Turkey Broth

This homemade turkey broth recipe is a turkey carcass, assorted vegetables, herbs and spices that are all simmered together with water to make a rich and flavorful broth. Turkey broth is great for soups, sauces and makes the absolute best gravy.

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 4

Total Time 4 20

Servings

Calories 61kcal

Author Sara Welch

Ingredients

For the broth

1 turkey carcass
1 medium onion peeled and quartered
2 medium carrots peeled and cut into 3 inch pieces
3 stalks celery with leaves, cut into 3 inch pieces
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
4 sprigs fresh parsley
3 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
6 cloves garlic
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon kosher salt

Instructions

Place the broth ingredients in a large pot. Cover with cold water (at least 10 cups).
Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Cook, uncovered, for at least 3-4 hours or up to 6 hours, skimming the surface occasionally.
Pour the broth through a fine mesh sieve into a container. Use immediately or store in the refrigerator or freezer for later use.

Notes

This recipe makes a lightly salted broth, with a lower sodium content than you might find with store bought broth. If you prefer a saltier broth, you can add an extra teaspoon of salt, or simply add salt to taste when you season the final recipe in which you're using the broth.
You should end up with about 8 cups of broth as an end result. The broth can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or frozen for 3 months.
Sometimes I need a smaller amount of broth for recipes such as gravy, but I don't have a leftover carcass on hand. In those instances, I cut this recipe in half and use 2 pounds of raw turkey wings as a substitute for the carcass.

Nutrition