Turkey is eaten, desserts are done, kitchen is clean, and another Thanksgiving is over.  Now, what to do with the leftovers and picked-over Turkey carcass?

So happy you asked. That turkey carcass contains everything you need to make your own delicious, nutrition-packed, gut healing bone broth. And frankly, it’s sinfully easy to make. If you can boil water, you can make Turkey Bone Broth. It also reduces food waste!

All you need are the leftover turkey bones, a couple of vegetables (or your scraps from cooking) and the same herbs you used to cook the turkey. You can make the stock over the stove, in a crock pot or an Insta-pot [see instructions for each method below].

The bones give the stock a deep, savory flavor enhanced by onion, garlic, and herbs. White wine adds acidity to the broth and helps break down the collagen in the turkey bones, resulting in a silky, gelatinous broth.

And there are so many ways to use your homemade turkey bone broth. We love it in our Best Ever Gluten-Free Turkey Gravy. It gives a wonderful, savory richness to soups or any other dish you would usually use a chicken broth for. You can even sip it on its own for a cozy gut healing drink.

There are so many reasons to love bone broth…

The bones are an excellent source of collagen, a compound which is packed with glucosamine, chondroitin, and hyaluronic acid. You need plenty of collagen for flexible joints, wound healing, and skin elasticity. Collagen also nourishes the intestinal lining and helps seal the gut. Collagen breaks down to protein-rich gelatin. Gelatin eases gut inflammation and keeps hair and nails healthy, too.

Bone broth is also rich in glutamine and arginine, amino acids that support digestive health.  It also contains glycine which promotes relaxation and deeper sleep.

Tips for easy prep

Save all your veggie scraps from cooking your holiday feast! This will not only provide some beautiful balance and flavor to your broth but also reduce food waste (which we love). You can add everything from sweet potato peels to onion skins to you pot.

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 cooking this recipe on the stove, let the broth come to a boil, then immediately turn down the heat. when you're cooking this recipe on the stove. Prolonged boiling can damage the proteins and emulsify the broth, resulting in a greasy texture, off-flavors, and watery rather than gelatinous texture.

Want an alternative to white wine for your broth? Apple Cider Vinegar is a great way to add some acidity for balance without having to use wine. You can also try lemon juice for a brighter flavor. For lemon juice, we recommend adding at the end of the cooking process. And, for both alternatives, we would recommend going off of taste vs measuring to ensure your broth is just right.

Add herbs toward the end of cooking. Their flavor will taste brighter without overpowering the broth. For stovetop and slow cooker add them in the last 20 to 30 minutes. For Instant Pot, let the herbs steep for about 10-15 minutes before straining.

Add salt and pepper at the end of cooking. As the bone broth simmers, its liquid evaporates. Adding salt too early can make your broth too salty.

Skimming the fat

When your broth is done, you want to keep the brothy goodness but get rid of the oil slick. The best way to do this is with a fat separator. It allows you to pour off the broth and leave the fat behind.

Put the strainer on top of the measuring cup and the stopper in the spout.  Pour in your broth and wait a few minutes until the fat rises to the top.  Then, remove the stopper and pour the broth into a jar, leaving the fat in the separator.

If you don’t have a fat separator, no problem. Just transfer the bone broth to a jar and let it rest in the fridge until the fat rises and the broth gels. When ready to serve, gently scrape the fat cap off the gelled liquid and discard it.

Turkey Bone Broth

INGREDIENTS

• leftover carcass from your roasted turkey
• 1 carrot (broken in half)
• 1 celery stalk (broken in half)
• 1 medium yellow onion (quartered)
• 4 cloves garlic (smashed)
• ½ cup white wine
• water to cover the turkey
• ½ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley [or 2 tablespoons dried]
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves [or 1 tsp dried]
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage [or 1 tsp dried]
• Salt and pepper [add at end]

INSTRUCTIONS

Stovetop:

1. Place the turkey bones, onion, carrot, celery, garlic, and wine into a large stockpot. Cover with water by two inches, and then bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Immediately turn down the heat to medium-low and keep at a bare simmer for 4 to 6 hours. Don’t simmer for more than 6 hours, otherwise the gelatin can break down.
2. Toss in the parsley, thyme, sage, and bay leaf during the last 30 minutes of cooking. Strain the broth and transfer it to jars.

Instant Pot

1. Place the turkey bones, onion, carrot, celery, and garlic into the insert of your Instant Pot. Pour in the wine, and then pour in water to barely cover the bones. You can crush or break the leftover bones a little so that they fit into the insert more efficiently.  Seal, and then pressure cook for 90 minutes.  Allow the pressure to release naturally.
2. Open the pressure cooker, then toss the parsley, thyme, sage, and bay leaf. Let the herbs steep for about 5 to 10 minutes, and then strain the broth, and then transfer it to a jar.

Slow Cooker

1. Arrange the turkey bones, onion, carrot, celery, and garlic into the insert of your slow cooker. Pour in the wine, then pour water enough water to cover the bones. Cook over low heat for 6 hours, and then toss in the herbs. Continue cooking for a further 20 minutes.
2. Strain, and then transfer the broth to a jar.