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Okay, I truly do love Thanksgiving turkey, but honestly I’m more excited for the leftover bones, which I can use to make homemade turkey bone broth!
I love bone broth so much, and there is nothing quite like homemade bone broth (the flavor is so much better and you get way more bang for your buck!)
When it tastes this good, it makes such a great protein-rich sipper on it’s own (love it first thing in the morning or for a midday pick-me-up) but it also adds an abundance of flavor and gut-healthy nutrients to soups, stews, grains and ofc, bone broth hot chocolate!
While the process might seem intimidating, I promise you it is SO easy, especially when you already have everything you need from your Thanksgiving leftovers. Plus it’s so much less expensive than store bought bone broth.
Snag all of the details and tips for this super simple, super delicious, gut-healthy turkey bone broth recipe below.
Want more cozy, delicious + gut & hormone healthy recipes? Snag my 28 Day Hormone Balance Reset Plan.
WHAT IS TURKEY BONE BROTH?
Turkey bone broth is made by simmering the bones, skin or the carcass of a turkey for hours. This slow cooking process breaks down the connective tissues, naturally increasing the amount of bioavailable protein, gelatin, collagen, minerals and amino acids in the broth. These nutrients are all linked to an array of hormone supportive and gut-healthy ingredients.
HEALTH BENEFITS OF TURKEY BONE BROTH
As you just learned, turkey bone broth is loaded with nutrients linked to an array of hormone supportive and gut healthy benefits. These include:
+ BOOSTS GUT HEALTH
Bone broth contains compounds and amino acids such as glutamine, glycine, proline, gelatin and collagen that reduce intestinal inflammation and boost digestion and nutrient absorption.
+ SUPPORTS MENSTRUAL CYCLE HEALTH
Bone broth is rich in minerals like calcium, magnesium and potassium that aid in several hormonal and reproductive processes, including stimulating ovulation (necessary for fertility and a healthy cycle!) and reducing pms.
+ BOOSTS THYROID/METABOLISM
Calcium, magnesium and potassium also boost thyroid conversion, helping you convert inactive T4 to its active T3 form. This works to boost your metabolism and also regulate your menstrual cycle.
+ PROMOTES HEALTHY SKIN, NAILS + HAIR
Bone broth is an amazing source of collagen, which helps to strengthen and repair our tissues like skin, bones, muscles and tendons.
+ REDUCES INFLAMMATION
Bone broth is loaded with minerals and amino acids like proline that boost your immune system and flight inflammation!
+ PROMOTES RELAXATION + OPTIMAL SLEEP
Both broth is high in magnesium, which promotes optimal muscle relaxation. Additionally bone broth contains glycine, an amino acid that has been linked to deep, restorative sleep.
HOW TO MAKE TURKEY BONE BROTH (3 WAYS!)
Making turkey bone broth is super simple, and you can do it in a variety of ways. Here’s how to make it on the stovetop, in a slow cooker or an instant pot!
STOVETOP METHOD
1) Add the turkey carcass (bones and skin) to a large dutch oven or stockpot (you may need to break them down into smaller parts to fit). Cover with filtered cold water, around 3 quarts or 12 cups. Add in apple cider vinegar. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce to a low simmer for 10-12 hours.
2) If adding in garlic and vegetables, add them to your slow cooker 1 hour before finishing.
3) If using additional herbs, place them in 30 minutes before finishing cooking.
4) Once finished, season with sea salt, then strain through a fine mesh sieve or strainer into a large bowl or container. Quickly cool with an ice bath to room temp (see tips under storage) then transfer into wide mouth glass jars. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze.
SLOW COOKER METHOD
1) Add the turkey carcass (including skin and fat) to your slow cooker (you may need to break them down into smaller parts to fit). Cover with filtered cold water, around 3 quarts or 12 cups, then add in apple cider vinegar.
2) Cook on low heat for 7 hours, then add in vegetables and garlic if using and cook for 1 hour (cook 8 hours total).
3) Add in herbs, if using, the last 30 minutes of cooking.
4) Once finished, season with sea salt, then strain through a fine mesh sieve or strainer into bowls or containers. Quickly cool via an ice bath (see tips under storage) and transfer into wide mouth glass jars. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze.
INSTANT POT METHOD
1) Add the turkey carcass (including skin and fat) to your instant pot. Cover with filtered cold water, around 3 quarts or 12 cups, then add in apple cider vinegar, and optional vegetables and garlic.
