Description
This Gut-Healthy Turkey Bone Broth recipe transforms a leftover roast turkey carcass into a nutrient-rich, flavorful broth perfect for soups, stews, or sipping on its own. With options to use a stovetop, slow cooker, or Instant Pot, this recipe provides a versatile and gut-supportive stock loaded with collagen, minerals, and natural flavors from turkey bones, vegetables, and herbs.
Ingredients
Scale
Base 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, enough to cover the bird by at least 1 inch)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- Generous sprinkle of sea salt
Optional Vegetables
- 1 medium yellow onion, quartered
- 2–3 large carrots, cut into rounds
- 2–3 large celery stalks, roughly chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
Optional Herbs
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon fresh herbs like sage, thyme, or rosemary
Instructions
- Prepare the Turkey Carcass: Break down the leftover turkey carcass into smaller parts if necessary to fit in your cooking vessel. Include skin and fat for extra richness.
- Add Ingredients to Cooking Vessel: Place the turkey carcass into a large Dutch oven, stockpot, slow cooker, or Instant Pot. Cover with filtered cold water (about 3 quarts or 12 cups) making sure the bird is submerged at least an inch. Add 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to help extract minerals from the bones.
- Cook the Broth:
- Stovetop Method: Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce to low simmer for 10-12 hours.
- Slow Cooker Method: Cook on low heat for 7 hours initially.
- Instant Pot Method: Seal and pressure cook on high for 120 minutes. Optionally, run a second cycle on low pressure for 120 minutes, followed by natural pressure release for 20-30 minutes.
- Add Vegetables and Garlic:
- Stovetop: Add optional garlic and vegetables 1 hour before finishing cooking.
- Slow Cooker: Add garlic and vegetables after first 7 hours, cook for an additional hour.
- Instant Pot: Add garlic and vegetables at start with carcass and vinegar.
- Add Fresh Herbs:
- Stovetop & Slow Cooker: Add fresh herbs and bay leaves 30 minutes before finishing cooking.
- Instant Pot: Stir in fresh herbs after cooking and allow to steep for 10 minutes.
- Season and Strain: Once cooked, season the broth with a generous sprinkle of sea salt. Pour the broth through a fine mesh sieve or strainer into a large bowl or container to remove solids and bones.
- Cool and Store: Quickly cool the strained broth using an ice bath until it reaches room temperature. Transfer to wide mouth glass jars. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for longer storage.
Notes
- For the richest flavor and best nutrition, simmer the broth low and slow (stovetop or slow cooker preferred).
- The Instant Pot method is a quicker alternative but may yield slightly less deep flavor.
- Add vegetables and garlic closer to the end of cooking to retain their flavor and nutrients without becoming mushy.
- Use apple cider vinegar to help extract minerals like calcium, magnesium, and potassium from the bones.
- Make sure to cool broth quickly to prevent bacterial growth and maximize safety.
- Discard or compost the solids after straining as they will have given up most of their nutrients.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10-12 hours (stovetop), 8 hours (slow cooker), 2-4 hours (Instant Pot including pressure release and herb steeping)
- Category: Broth
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: turkey bone broth, gut-healthy broth, homemade bone broth, turkey carcass broth, slow simmer broth, collagen broth, gut healing soup base
