How to make Turkey stock

Turkey stock is a delicious and nutritious way to use up every last bit of that epic turkey you made a few days before. All that work you put into making the perfect holiday meal can be extended into soups and stews.

Stock is not much work at all and does not require any finicky measuring or a pile of ingredients. All you really need is your left over turkey carcass, a big stock pot, water, and maybe a bay leaf. If you have any vegetable scraps, you can throw them in too, but that is totally optional.

I love making stock from the left-over turkey. Because for us, in Canada, by the time Thanksgiving and Christmas roll around, it is freezing outside! That means, a hot bowl of soup, or a thick stew, is just what you want for dinner! Something nice and warm, after a long day outside, to warm you up!

How to cook the left-over turkey carcass

Get your big stock pot out. It has to be big enough to easily fit the turkey. Place the whole thing inside. Then you are going to fill the pot with water, until it covers the carcass. If you have a bay leaf, you can add that to the pot. This is optional. If you have any vegetable scraps, you can add them to the pot as well. Also optional.

Bring the contents of the pot to a boil and then turn down the temperature to simmer. Simmer for many hours. About 4-6 hours is optimal. Keep the lid on the pot and check it every now and then, to make sure it is not running out of liquid. If the liquid gets low, add more water.

Pretty simple right?

After the broth is done, let it cool and then strain everything out. Transfer to a large bowl.

If there is any turkey meat left on the bones you can remove, and reserve it as well, for any soup or stew recipes.

Once the broth cools to room temperature, place in the refrigerator. If you would like to, you can skim off all the fat the next day. It will all have settled and solidified on the top. (I always leave the fat on)

The broth should have gelatinized by the next day and will look like a bowl of meat jelly.

It is now ready to use in your favourite recipes!

Ingredients for turkey stock

1 turkey carcass

bay leaf (optional)

vegetable scraps (optional)

water

Method for turkey stock

1. In a large stock pot, place turkey carcass.
2. Cover with water, about 1-2 inches above the carcass.
3. Optional- Add bay leaf and vegetable scraps.
4. Bring to a boil and then reduce to simmer.
5. Cover and simmer 4-6 hours.
6. Strain out liquid into a large bowl.
7. Cool to room temperature and then cover and place in the refrigerator. Fat will solidify at the top.
8. Skim off fat, if desired.
9. Use stock in your favourite recipes!

Want some recipe ideas for your stock? Try these Creamy Turkey and Wild Rice Soup or creamy butternut squash soup.