2) Seal and pressure cook manually on high for 120 minutes. Allow pressure to release naturally.
3) Open and toss in the herbs, allowing them to steep for 10 minutes.
4) Once finished, season with sea salt, then strain through a fine mesh sieve or strainer and quickly cool via an ice bath (see tips under storage). Transfer into wide mouth glass jars. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze.
*Please note, this method will not be as effective as using the stovetop or slow cooker as you really need to simmer it low and slow for hours to obtain the ideal bone broth texture and taste. That being said it’s still a relatively good alternative if short on time.
TIPS FOR MAKING TURKEY BONE BROTH
+ Keep The Skin/Fat On The Bones
It might sound weird, but these connective tissues are a rich source of collagen, which contributes significantly to the bone broth’s texture and gut-healthy benefits!
+ Don’t Overcook
You want to make sure not to overcook the broth by boiling it, which can damage the proteins and result in a watery broth (you want it gelatinous!). Make sure once the broth comes to a boil that you reduce immediately to a simmer to keep the texture and flavors balanced and the nutrient profile high. Low and slow baby!
+ Don’t Skip The Apple Cider Vinegar
This is an important step to making any homemade bone broth, as it helps to break down the collagen and draw nutrients out of the bones.
+ Make Sure Your Water is Cold
Cold water keeps the bone broth from becoming cloudy, as well as helps to release impurities to the top of the bone broth where they can be skimmed off.
+ Add Vegetables + Herbs Towards The End
Cooking the vegetables and herbs too early on will change the flavor profile (and not in a good way). Add the vegetables the last hour of cooking and herbs the last 30 minutes to keep the flavors bright without overpowering the taste!
+ Salt Your Broth Right At The End
Because liquid evaporates as it cooks, if you salt the broth too early on it might become overly salty. Instead, salt to taste at the end once the broth has finished cooking.
+ Cool Quickly
Before storing your bone broth, you want it to cool to room temp, which can take awhile. I recommend straining your broth with a fine mesh sieve into large containers, then setting those containers into a large bowl with ice water to cool to room temp quickly.
HOW TO STORE TURKEY BONE BROTH
This recipe makes a lot of turkey bone broth (approximately 12 individual servings) so I like to keep some in my fridge to use the first few days and freeze the rest to keep it fresh.
Before this step, it’s important to make sure your bone broth has cooled to room temp (this will preserve the texture and taste). Because this can take awhile, I like to do an ice bath by straining the broth through a fine mesh sieve into containers or bowls, then placing those upright in a larger bowl of ice water.
Once cooled to room temp, you can then pour the broth into wide mouth glass jars with sealable lids to store in the fridge, or pour into silicone ice molds to store in the freezer (you can also store in glass jars in the freezer but please read tips below to ensure the glass doesn’t break).
HOW TO FREEZE TURKEY BONE BROTH
+ Silicone Ice Cube Tray Method
Personally, I think the easiest way to store turkey bone broth in the freezer is in silicone ice cube molds. This way you can remove individual serving sizes easily and let defrost slowly in the fridge, or add them to a cup and place the cup in a bowl of hot water to defrost quickly. You can also pour piping hot water over the cubes, but note this will dilute the bone broth concentration a bit.
To use this method, make sure your bone broth has cooled to room temp (see tips under storage for how to cool quickly), then pour into the silicone mold evenly. Cover with the lid and place in the freezer until ready to use.
+ Glass Jar Method
You can also store your bone broth in glass jars in the freezer, but there are a few steps you must do to make sure the glass doesn’t break!
First, make sure your bone broth has cooled to room temp (see steps under storage for how to cool quickly). Pour into a wide mouth glass jar with a sealable lid, making sure to leave at least 1 inch of room at the top (this gives the liquid room to “expand” without breaking the jar). When ready to place in your freezer, make sure the jar is standing upright, otherwise the ice can’t “expand up” and could break the jar.
