If you've ever wondered how to make turkey broth that's rich and flavorful, this is the recipe! After years of making it, I've perfected a method that starts with roasting turkey pieces and vegetables to develop deep, savory flavor. Slowly simmered for hours, the result is beautiful golden broth that's the secret to incredible Thanksgiving gravy, soups, and sauces. It's a depth of flavor no store-bought version can match.
Is turkey stock the same as turkey broth? Basically, yes. Technically, broth is made with meaty turkey pieces, while stock is made primarily from bones. You may also hear it called turkey bone broth-in everyday cooking, these terms are often used interchangeably. Whatever you call it, this homemade broth is a flavorful foundation for Thanksgiving gravy, soups, stews, and risotto.
Turkey Broth Recipe Snapshot
- Rich flavor, simple process - Roasting turkey pieces and vegetables develops deep, savory flavor with very little extra effort.
- Better than store-bought - Rich flavor, wonderful aroma, and simple ingredients make homemade turkey broth worth the effort.
- Make ahead and freeze - Divide the process over two days (if preferred), then freeze portions for future soups, sauces, risotto, and gravy.
To make a terrific turkey soup, use this recipe for chicken vegetable soup and swap leftover turkey and turkey broth.
Ingredients You'll Need
Instead of using a leftover roasted turkey carcass, this recipe starts with fresh turkey pieces-similar to making homemade chicken broth, but with the added flavor of roasting the turkey and vegetables first.
- Turkey - Use legs, thighs, backs, necks, or a combination, depending on what's available. Meaty, bone-in pieces provide rich flavor, while bones and connective tissue add body to the broth.
- Onions - Yellow, brown, or sweet onions add savory depth. Avoid red onions, which can tint the broth.
- Carrots - Add natural sweetness and balance. Along with onions and celery, they form the classic French flavor base called mirepoix.
- Celery ribs - Add an aromatic, earthy flavor that balances the broth.
- Garlic (optional) - A whole head, halved crosswise, adds subtle sweetness and savory depth. Roasting mellows garlic's sharpness and develops sweet, savory flavors that add wonderful depth without making the broth taste garlicky.
- White wine or dry vermouth (optional) - Adds depth and subtle acidity. Small airline-size bottles are handy to keep on hand for cooking.
- Bay leaves - Add a subtle herbal note that rounds out the flavor.
- Parsley - Fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley adds a clean herbal flavor. Skip the dried.
- Thyme - Fresh sprigs are best; add them whole. One of my favorite herbs for turkey broth.
- Black peppercorns - Whole peppercorns add gentle warmth without overpowering the broth.
Please see the recipe card for measurements.
Chef's Tip - Remove the Skin Before Roasting. Removing the turkey skin before roasting produces a cleaner, less fatty broth. It reduces the amount of fat you'll need to skim later and leaves more room in the pot for meaty, collagen-rich turkey pieces that build flavor and body. You'll still get beautiful golden color and deep flavor from roasting the turkey and vegetables, plus a broth that's easier to use for gravy, soups, and sauces.
How to Make Turkey Broth
Start in the oven: Roasting is the secret to rich, deeply flavorful turkey broth. It develops savory flavor in the turkey pieces and vegetables, giving the finished broth a beautiful golden-brown color. It's the difference between good turkey broth and truly great broth.
Because this recipe makes a large batch (perfect for freezing), I prefer the stovetop stockpot method. It provides a generous yield and allows the broth to simmer gently for hours. An Instant Pot is another excellent option for making a smaller, half batch in less time. See the Instant Pot instructions below.
Step 1: Roast the turkey and vegetables
Remove as much skin as possible from the turkey pieces. Arrange them in a large roasting pan, then scatter the roughly chopped carrots, celery, onions, and halved, unpeeled head of garlic around them.
Roast at 375°F for 1 hour. Add 1 cup of dry white wine or dry white vermouth and roast for another 30 minutes to develop deeper flavor and color. When removing the pan from the oven, be sure to scrape up any browned bits (called fond) from the bottom of the pan.
Make-ahead option: Allow the roasted turkey and vegetables to cool in the roasting pan, then transfer everything-including the meat, bones, vegetables, and pan juices-to airtight containers. Refrigerate overnight and finish making the broth the next day. Breaking the process into two days makes a large batch much more manageable.
Step 2: Make the broth
Early the next morning, transfer the turkey and vegetables into a large 10-12-quart stockpot, including all of the pan juices and browned bits. Add 5 quarts of cold water, along with the bay leaves, fresh thyme, parsley, and whole black peppercorns.
