The collagen from the bones helps vegetables cook down into a velvety texture while absorbing delicious flavor.
5. Make Risotto
For incredible risotto replace half of the broth called for in a recipe with your homemade turkey stock. It adds mouthwatering flavor to every bite of creamy rice.
6. Stews and Chili
Homemade stock can add incredible depth and richness to hearty dishes like stew, chili and pot pie fillings Try it in recipes like turkey chili, beef stew or chicken pot pie
7. Pan Sauces and Gravies
After pan-searing or roasting meat, deglaze the pan with a bit of turkey stock. It picks up all those flavorful browned bits to make an easy, delicious pan sauce or gravy.
8. Cooking Grains and Beans
Cook your rice, quinoa, oats or beans in turkey stock instead of water for a major flavor upgrade. The savory broth takes a basic side dish to new heights.
9. Make Risotto
When making risotto, replace half the broth in a recipe with your homemade turkey stock for ultra-rich flavor. It adds so much depth to every creamy, dreamy bite.
10. Instant Pot Recipes
Turkey broth is the perfect cooking liquid for Instant Pot recipes. Replace water with stock in any recipe to add richness without overpowering the other ingredients.
From gravy to risotto, grains to veggie braises, turkey stock truly elevates everything it touches. Making your own is simple, economical and so worth the effort. I like to stock my freezer so I always have this liquid gold on hand. Give it a try, and transform your cooking!
Where do I find the ingredients?
I highly recommend getting your turkey or chicken from a pastured source. For sourcing the best quality, your best bet is finding a local farm, like the ones featured on Fall Line Farms and Local Roots! If you are buying from the grocery store, look for labels like “local” and “pasture-raised.”
Do not be fooled by marketing terms that do NOT mean anything — such as “vegetarian-fed” or “cage-free.” “Vegetarian-fed” actually means the birds were definitely in confinement; a birds natural diet when roaming on pasture contains bugs and grubs – which are NOT vegetarian. To guarantee something is “vegetarian fed” means it was raised indoors and fed grain. A “vegetarian-fed” bird is not going to have been raised in the outdoors or on pasture. “Cage-free” likewise just indicates they were raised in a warehouse – technically not in “cages” but in one giant cage- not in the outdoors and definitely not on pasture.
I highly recommend you find a good local farm. My favorite way to buy my ingredients for stock here in RVA is through Fall Line Farms and Local Roots – a local farm co-op! Fall Line Farms is a network of over 40 local farms and I can place ONE order and get everything I need!
Step 2: Let it soak.
Cover it all with filtered water and fill the stock pot. Add about 1/4-1/3 cup apple cider vinegar (this helps pull the nutrients out into the broth). Let it all soak for an hour or so until the turkey and chicken parts are thawed. (Sometimes I accidentally leave it longer, especially if it is frozen solid!)
Get The Most Out Of Your Turkey: How To Make Turkey Stock
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.
Why do you make Turkey stock?
But the main reason I make turkey stock is for gravy. If you can get ahead of the game plan and make your own turkey stock, you’ll have the best flavor base for your Thanksgiving gravy. Your turkey and your guests will thank you.
Can you use a turkey neck for Turkey stock?
Sometimes your whole turkey will be supplied with the turkey neck. They can be very tough to eat, hence why they aren’t typically used. However, they bring a lot of flavor when cooked for long periods of time, which makes them ideal for homemade turkey stock and turkey broth. Is turkey stock the same as turkey broth?