When you make a big holiday meal, you can usually count on leftovers. At least I hope so, it's practically my favorite part!
The turkey alone can have enough leftover meat for several meals. But it's more than just the meat. The carcass is a fabulous starting point to make your own bone broth in the Instant Pot.
You can freeze the broth and use it for soups and other meals all winter long - the ultimate all-purpose leftover!
Follow these simple instructions and you'll be a bone broth expert in no time.
The carcass is a fabulous starting point to make your own bone broth. And after years of making broth using a slow cooker, I adapted my methods to the Instant Pot and never looked back!
This approach is easy, straightforward, and works every time. Making bone broth now takes hours instead of days, and is full of the vitamins, collagen, and nutrition you want to add to all your meals.
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Why I love this Turkey Bone Broth Recipe
There's something about truly using every part of a bird. It really is a great exercise in frugality, and it gives an appreciation for all the ways we cook and eat our food.
I've become picky about the quality of turkey I purchase for holiday meals. I swear I can taste the chemicals in some of those cheap "deals" you see this time of year.
I look for organic and/or pasture raised birds, just as I do when I buy eggs. It does cost a little more, but I get so many meals out of it, so it's well worth it to me! Using it to make broth ensures you are maximizing all the nutrition you can from one holiday meal.
Turkey Broth Recipe Ingredients
- Turkey carcass (about half a carcass per batch)
- Carrot
- Celery
- Onion
- Bay leaves
- Fresh herbs (I like parsley)
- Apple cider vinegar
- Water
How to make Turkey Broth
Instant Pot vs Slow Cooker
I used to make bone broth in my slow cooker. And slow was definitely the word - it took 36 hours of slow cooking to extract the nutrients from the bones.
My slow cooker died, and I haven't replaced it. So I challenged myself to make my turkey bone broth using the Instant Pot.
The advantage is significant: all the cooking is done in a day, rather than devoting the whole weekend to broth production. And the Instant Pot produces delicious and nutritious bone broth, just like the slow cooker.
Making the broth
You'll need about 3 to 4 pounds of turkey bones. Most turkeys will have enough bones to make 2 batches of broth. The fact that the bones have already roasted is not a problem; there's still plenty of nutrition to extract!
I also include the neck - this is usually found inside the uncooked bird. Just remove and refrigerate, or freeze if you think it'll be a while before you make the broth.
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Simply place the bones in the Instant Pot with some simple ingredients: carrot, celery, and onion will add additional nutrients and flavor. I also season with salt and a few peppercorns, plus bay leaves and preferably some fresh herbs like parsley.
A splash of apple cider vinegar is what helps to really extract the collagen from those bones. Don't worry, you won't taste it in the final broth.
Now, fill the Instant Pot with water to just below the maximum fill line. Close and seal, and set the cycle to cook for 2 hours (120 minutes) on high pressure.
Let the Instant Pot complete it's cooking cycle, then allow it to vent naturally for at least 30 minutes.
Storing Instant Pot Turkey Stock
Let the broth cool some, then you'll need to strain the broth from the solids. I have found cheesecloth to work the best for this. Simply line a colander with a couple layers of cheesecloth and pour the broth through it. You'll need a really big bowl (or multiple bowls) to collect the broth.
Once all the broth is strained, you can grab that cheesecloth, remove the big bones, and give it a good squeeze to extract the rest of the liquid.
Pour your broth into freezer-safe containers, label and freeze.
Many people like to use glass Mason jars to store their broth. I've had a few disasters with that approach, so I use plastic. If you really want to use glass, be sure to under-fill the jars so the liquid has room for expansion.
Also, wide-mouth jars are better. When you have a jar with a narrow top, the spot where the jar gets smaller can be a problem for the expanding liquid, causing the jar to break. I say this from personal experience.
I also sometimes half-fill the jars and freeze them, then add the rest of the liquid. But honestly, if you just under-fill the jars it's probably the best approach.
You'll know you have good bone broth if, once cold, it is slightly gelatinous. Think of the gelatinous texture as the collagen that will be loved by your skin, hair, and joints.
Uses for your turkey bone broth
Soups, stew and delicious meals are all made better with bone broth! Some people like to simply sip a cup of warm broth to enjoy its many health benefits. Either way, your body will thank you for the additional vitamin and collagen infusion you are providing with every sip (or bite).
