Ah, Thanksgiving A time for family, friends, and of course, mountains of delicious food. But what happens to all those leftover turkey bones? Don’t toss them out just yet! With a little effort, you can transform those bones into a rich, flavorful turkey stock that will elevate your soups, stews, and gravies to a whole new level
Why Roasted Bones Make the Best Stock:
Roasting your turkey bones before making stock is a game-changer The high heat caramelizes the bones and vegetables, creating a deeper, more complex flavor than you’d get from simply simmering them in water This extra step is definitely worth the effort, especially if you’re looking to impress your guests with a truly exceptional stock.
Two Ways to Make Turkey Stock from Roasted Bones:
There are two main methods for making turkey stock from roasted bones: the Serious Eats method and the NYT Cooking method Both methods are excellent, but they differ slightly in their approach.
The Serious Eats Method:
- Roast the bones: Preheat your oven to 450°F and roast the turkey bones for 20-25 minutes, or until they’re nicely browned.
- Sauté the vegetables: While the bones are roasting, sauté some chopped onions, carrots, and celery in a large pot. This helps to further develop the flavor of the stock.
- Deglaze the pan: Add white wine to the pot and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom. This adds even more depth of flavor to the stock.
- Add the bones and water: Transfer the roasted bones to the pot and add enough water to cover them completely. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 3-4 hours.
- Strain and season: Strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve and discard the solids. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
The NYT Cooking Method:
- Roast the bones and vegetables: Preheat your oven to 450°F and toss the turkey bones, onions, carrots, and celery with a little oil. Roast for 20-25 minutes, or until the vegetables are browned and the bones are sizzling.
- Deglaze the pan: Add white wine to the roasting pan and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom.
- Transfer to a stockpot: Transfer the roasted bones and vegetables to a large stockpot and add enough water to cover them completely. Add a few additional aromatics like garlic, thyme, and bay leaves.
- Simmer and strain: Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 3-4 hours. Strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve and discard the solids.
Tips for Making the Best Turkey Stock:
- Use a variety of vegetables: Don’t be afraid to experiment with different vegetables in your stock. Onions, carrots, and celery are classics, but you could also add parsnips, leeks, or even mushrooms.
- Add aromatics: A few sprigs of fresh thyme, rosemary, or bay leaves will add an extra layer of flavor to your stock.
- Don’t overcook the bones: If you roast the bones for too long, they can become dry and brittle, which will affect the flavor of the stock.
- Use a good quality water: The quality of your water will affect the taste of your stock. If you have access to filtered water, use that.
- Season to taste: Don’t be afraid to adjust the seasonings in your stock to your liking. Start with a small amount of salt and pepper, and add more to taste.
Making turkey stock from roasted bones is a simple yet rewarding process. With a little time and effort, you can create a delicious and versatile stock that will elevate your cooking to new heights. So next time you have leftover turkey bones, don’t throw them away! Instead, use them to make a batch of this amazing stock and enjoy the rich, flavorful results.
Additional Resources:
- Serious Eats Turkey Stock Recipe: https://www.seriouseats.com/brown-turkey-stock-recipe
- NYT Cooking Roasted Turkey Stock Recipe: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1015731-roasted-turkey-stock
- Tips for Making the Best Turkey Stock: https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-turkey-stock-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-170113
- How to Freeze Turkey Stock: https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/how_to_freeze_turkey_stock/
Frequently Asked Questions:
- Can I use chicken bones instead of turkey bones?
Yes, you can use chicken bones to make stock. The flavor will be slightly different, but it will still be delicious.
- How long does turkey stock last in the refrigerator?
Turkey stock will last for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
- Can I freeze turkey stock?
Yes, you can freeze turkey stock for up to 6 months.
- What can I use turkey stock for?
Turkey stock can be used in soups, stews, gravies, and sauces. It can also be used to cook rice or quinoa.
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Although I like Goin and the NYT, I think it’s absurd that home cooks can make this stock with a turkey carcass. It would be so much more helpful to have a recipe with turkey parts we could buy at the supermarket and the number of pounds we would need (who is making a turkey a week before Thanksgiving?)
I buy three or four turkey backs a week before Thanksgiving so I can roast them and make stock. Ask your butcher These carcass parts seem to be readily available.
Not sure why all the hoopla a year ago about turkey carcass before Thanksgiving. I believe this recipe is meant to be used after Thanksgiving, as I roasted the carcass of a cooked and consumed turkey, as that’s when I found it. followed the recipe step by step and the stock is delicious!!.
There is such a thing (a holder for zip-top bags). I constantly use mine to hold bags open and to dry them after washing so I can use them again. Google the Jokari zip-top bag holder, or search for it on Amazon. It folds up so it doesnt take up too much space.
I made this stock today. I roasted turkey parts—wings, thighs, and drumsticks—with aromatics, white wine, and water. When the turkey was done, I stripped the meat and proceeded with the recipe as above. My kitchen smells fantastic! Stock will be ready for gravy next Thursday!.
I froze mine for Thanksgiving last year and completely forgot it was in there. How long does turkey stock last in a heavy freezer? Can I use it this year for gravy? Thanks.
Dont add the aromatics until after the stock has been skimmed.
If you spatchcock the turkey you have the back, neck, wing tips, gizzards, and heart for stock. And the turkey roasts better.
gelatinous is completely normal. Thats because of the bones. Means you did it right.
