Let’s get some extra mileage from your Thanksgiving or Christmas Roasted Turkey by repurposing the turkey bones to make the most delicious Homemade Turkey Bone Broth. This bone broth is savoury, rich and warming and makes for the most comforting and satisfying beverage this Fall and Winter season!
A bone broth is similar to your standard turkey stock but it’s cooked for a longer duration. The longer cook time helps break down the protein and connective tissues and extracts collagen. Now, you can make turkey bone broth over the stove but it would take hours. Using a pressure cooker, in my case an Instant Pot, speeds up the process without compromising the overall results.
My Homemade Turkey Bone Broth recipe calls for:
Roasted Turkey Bones: Once you have roasted your turkey and carved the meat off the bone, don’t throw away the leftover carcass, bones, wings and skin. Rather, set them aside and transform them into a glorious and gelatinous bone broth.
Apple Cider Vinegar: The apple cider vinegar works double duty here! It imparts flavour and aids in breaking down and extracting collagen from the bones.
Aromatics: A few simple aromatics, such as celery, onion, shallot, garlic, parsley, thyme leaves, bay leaves and peppercorns are added to the broth. These aromatics perfectly compliment the subtle flavour of the turkey, without overpowering it.
Enjoy a cup of broth as is or season it with salt and pepper. Use the turkey bone broth as the base for your soups and gravies, or use it to cook rice, quinoa, buckwheat or other grains. It’s quite versatile! So, why buy store-bought when you can make your own at home! Let me show you how it’s done! Grab a spoon and come and cook with me!
What should I do with the Homemade Turkey Bone Broth? Substitute it for chicken stock and use it in my White Bean and Kale Soup and Homemade Tomato Soup recipes!
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 120 minutes
Total Time: 125 minutes
Serves: Makes 3.2L
What you need:
For this recipe, I use a 6 Quart Instant Pot. Given that Instant Pot models, and other pressure cooker brands, vary by type and size, be sure to follow the preparation, cooking, natural release and venting instructions, enclosed with your machine.
Ingredients:
2.2 lbs roasted turkey bones
2 stalks of celery, cut into thirds
1 large white onion, halved
1 shallot, halved
1 head of garlic, cut crosswise
1/2 cup fresh parsley stems and leaves
3 bay leaves
5 thyme sprigs
20 whole black peppercorns
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
10 - 10 1/2 cups filtered water
Instructions:
To a 6 quart Instant Pot, add the turkey bones, celery, onion, shallot, garlic, parsley, bay leaves, thyme, peppercorns and apple cider vinegar.
Pour in enough water to sit below the MAX fill line. Be careful not to overfill your machine. This should approximate between 10 - 10 1/2 cups but, ultimately, it will depend on the size of the bones and other ingredients added to the pot.
Cover the Instant Pot with the lid, secure and lock it in place. Ensure that the steam release handle or knob is set or turned to the “Sealing” position.
Press the “Pressure Cooking” program button and set the cook time to 2 hours.
Once the broth has finished cooking, press “Cancel” to end the cooking process, and prevent the machine from entering the “Keep Warm” program.
Let the Instant Pot sit undisturbed for approximately 30 minutes, to naturally release some of the pressure. Then, using a silicone oven mitt or a long handled wooden spoon, carefully turn the steam release handle to “Venting” to allow the remaining steam to release.
Once all the steam has released, using silicon oven mitts, carefully open the lid. Allow the broth to cool slightly.
Using tongs, remove the bones and large vegetables and discard them. Then, strain the rest of the broth over a large bowl or stockpot, using a wire meshed sieve.
Let the broth cool. Transfer the broth to airtight containers, such mason jars, cover and place in the refrigerator overnight.
Once the broth has chilled, skim or scrape off the solid layer of fat. You can discard the fat or save it and use it in other recipes.
When you are ready to use the bone broth, simply reheat it. Enjoy a mugful of hot broth as is or use it as a base for your favourite recipe.
Notes:
Gelatinous Consistency of the Broth: The consistency of the bone broth will change when refrigerated overnight. It will turn gelatinous but don’t worry. This is totally normal and it will return to its liquid state when reheated.
Freezing Bone Broth: You worked so hard to create that beautiful broth, it would be a shame if it spoiled in the refrigerator. To extend the longevity of this dish, pour the chilled broth into ice cube trays, freeze and store the frozen broth cubes in a ziplock bag. Now, you’ve got individual portions that can be added to soups, gravies or sauces in a moment’s notice.