HOW TO USE TURKEY BONE BROTH
This turkey bone broth recipe is extremely versatile and tastes good in SO many recipes! I especially love using it the following ways:
+ Use as A Cooking Liquid In Soups, Stews & Grains
+ Use to Make Bone Broth Hot Chocolate
+ Drink On It’s Own As A Sipper
+ Use it In Casseroles, Stuffings Or Pot Pies
+ As A Braising Liquid For Cooking Meat
GUT-HEALTHY RECIPES TO USE YOUR TURKEY BONE BROTH
+ Bone Broth Hot Chocolate
+ Immunity Boosting Chicken Chickpea Noodle Soup
+ Thanksgiving Stuffing With Brussels, Butternut Squash + Pecans
+ Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Soup
+ Healthy White Chicken Chili
+ Smoky Sweet Potato + Turkey Chili
+ Cozy Coconut Curry Chicken Stew
+ Gut-Healthy Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad (use to cook the quinoa!)
+ Cozy Beef Stew
+ Super Saucy Shredded Chicken Tacos
+ BBQ Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
+ Gut-Friendly Sweet Potato, Pesto + Quinoa Bowl (use as a liquid to cook the quinoa)
+ Gut-Friendly Paleo Butter Chicken
+ Eggplant Curry + Cardamom Spiced Quinoa
+ Stuffed Acorn Squash Bowls (use to cook the quinoa)
+ Gut-Healing Chicken Korma
+ Spiced Chickpea Sweet Potato + Cauliflower Curry
MORE GUT-HEALTHY RECIPES + RESOURCES
+ Gut-Health & Hormones — How To Improve Both Naturally
+ Gut-Healthy Homemade Marshmallows
+ Gut-Healthy Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats
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*Photography by Tanya Pilgram
Gut-Healthy Turkey Bone Broth Recipe
This gut-healthy turkey bone broth recipe is the best way to use up your Thanksgiving leftovers! Stovetop, slow cooker + instant pot options.
|
PREP TIME: |
TOTAL TIME: |
|
10 Mins |
12:10 Hours |
Ingredients
- 1 leftover roast turkey carcass including skin and fat (preferably from a 12-18 lb roast turkey)
- Filtered cold water, to cover (approximately 3 quarts or 12 cups, you want the entire bird covered by at least 1 inch)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- Optional 1 medium yellow onion, quartered
- Optional 2-3 large carrots, cut into rounds
- Optional 2-3 large celery stalks, roughly chopped
- Optional 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
- Optional 2 bay leaves
- Optional 1 tablespoon fresh herbs like sage, thyme or rosemary
- Generous sprinkle of sea salt
Instructions
STOVETOP METHOD:
- Add the turkey carcass (bones and skin) to a large dutch oven or stockpot (you may need to break them down into smaller parts to fit). Cover with filtered cold water, around 3 quarts or 12 cups. Add in apple cider vinegar. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce to a low simmer for 10-12 hours.
- If adding in garlic and vegetables, add them to your slow cooker 1 hour before finishing.
- If using additional herbs, place them in 30 minutes before finishing cooking.
- Once finished, season with sea salt, then strain through a fine mesh sieve or strainer into a large bowl or container. Quickly cool with an ice bath to room temp (see tips under storage) then transfer into wide mouth glass jars. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze.
SLOW-COOKER METHOD:
- Add the turkey carcass (including skin and fat) to your slow cooker (you may need to break them down into smaller parts to fit). Cover with filtered cold water, around 3 quarts or 12 cups, then add in apple cider vinegar.
- Cook on low heat for 7 hours, then add in vegetables and garlic if using and cook for 1 hour (cook 8 hours total).
- Add in herbs, if using, the last 30 minutes of cooking.
- Once finished, season with sea salt, then strain through a fine mesh sieve or strainer into bowls or containers. Quickly cool via an ice bath (see tips under storage) and transfer into wide mouth glass jars. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze.
INSTANT-POT METHOD:
- Add the turkey carcass (including skin and fat) to your instant pot. Cover with filtered cold water, around 3 quarts or 12 cups, then add in apple cider vinegar, and optional vegetables and garlic.
- Seal and pressure cook manually on high for 120 minutes. Allow pressure to release naturally.
- Open and toss in the herbs, allowing them to steep for 10 minutes.
- Once finished, season with sea salt, then strain through a fine mesh sieve or strainer and quickly cool via an ice bath (see tips under storage). Transfer into wide mouth glass jars. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze.
*Please note, this method will not be as effective as using the stovetop or slow cooker as you really need to simmer it low and slow for hours to obtain the ideal bone broth texture and taste. That being said it’s still a relatively good alternative if short on time.
Notes
*For tips on how to quickly cool via an ice bath see the section “how to store turkey bone broth.”
**For freezing tips see section on “how to freeze turkey bone broth.”
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