Bring the pot to a simmer, then reduce the heat to maintain a low, gentle bubble for 8-10 hours. As the broth cooks and the water level drops, add boiling water from a tea kettle to keep the turkey pieces submerged. Over the course of cooking, I typically add another 1-2 quarts of water.
Cooking long and slow extracts flavor and nutrients from the turkey pieces and vegetables, creating fantastic homemade turkey broth. Your house will smell like roasting turkey, and you'll have a rich, golden-brown broth full of flavor.
Chef's Tip: Simmer, Don't Boil - Keep the broth at a gentle simmer, never a rolling boil. Vigorous boiling breaks down the vegetables and disperses fat and protein particles throughout the broth, making it cloudy and potentially muddying the flavor. A slow, gentle simmer extracts flavor while keeping the broth clearer and cleaner tasting.
Step 3: Strain and chill
Strain the broth through a fine sieve into a large, clean metal pot. Avoid plastic containers at this stage, as they don't transfer heat as efficiently. Discard the spent bones, meat, and vegetables.
Quickly chill the strained broth in an ice water bath. Fill a sink halfway with cold water and ice, then set the pot in the bath. To speed cooling, place a trivet underneath the pot so cold water can circulate beneath it (the photo shows chicken broth).
Stir the broth occasionally to help release heat. For food safety, cool broth as quickly as possible, aiming to reach 70°F within 2 hours, then refrigerate promptly to chill completely.
Why no salt? I never add salt when making broth. Instead, season the finished dish you're preparing with it. This gives you complete control over the salt level, especially when reducing broth for gravy or sauces.
Step 4: Refrigerate and degrease
Transfer the cooled broth to large storage containers, cover, and refrigerate overnight. I use these commercial kitchen-style Cambro containers.
The next morning, skim off and discard the fat that has solidified on top. Divide the broth into smaller containers, label, and freeze for Thanksgiving and future recipes.
Chef's Tip: Make It Ahead - Make your turkey broth on Monday of Thanksgiving week, and it will keep in the refrigerator until Thursday. For longer storage, freeze it. You can also make the broth weeks ahead and freeze it until you're ready to use it.
Instant Pot Turkey Broth Method (Pressure Cooker)
I prefer making turkey broth on the stovetop because I can make a large batch to freeze, but the Instant Pot is a terrific option when you want a smaller batch in less time. Pressure cooking extracts rich flavor and gelatin from the turkey pieces, producing a deeply flavorful broth in a fraction of the time.
Roast the turkey and vegetables following the stovetop instructions, but use 4 pounds of skinless turkey thighs and slightly fewer vegetables. You can see ratios in my Instant Pot Chicken Broth recipe.
Transfer everything to the Instant Pot and add water without exceeding the maximum fill line. Secure the lid and pressure cook on High for 2 hours. Allow the pressure to release naturally, then strain, chill, and refrigerate as directed above. You'll get approximately 2½ quarts of rich, roasted turkey broth.
How to Use Turkey Broth
Roasted turkey broth is what I use to make my Thanksgiving gravy. It's also terrific in soups, like my turkey and wild rice soup, in pumpkin risotto, or just about anywhere you'd use a good broth. It's even delicious for sipping on a chilly day-just add a little salt to taste.
I also use it to make my easy French onion soup. Look at the photo below and see how dark and rich the soup is. That's not beef broth-it's homemade turkey broth! Another favorite is my creamy black bean and pumpkin soup, which is wonderfully simple to make.
How to Freeze Turkey Broth
If you don't plan to use your turkey broth within 4 days, portion and freeze it for later. Homemade turkey broth freezes beautifully and keeps for up to 3 months for best quality.
Best containers for freezing: I freeze my broths in Souper Cubes®. The ½-cup, 1-cup, and 2-cup sizes are ideal for portioning. Once frozen, transfer the cubes to freezer-safe bags or containers for longer storage. Freezer-safe glass Mason jars or other glass containers with tight-fitting lids also work. Be sure to leave room for expansion when freezing liquids in glass.
To thaw frozen broth:
- Refrigerator method (best): Transfer the frozen broth to the refrigerator and allow approximately 24 hours to thaw, depending on portion size.
- Cold-water method: Place the broth in a sealed, leakproof container or bag and submerge in cold water, changing the water every 30 minutes. Once thawed, heat and use immediately.
- Microwave method: Use the defrost setting or 40% power until the broth is slushy, then transfer to a pot and finish heating on the stovetop. Use immediately.
Food Safety Tip: Never thaw broth on the counter at room temperature.
Recipes to Try With Turkey Broth
Put your homemade turkey broth to good use in these delicious recipes, from comforting soups and creamy risotto to flavorful sauces and more.
If You Make Turkey Broth
Please leave me a comment and let me know how you used it. I love hearing from you and your comments help other readers. Thank you!
