can you reuse turkey bones for stock

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If you’ll be making a roast turkey for the holidays, or any time of the year really, don’t throw out those bones afterwards! They can be “upcycled” so to speak into a delicious and easy turkey stock, with plenty to use or freeze for later.

(This turkey stock recipe could also work for chicken bones, beef bones, and probably pork bones as well. The basic concept is the same, and the freezing method is exactly the same as well.)

Bone broth is thought to have many health benefits, and is even better when you can make it yourself using organic ingredients and plastic-free cooking accessories. Regardless of whatever it may do for your skin’s elasticity and bone density, it is a great way to reuse parts of the animal that would otherwise go into the trash.

Making your own broth also saves you the money you’d otherwise spend on buying canned/boxed broth from the store, not to mention the extra waste that generates for our landfills.

“Don’t throw away the turkey bones after you’ve demolished your bird! Save them to make a fantastic turkey stock, which you can then use to flavor all sorts of soups and gravies. After you strain the stock you can freeze it in small Tupperware tubs, or even in ice cube trays, very handy to have in the kitchen!”
can you reuse turkey bones for stock

Step #1: Put turkey bones in a big pot.

I have a big tall pot, the kind you boil lobsters in (though I’ve never actually boiled lobsters in my life and it sounds pretty cruel to me actually). It happens to come with a strainer insert, which is brilliant for making turkey stock with because at the end, you can just lift it out and all the stock strains out into the big pot below while the solid pieces remain in the strainer.

If you don’t have a strainer insert, that’s okay. You can always pour the pot contents through a strainer later.

Put the leftover turkey bones in there plus the raw turkey neck you’ve saved in the freezer. No need to defrost. Making turkey stock is super low-pro!

Before You Begin Making Your Turkey Stock

When you buy your turkey from the store, you’ll probably notice that is also came with a bag of gizzards and the neck pieces. While some people say to use the gizzards in your broth, I just couldn’t bring myself to deal with those parts (they’re squishy and a bit too gruesome for my sometimes-atarian standards). But definitely save that turkey neck! I left mine in a recycled take out container in the freezer while the rest of the bird defrosted, so that it was still fresh when it came time to cook with the remaining turkey carcass.

Also, as you’re cooking your big holiday meal, save all the end pieces of the veggies that you’d otherwise discard or compost! Rinse them off if they’re dirty, and then put those in the freezer with the turkey neck as well, to use later in the stock. Another way to “upcycle” part of your holiday meal into a second edible item!

Can you reuse turkey bones for stock?

FAQ

How many times can you reuse turkey bones for broth?

The broth with the reused bones will not have the flavor as the flavor has been cooked out with the first pot. Therefore, you toss them after making the broth. I’ve tasted the meat from cooked bones and there is absolutely no flavor in them. Soup bones are one use only.

Can you reuse bones after making bone broth?

Remouillage, or second stock Used stock bones are returned to the pot, often in the company of fresh vegetables, then covered with water and simmered until tasty, so making a second, extra-thrifty stock.

Can you use fried turkey bones for stock?

Yes, I’m talking to you there, the one about to throw your leftover Thanksgiving turkey bones into a stockpot with some water and vegetables and simmer it all together to make stock.

Can I save bones for bone broth?

SAVE BONES FROM HOMECOOKED MEALS: Do not ever throw them away. Once the meat is pulled off and enjoyed, I toss the bones into a ziptop freezer bag and freeze until I have enough or am ready to make a batch of broth. Rinse off the bones if there is a lot of sauce on them, depending on how they were cooked.

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