Homemade Instant Pot Turkey Bone Broth: The Ultimate Guide to Nutrient-Rich Stock
After a grand holiday feast, the lingering joy isn’t just in the delicious memories, but often in the bountiful leftovers. While turkey meat offers incredible possibilities for multiple meals, the true hidden treasure lies in the carcass. Far from being mere waste, those turkey bones provide the perfect foundation for crafting your very own batch of incredibly nutritious and flavorful bone broth.
This process isn’t just about making a simple stock; it’s about extracting vital nutrients, including collagen, amino acids, and essential minerals, that can enrich your body and your meals throughout the colder months. And with the unmatched convenience of an Instant Pot, what once took days of slow simmering can now be achieved in just a few hours. Get ready to transform your holiday turkey into an all-purpose elixir that will become a staple in your kitchen!
Why Embrace Homemade Turkey Bone Broth?
There’s immense satisfaction in utilizing every part of the food we prepare, especially after a significant meal like a holiday turkey. Making bone broth from the leftover carcass is a wonderful act of frugality and a testament to sustainable cooking. It ensures that no part of your delicious turkey goes to waste, maximizing its value and truly honoring the food source.
Beyond the ethical and economical advantages, homemade turkey bone broth offers a powerhouse of health benefits. Over the years, I’ve become more discerning about the quality of ingredients I use, particularly for large family meals. Opting for organic, pasture-raised turkeys, much like choosing organic eggs, might involve a slightly higher initial cost. However, when you consider the multiple meals you get from the meat, plus several quarts of nutrient-dense bone broth from the carcass, the overall value is exceptional. By transforming the bones into broth, you’re extracting every last bit of goodness and nourishment from your investment.
The Nutritional Powerhouse: More Than Just Flavor
Homemade bone broth is celebrated for its incredible nutritional profile, often referred to as a “liquid gold” for health. Here’s a closer look at what makes it such a beneficial addition to your diet and why it stands out from regular stock:
- Collagen & Gelatin: As the bones, cartilage, and connective tissues simmer under pressure, they release collagen, which breaks down into gelatin. This gelatin is paramount for joint health, supporting cartilage and reducing joint pain. It’s also a fantastic building block for skin elasticity, hair strength, and nail growth, giving you that natural glow. Furthermore, gelatin is known to support gut health, aiding in digestion and potentially healing the gut lining by providing essential amino acids that repair tissue.
- Amino Acids: Bone broth is rich in vital amino acids like glycine, proline, and glutamine. Glycine plays a crucial role in detoxification processes, promotes restful sleep, and assists in tissue repair throughout the body. Proline is directly essential for collagen formation, making it a critical component for healthy skin and connective tissues. Glutamine, on the other hand, is a powerful supporter of gut health and immune function, making this broth a great ally during cold and flu season.
- Essential Minerals: The long cooking process, especially under pressure, efficiently draws out a broad spectrum of essential minerals from the bones. These include calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, and sulfur. These minerals are not just vital for maintaining strong bones and teeth, but also play critical roles in nerve function, muscle contraction, blood clotting, and overall cellular health and metabolism.
- Vitamins: While the primary focus of bone broth is on minerals and collagen, adding aromatic vegetables like carrots, celery, and onions significantly enhances its vitamin content. This provides a broader spectrum of micronutrients, making your broth even more wholesome.
Sipping on a warm cup of this homemade broth or incorporating it generously into your cooking is an easy, delicious, and deeply nourishing way to provide your body with a potent dose of these beneficial compounds, supporting overall wellness from the inside out.
Essential Ingredients for Your Instant Pot Turkey Bone Broth
Crafting a rich and flavorful turkey bone broth requires just a few simple ingredients, most of which you likely already have on hand or can easily save from your holiday meal. The beauty of this recipe lies in its simplicity and reliance on natural, wholesome components.
- Turkey carcass: You’ll need approximately 3-4 pounds of turkey bones. This usually equates to about half a standard turkey carcass. Don’t forget to include the turkey neck, often found inside the cavity of an uncooked bird. These parts are rich in cartilage and connective tissue, which are key for a gelatinous broth.
- Vegetables for enhanced flavor and nutrition:
- 2 Carrots (roughly chopped)
- 2 Celery ribs (roughly chopped)
- 1 Onion (peeled and quartered)
- Aromatics & Seasoning:
- 2-3 Bay leaves (for an earthy, aromatic depth)
- Fresh herbs (such as parsley, thyme, or rosemary – these are optional but highly recommended for an extra layer of freshness and complexity)
- 1 teaspoon Salt (or to taste; remember you can always add more later, but you can’t take it out!)
- 2-3 Peppercorns (whole peppercorns add subtle spice without overpowering)
- Acidity for optimal nutrient extraction: 2 tablespoons Apple cider vinegar (this is the secret ingredient! The acidity helps to draw out the maximum amount of collagen and minerals from the bones. Don’t worry, you won’t taste the vinegar in the finished broth.)
- Water: Enough to fill your Instant Pot to just below the maximum fill line (approximately 10-12 cups, depending on your Instant Pot size and bone quantity).
How to Make Instant Pot Turkey Bone Broth: Step-by-Step Guide
Instant Pot vs. Slow Cooker: A Modern Revelation
For many years, my go-to method for making bone broth was a slow cooker. While undeniably effective at extracting flavors and nutrients, it was a truly “slow” process, often requiring 24 to 36 hours of continuous simmering. The commitment meant dedicating an entire weekend to broth production, which wasn’t always feasible with a busy schedule. When my trusty slow cooker finally gave out, I decided to embrace the Instant Pot for this task, and it has been a game-changer – I haven’t looked back since!