Instant Pot Turkey Bone Broth FAQs
Turkey broth, specifically bone broth, contains collagen, which is loved for its benefit to our joints as well as skin, hair, and nails. But turkey broth is also rich in minerals from the bones and connective fibers, which helps our own bone health. And adding vegetables when cooking the broth enhances the vitamin profile as well.
Turkey broth is usually made from the meat, with some vegetables added for flavor. A shorter cooking time is needed to make turkey broth, and it has a lighter flavor and thinner texture than bone broth. It is typically used as a cooking ingredient.
Bone broth focuses on the bones and the nutrients available in them. The cooking time is much longer - more than a day using traditional methods, a couple hours using the Instant Pot. Adding vegetables is optional, I do so as I feel it helps the taste.
Turkey bone broth will be thick and gelatinous when cooled down, versus a thin liquid of true turkey broth. Since I freeze my bone broth and have on hand for months, I use it in place of regular broth when cooking to add the additional health benefits to all my everyday cooking.
The first couple times I tried making bone broth, I went shopping for high quality bones from organic, grass-fed animals. That can get a little spendy, and really hard to find!
The smarter and much more economical approach is to simply save the bones from your meals. And of course you are not always in the mood to make broth right away after a big meal, holiday or otherwise. Just save the bones until the next day, or freeze them until you are ready. I take the same approach to vegetable scraps: just save onion ends, carrot pieces and peels, and celery leaves in a zip top bag in the freezer. When I'm ready to make broth, I have one bag of bones and another of vegetables. Add water and apple cider vinegar - a pretty cheap way to make several quarts of broth!
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📖 Recipe
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Instant Pot Turkey Stock
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Video
Ingredients
- 3-4 pounds Turkey bones about one half a carcass
- 10-12 cups water
- 2-3 bay leaves
- 2 carrots
- 2 celery ribs
- 1 onion peeled and quartered
- 2 TB apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2-3 peppercorns
- Parsley or other fresh herbs - optional
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in an Instant Pot. Seal and set cook cycle to 2 hours, on high pressure. When cycle is finished, let the Instant Pot natural release pressure for at least 30 minutes.3-4 pounds Turkey bones, 10-12 cups water, 2-3 bay leaves, 2 carrots, 2 celery ribs, 1 onion, 2 TB apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon salt, 2-3 peppercorns, Parsley or other fresh herbs - optional
- Allow to cool slightly, then separate broth from solids.
- Place in freezer-safe containers and freeze for future use.
Nutrition
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.
Alex McCall
Hi! I’m very excited to try this with our Turkey carcass from Thanksgiving. Have you used this recipe with bones from a rotisserie chicken as well? Wondering if the flavor would remain similar.
Sula
Actually, yes I have. Because rotisserie chickens are so small, I can usually fit 2 carcasses in my 6 quart Instant Pot. The flavor is quite similar, I think a lot depends upon where you are getting your turkey or chicken from. I always try for organic/free range etc because I seem to be sensitive to some of the additives that are out there.
Sherry Oz
First time I’m excited about using the pressure cooker!! Really appreciate your page and recipe! Wish me luck 🙂
Sula
You'll do great!
Natasha
Made this today. Great recipe! I added garlic and turmeric, along with the turkey neck and gizzards. So delicious! Was feeling a little under the weather and drank a cup. Maybe it’s the sugar pill effect but I’m feeling much better. Will definitely keep this recipe in my collection. Thanks for sharing!
Sula
You are very welcome, and I'm glad you're feeling better!
CP
How long can the broth be stored once frozen?
Sula
The broth is good frozen for up to 12 months.
Jude
This is awesome! Still have Turkey meat left from previous occasion so I cooked it using this recipe cause no one at home is really giving it any attention. The recipe is awesome and perfect for dinner and cold weather. Thanks!
Sula
I'm so glad you were able to re-purpose that turkey rather than have it go to waste! The broth is so useful to have on hand!
Nancy
Perfect bone broth at home. It’s a great way to use up turkey carcasses too! The lean meat is awesome
Sula
I agree, it's the perfect way to use that carcass!