This is superior stock – with deep color and flavor. A great start for gravy and for soup the day after. As recommended in another comment, I used two turkey wings, removing the best meat after roasting for some enchiladas. Cut the recipe in half. Definitely worth the effort!.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/19/dining/191grex.html i still use this Moskin NYT recipe from 2008 to make ahead turkey stock from wings and drumsticks
Roasted three turkey wings and one neck after seasoning them with a northern Italian salt containing thyme, rosemary, and possibly fennel seed. Used a few shallots, a leek, and a couple of onions along with the wings etc. , so the stock benefited from both meat and bones. Absolutely terrific. Will never do it any other way.
I use quart freezer bags to store my stock, and so far they fit perfectly in 4 cup Pyrex measuring cups. So easy to defrost as well in a bowl of warm water. It only takes a few minutes.
Better way to store in freezer bags. Ideally the quart or cup sized freezer bag would be standing, open at the top, when being filled. Such a plastic container to hold it in place doesnt exist, to my knowledge. I’ll improvise a standing vertical corrugated cardboard sleeve that is roughly 6″ X 6″ X 2″ and open at the top to accommodate the quart size. To be continued in my next note, since Im running out of characters.
Excellent recipe. Making your own stock is easy but elevates your cooking up several notches, as Emeril would say. I freeze stock in the plastic containers. They stack nicely. I have also canned it, but freezing is easier.
I purchase a fresh turkey several days in advance and debone it, removing the wings and legs before chopping off the back and several ribs to reveal a perfectly cooked breast. After that, you can roast the white and dark meat separately to balance cooking times: 150°F for the white meat and 175°F for the dark, roasting low and slow at 275°F (thanks to Serious Eats). You can also use the neck, back, and wing tips for stock.
I get a smoked turkey every year for Thanksgiving and the stock from it is amazing in risotto. I had already dumped everything in the stockpot with the water when I ran across this recipe. I wonder whether the veg roasting and wine reduction is worth the trouble?.
This stock has a pleasant flavor profile, with the chili appearing at the ideal time in the aftertaste. made me exclaim, “ooh, yes please!”. However, I do wish the recipe had been modified to account for kitchens without gas stoves, as most of the country will eventually have these. Despite my inability to reduce the wine into a syrup or sauté the turkey, I managed to remove the leftover bits from the pan and still had an amazing stock.
I would suggest the following advice to people who take a “use-it-all” approach: 1) Gather your vegetable leftovers when preparing for T-Day: onion ends, green beans, broccoli stalks, apple cores, lemon rinds, etc. 2) Add more spices: sage, rosemary, cumin, allspice. 3) I have never bothered with the roasting part of the process. I might not stick to a precise recipe, but I can assure you that my turkey stock/soup is just as anticipated as the first time you have the bird.
Thought Id try something new. I found that this is not my favorite approach to making stock. There is significantly less collagen available for breakdown, which results in a less rich stock and a less silky mouthfeel. Theres also a distinct burned undertone in the finished product.
How big are NYT onions? My onions are 12oz ea on average. So 4-5 onions come to 3 lbs. Seems like a lot?.
Since we usually grill or smoke our turkey, I didn’t have a good roasting pan, so I used a heavy-duty foil-lined sheet pan. When the vegetables were almost done, I added wine to the sheet pan right before removing the carcass bones. Deglazed the foil with very little scraping, and the wine reduces while the veggies finish cooking! So simple. Next time, will try vermouth in place of the wine.
Since unable to find turkey parts, I used a family pack of chicken legs and proceeded as directed. Picked off the cooked leg meat while the veggies were roasting and used for a tasty soup. Stock was 100% delicious. I think the wine & red pepper (i used red pepper flakes) adds a great note. Cant wait to taste in my Thanksgiving recipes.
Has anyone tried making a basic turkey noodle soup with carrots using this stock and wondered why it says it shouldn’t be used for turkey soup?
It claims that using it for CHICKEN soup will result in turkey soup since the flavor of the turkey will overpower the chicken. However, substituting this turkey stock for chicken stock in most other applications won’t significantly alter the finished dish.
I use turkey wings to make my gravy ahead of time.
I disassemble the carcass and bones, add them to a crockpot with onions, carrots, and celery, along with some thyme, sage, or rosemary, and cover with water after Thanksgiving dinner and cleanup. Set it on low and let it do its thing overnight. This makes a very clear broth and the house smells great in the morning. After that, I use the stock to make turkey noodle soup with leftover meat, freshly chopped vegetables, some leftover gravy, stuffing, and ditalini pasta. BEST SOUP EVER!.
I too buy extra turkey parts for my gravy base, but better than roasted is smoked. Yes, your gravy’s subtle smoky flavor will have everyone at the table raving about it. If you dont have time/ equipment to smoke them yourself, buy already smoked turkey necks, legs, whatever.
I use the onion, garlic, carrot, and celery trimmings that I store in a ziploc bag in my freezer for veggie stock instead of using fresh vegetables. And, Ill argue against peeling carrots every time.
My idea is to make a stock with the neck, wing tips, and some chicken bones before roasting the turkey. I dont want that much turkey stock before hand.
Because we grill our turkey every year, I use a similar recipe as the foundation for our gravy. Purchase turkey wings or legs and roast them in a large Dutch oven with celery, carrots, and onion if you don’t have a carcass, which is usually the case! After draining the fat to use as a foundation for your roux, add water to the pot and bring it to a boil for stock. You can do this a couple of days before Thanksgiving and just reheat the gravy when you’re ready. Private notes are only visible to you.
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