How to Make Homemade Turkey Stock

Turkey stock is a fortified liquid made from simmering turkey bones and trimmings, often with aromatic vegetables, herbs, and spices. Turkey stock is used as the base for many holiday favorites such as gravy and stuffing as well as soups, stews, and pot pies. Using the turkey carcass to make stock is a simple way to reduce food waste, get the most out of every ingredient, and build your culinary skills.

Stock and broth are often used interchangeably—and “bone broth” (which is actually just another name for stock) adds to the confusion—but they’re actually two different products.

• Ingredients: Stock is usually made from meat trimmings and bones. Broth is the liquid leftover from simmering meat in water. So, if you boil the turkey wings and bones left over from a roast turkey in water, that’s turkey stock; If you boil an entire turkey or a turkey breast, the leftover liquid is turkey broth. Both broth and stock may include aromatics.
• Cooking time: Stock is often cooked for hours, which extracts the collagen from the bones to make a rich end product. Broth has a shorter cooking time and is lighter-bodied.
• Uses: Stock is typically used as a base for cooking stews, grains, vegetables, or sauces. Broth can be sipped on its own, or used as a finished product to float things like pasta and noodles.

If you have a few jars of turkey stock in your fridge or freezer, the culinary possibilities are endless. Here are some easy favorites:

1. 1. Turkey soup: Use a variety of vegetables and leftover meat to make a nourishing turkey soup—noodles optional.
2. 2. Pozole: Add chiles and hominy to your turkey soup, and you’ve got pozole. Serve this Mexican comfort classic with an array of garnishes, such as cilantro, avocado, and sliced radishes.
3. 3. Gravy: Test your skills by making a roux and impress your guests with a silky turkey gravy.
4. 4. Gumbo: This southern staple is a testament to the power of flavor-building. Along with a dark roux, stock is always the cornerstone of an excellent gumbo.
5. 5. Ramen: With endless variations, ramen is defined by its stock. Add soy sauce, miso paste, or salt to your turkey stock for a rich ramen base.
6. 6. Braised vegetables: Take a tip from chef Thomas Keller and gently braise seasonal vegetables in stock for an exercise in simplicity.
7. 7. Grains: Try cooking rice or quinoa in stock instead of plain water for an extra layer of flavor.

Homemade stock isn’t difficult to make, and mastering this skill will take your cooking to the next level.

1. 1. Add vinegar. The acidity from vinegar helps break down the connective tissues so you get the most collagen from the bones. You won’t taste the vinegar, but as the collagen cooks, it will break down into gelatin, yielding a richer texture.
2. 2. Don’t skip the skimming. Periodically skimming your stock throughout cooking will remove impurities that may float to the surface of your stock. This will ensure a clear, rather than cloudy, end result.
3. 3. Take your time. Stock requires hours of cooking time because you’re trying to extract as much flavor and as many nutrients as possible from your ingredients. If five hours of cooking time seems daunting, you can use a pressure cooker or slow cooker for a more hands-off approach.
4. 4. Make it your own. The turkey stock recipe below calls for a basic mirepoix of onion, celery, and carrots, but feel free to add other favorite aromatic vegetables and herbs to match the flavors of your final dish. Ingredients like ginger, leeks, or lemongrass can add a unique flavor.