📖 Recipe
Turkey Broth
Equipment
- OR a large heavy duty disposable aluminum pan works You may need to double them up for strength or place the pan on a rimmed baking sheet pan for support. Dispose of after use.
Ingredients
For the oven
- 7 pounds turkey pieces a combination of thighs, backs, necks, legs.
- 1 large onion brown, yellow, sweet, white
- 3-4 large carrots
- 3-4 celery ribs
- 1 whole head garlic
- 1 cup white wine or dry white vermouth or water
For the stockpot
- 2-3 bay leaves
- ½ bunch Italian parsley
- ½ bunch fresh thyme
- 2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
- 5 quarts cold water
- Boiling hot water to fill pot as needed
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Instructions
Heat oven, prep turkey
- Pre-heat oven to 375° (190 c) and get out a large roasting pan. Remove as much skin and any extra fat that you can from turkey pieces. Place pieces into the roasting pan in a single layer.
Prep veggies and roast
- Roughly chop onions, carrots and celery. Split garlic head horizontally through the center (no need to peel). Add vegetables and garlic to the roasting pan with the turkey. Place pan in the oven and roast for 1 hour. At the end of the hour, add the wine and roast another 30 minutes.
Make the broth
- Place roasted turkey and vegetables into a large stock pot (10-12 quarts). Add bay leaves, parsley, thyme, peppercorns and cold water. Bring the pot to just under a boil, turn down to low and barely simmer for 10-12 hours. You want the pot to be at a slow, gentle bubble to extract as much flavor as possible. When the water level drops about 2", add a little boiling water from a tea kettle, keeping the ingredients just under water.
- At the end of 10-12 hours, remove all meat, vegetables, herbs and discard, as they will be spent. Drain broth through a fine sieve into a clean large pot or bowl. Place in a sink filled with ice and cold water to cool quickly. Place pot on a trivet or small rack to help water circulation under the pot for faster cooling. Stir occasionally. You want the broth to cool as quickly as possible for food safety.
- When stock is cool, below 70°, cover and place in the refrigerator. The next morning, remove any fat solidified on top, place into containers, label and freeze.
Notes
Nutrition
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Linda Chin says
Still use all your little tips and steps, however I've moved to doing this in the Instant Pot since it's more hands off and quicker. I skip the roasting step when I have Turkey bones after Thanksgiving, but this allows me to make a smaller batch before Thanksgiving to use in cooking that day.
Sally Cameron says
Thanks for reporting back Linda! And totally agreed on using an Instant Pot. Easier, faster, even though the batches are smaller it's great hands off, so I just make multiple batches. In fact, I'm picking up more turkey thighs to make more broth tomorrow. If you make risotto, try it with risotto!
Tracey says
Love that I found this recipe. It is a great soup base and makes the best gravy! Thanks for sharing!
Sally Cameron says
I'm glad you found it to! Thanks for commenting!
Vinny says
Excellent recipe and nicely presented. I use a very similar recipe the weekend before Thanksgiving Day and it lasts just fine in the refrigerator. I make another batch with the carcus of the Thanksgivings Day bird, we freeze that batch. It yields about a gallon and a half.
Sally Cameron says
Thanks Vinny. I still have some in my freezer. Used it for black bean pumpkin soup yesterday. Great way not to waste those turkey bones.
Paula says
Are you telling me to roast the turey, I got legs then simmer them after they are roasted. They are n the oven and are not making much broth.
Sally says
Hi Paula. Yes, you roast the turkey parts and veggies, then use that to simmer with the water to make the broth. The roasting adds richness and flavor. Let me know if you have any ore questions. It's really good when it is done and your house will smell like roast turkey while it is cooking. Read through the recipe one more time.
Bonnie says
After the roasting is done can the next step be done in a slow cooker?
Sally says
Hi Bonnie. Honestly I have never tried that because I am not a big slow cooker person. I usually go the other direction with tools, and that would be pressure cooking for speed. Because broth cooks a long time at a low simmer, and you have to add water as the level drops, I personally would stick with the stovetop method. I would also think that a slow cooker would limit how much broth you could make at once. When I do broth or stock, I use a 12 quart pot and make a big quantity, then strain, chill and freeze in small containers.
marcia says
Fabulous recipe! I will never boil the heck out of a chicken to make broth again!
Christine (CookTheStory) says
I agree with you. Homemade broth rocks and if it's to much for your family, it freezes well for a later use. Excellent tutorial.
Sally says
Thanks Christine! I wanted to add the shot we took of the broth cooling in an ice bath for a quick visual, but it was not a pretty pic. Checked out your blog. Nice! Thanks again for commenting.