How far in advance can I make this turkey stock?

Prep and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

What should I put the turkey stock IN to freeze it?

I like to transfer the cooled stock to a gallon Ziploc bag and seal tightly. This way, the stock can lay flat in the freezer, conserving space. I’ve also used quart-size mason jars but make sure to leave room at the top of the jar because the liquid will expand in the freezer.

Can I use chicken parts instead of turkey parts for the stock?

Absolutely! If you don’t have turkey parts, chicken parts like backs, necks, wings and giblets will work just as well for making a flavorful stock.

What can I use turkey stock for?

This rich stock is incredibly versatile! Use it for making turkey gravy, stuffing, soups, stews, risottos, or even to cook grains like rice or quinoa. It’s a great substitute for chicken broth in many recipes.

Can I use the turkey carcass to make stock?

Yes! This turkey stock recipe is made with the backbone and giblets so that it can be made AHEAD of roasting the turkey, giving you a rich and flavorful stock to make gravy. But you can use the same method and recipe (sans roasting since the turkey will already be roasted) with the leftover turkey carcass after the big meal.

Is it fine to leave on the onion skins and carrot peel?

Yep! It's not necessary to peel but if you choose not remove the skin, make sure your veggies are really clean.

Make Ahead Turkey Stock (ultimate how-to guide)

Description

This make ahead turkey stock is simple to throw together, so flavorful and will take your Thanksgiving prep game to the next level.

Ingredients

Scale

neck and giblets from a turkey
backbone from a spatchcocked turkey
1 head garlic, sliced in half lengthwise
2 large carrots, sliced in half lengthwise and cut into 3-inch pieces
4 ribs celery, cut into 3-inch pieces
1 sweet onion, quartered
2 tablespoons avocado oil
1 1/2-2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
3-4 sprigs rosemary
3-4 sprigs thyme
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons whole peppercorns

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Instructions

This recipe calls for the turkey backbone, which means you’ll need to first spatchcock your turkey. (or have the butcher do it and reserve the backbone!) Spatchcocking is the process of removing the turkey backbone and flattening the turkey for quicker, even cooking and crispier skin. I one million percent recommend doing this for a perfectly moist, flavorful turkey.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
Grease or line a large rimmed baking sheet with a silicone baking mat. Arrange turkey backbone, neck giblets, garlic, onion, carrots and celery on the tray, drizzle with avocado oil and season with 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Toss until evenly coated.
Roast for 40-45 minutes until deeply golden brown and slightly caramelized. Add a splash of water to the pan to scrape up any flavorful bits stuck to the pan.
Transfer the turkey, veggies and any juices to a large stockpot. Fill the pot with 4 quarts (16 cups) of clean cool water. Add the bay leaves, peppercorns, another ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and rosemary and thyme sprigs (if you have the stems leftover from making the dry brine, add those!)
Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Continue to simmer until the liquid is reduced by a third, about 1½-2 hours. Taste and add another pinch of salt, if desired. Turn the heat off and let the stock cool before straining through a fine-mesh sieve into mason jars or vessel of choice. You should have about 3 quarts of stock.
Let cool completely, cover and keep in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer up to 3 months. Use this stock to make the best turkey gravy ever. You can also use it in place of chicken broth for stuffing, soup, stew, risotto or cooked grains.

Notes

Refer to above blog post for tips and tricks and answers to frequently asked questions.

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Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories: 33
Sugar: 1.3 g
Sodium: 177.1 mg
Fat: 1 g
Carbohydrates: 3.8 g
Fiber: 1 g
Protein: 2.4 g
Cholesterol: 7.5 mg