If you cooked a turkey on Thanksgiving—or any time of year—and now are left with the turkey carcass and lots of scraps, this is the perfect time to make Turkey Bone Broth! (I also talk about how you can make bone broth in the Instant Pot.)
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Versatile Turkey Bone Broth
Turkey Bone Broth is great to have on hand because it can be used as a base for soups and stews, such as Turkey Barley Soup. It also makes a delicious protein-rich sipping beverage that’s full of collagen and soothes our stomachs. Plus, the collagen in bone broth is beneficial for our skin, hair, and nails, providing the type of protein these parts of our bodies crave.
Why Use the Slow Cooker to Make Turkey Bone Broth?
My favorite way to make any bone broth, including Turkey Bone Broth, is using the slow cooker. Yes, the stovetop method is great too, but you have to keep more of a watchful eye on it. The slow cooker allows you to start the process and basically forget it. The convenience is wonderfully liberating!
But what about the Instant Pot? I have made bone broth in the Instant Pot, and it is certainly quick. If you’re in a rush, I highly recommend it. However, that said, I have found that the bone broth that it creates is not as gelatinous as the slow cooker or the stovetop methods. But if you’re short on time, by all means, use the Instant Pot. You may know my motto by now…It’s better to make bone broth any way you can than not to make bone broth at all!
Using the Fat Separator
In my video, I’ll show you how to use the Fat Separator device. It’s a handy way to easily separate the fat from your bone broth when you decant it into your storage containers.
More Bone Broth Videos and Recipes
After you’ve learned how to make turkey bone broth in a slow cooker, discover the different ways to make bone broth, the different types of bone broth, and helpful information about bone broth.
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Turkey Bone Broth in the Slow Cooker
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
- Stock Pot, optional
- Instant Pot, optional
Ingredients
- 1 Turkey carcass plus scraps
- 6 Chicken feet, optional
- 1 cup White vermouth Can substitute with 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 Onions, unpeeled and chopped
- 2 stalks Celery, chopped
- 2 Carrots, unpeeled and chopped
- 2 Mandarin oranges, unpeeled and chopped, optional
- 3 inch Piece of fresh ginger, sliced, optional Unpeeled if organic
- 1 inch Piece of fresh turmeric, sliced, optional Unpeeled if organic
- 1 tsp Black peppercorns, whole
- 1 Bay leaf
- Water, preferably filtered or spring water Use enough to cover all ingredients in a slow cooker
Instructions
- Add the turkey carcass and scraps to the slow cooker. Also add in the chicken feet, if using.
- Pour white vermouth into the slow cooker.
- Add all remaining ingredients to the slow cooker, and fill with enough water to cover all the ingredients, but take care to leave at least a one-inch headspace in the slow cooker. Do not fill the slow cooker to the rim. If some of the ingredients are popping over the top of the water, that is okay. They will shrink and sink during the simmering time.
- Set the slow cooker to high for one hour, then turn down to "keep warm". Allow the bone broth to simmer on keep warm for six hours. If your slow cooker does not have a keep warm setting, turn it down to low. If, during the simmering process, the bone broth boils, tilt the lid of the slow cooker to release the heat. You want to see only periodic bubbles as the bone broth simmers. If you have a food thermometer, you can check the temperature of the bone broth. It should simmer at 180°F. But if you do not have a food thermometer, just watch the bone broth and make sure that it stays at a low simmer with only periodic bubbles.
- After the six-hour simmer on keep warm, remove all the solids.
- Once the solids are removed, strain the bone broth through a flour sack towel or cheesecloth to remove any remaining bits of debris.
- At this point, you may decant the bone broth or use a fat separator device to remove the fat and then decant it.
- The bone broth will be at its freshest for 2-3 days, refrigerated. If you keep a substantial fat layer on top of the broth, it may stay fresh for 1-2 weeks, refrigerated. If frozen, the bone broth will be at its freshest for 2-3 months but may retain its freshness up to 6 months.
- To drink as a beverage, reheat gently and add sea salt to taste, if needed. For recipes calling for water such as soups, stews, or the cooking of grains, use bone broth in place of the water.
Video
Notes
Shop for items used in this blog post or video
Favorite Bone Broth Making Supplies
- 7-Quart Slow-Cooker
- 8-Quart Slow-Cooker
- 10-Quart Slow-Cooker
- Fat Separator
- Stainless Steel Strainer
- Flour Sack Towels
- Two Cup Glass Storage Jars with Lids
- One Cup Glass Storage Jars with Lids
- Half Gallon Storage Jar
- Wide Mouth Plastic Storage Lids
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Love the videos . Now I know how to make bone broth.
Thank You 😊
Hi Kay,
Thanks for your kind comment. I hope you’ll have the opportunity to try making many of the other types of bone broth too, including beef and fish. I love beef bone broth for sipping, and both beef and chicken bone broth are very versatile in recipes.
I’m so glad we’re on this traditional foods journey together! 🙂
Love and God bless,
Mary