The Instant Pot offers a significant advantage: unparalleled speed and efficiency. What once demanded days of simmering, now takes mere hours. The high-pressure environment drastically reduces cooking time while still producing an incredibly rich, gelatinous, and profoundly nutritious bone broth. In fact, many argue that the Instant Pot method yields results comparable to, or even superior to, the traditional slow cooker method in a fraction of the time. This means you can whip up a batch on a weekday evening or a lazy afternoon, making homemade bone broth a much more accessible and consistent part of your routine without sacrificing quality.
Preparing and Cooking Your Liquid Gold
Gathering your turkey bones is the first crucial step. You’ll typically need about 3 to 4 pounds, which usually equates to about half a standard turkey carcass. Don’t worry if the bones have already been roasted during your holiday meal; there’s still a wealth of nutrition waiting to be extracted. Remember to include the turkey neck, often found inside the cavity of an uncooked bird. These parts, rich in connective tissue and cartilage, are essential for a gelatinous broth. You can refrigerate bones if you plan to make broth soon, or freeze them for later convenience.
For even greater convenience and a truly zero-waste approach, consider saving vegetable scraps throughout the week. Onion ends and peels, carrot peels and pieces, celery leaves, and even herb stems can be collected in a freezer-safe bag. When you’re ready to make broth, simply add these accumulated scraps to the pot along with your turkey bones. This enhances flavor, adds additional vitamins, and reduces food waste without requiring extra shopping trips.
- Combine All Ingredients: Carefully place the turkey bones, including the neck if you have it, into the Instant Pot. Add your roughly chopped carrots, celery, quartered onion, bay leaves, salt, peppercorns, and any fresh herbs you’re using.
- Add Apple Cider Vinegar: Pour in the apple cider vinegar. This seemingly small addition is scientifically crucial, as the acidity helps to break down the connective tissues and draw out the maximum amount of collagen and minerals from the bones. Rest assured, the vinegar taste will dissipate during cooking, and you won’t detect it in the finished broth.
- Fill with Water: Pour cold water into the Instant Pot until it reaches just below the maximum fill line. It’s critical not to overfill, as this can be dangerous when cooking under pressure.
- Pressure Cook: Secure the lid on your Instant Pot, ensuring the vent is set to the “Sealing” position. Select the “Pressure Cook” or “Manual” setting and set the cooking time to 120 minutes (2 hours) on high pressure.
- Natural Pressure Release: Once the cooking cycle is complete, allow the Instant Pot to release pressure naturally for at least 30 minutes. This natural release process is important for safety and also helps to further integrate flavors and nutrients into the broth. After 30 minutes, you can carefully perform a manual quick release of any remaining pressure by turning the sealing valve to “Venting” before opening the lid.
Straining and Cooling Your Precious Broth
Once the pressure has fully released and the Instant Pot is safe to open, it’s time to separate your golden, aromatic broth from the cooked solids. This step is vital for a clear, delicious liquid that’s ready for storage or immediate use.
- Prepare for Straining: Place a large colander inside an even larger heat-proof bowl (or multiple bowls if you have a very big batch). Line the colander with two layers of high-quality cheesecloth. This double layer ensures that even the smallest particles and sediment are filtered out, resulting in a beautifully clear and clean broth.
- Strain the Broth: Carefully pour the hot broth, bones, and vegetables through the cheesecloth-lined colander. Take your time, as the liquid will be very hot.
- Extract Remaining Liquid: Once most of the liquid has drained into the bowl, carefully gather the edges of the cheesecloth to form a bag around the solids. Using a pair of tongs or clean hands (if cooled enough), gently squeeze any remaining liquid from the bones and vegetables into your bowl. Be cautious, as the contents can still be extremely hot. Discard all the solids – they have given all their goodness!
- Cool Down: Allow the strained broth to cool down significantly at room temperature. This is a critical step before storing, as it prevents condensation from forming (which can lead to freezer burn) and keeps your refrigerator or freezer from working excessively hard. You can speed up the cooling by placing the pot of broth in an ice bath.
Storing Your Nutrient-Rich Turkey Broth for Longevity
Proper storage is absolutely key to enjoying your homemade turkey bone broth for weeks or even months to come, ensuring its freshness and preserving its valuable nutrients.
While many people prefer glass Mason jars for their aesthetic appeal and reusability, I’ve personally experienced a few unfortunate “broth explosions” in the freezer due to liquid expansion. If you choose glass, make sure to use wide-mouth jars, as the tapering neck of regular jars can be a weak point under freezing pressure. Crucially, always under-fill your jars, leaving at least an inch or two of headspace (the space between the liquid and the lid) to allow for the liquid to expand safely as it freezes. This simple precaution will save you from messy cleanups and broken glass.
For a more reliable and often space-efficient option, consider freezer-safe plastic containers or even heavy-duty, zip-top freezer bags. If using bags, lay them flat on a baking sheet to freeze, then stack them vertically to save space. Label all your containers with the date, then transfer them to the freezer. Your homemade turkey bone broth can last for up to 6 months in the freezer, ready to be thawed and used whenever culinary inspiration strikes.
You’ll know you’ve created a truly excellent, high-quality bone broth if, once cooled and refrigerated, it has a thick, gelatinous, or jelly-like consistency. This isn’t a flaw; it’s the coveted sign of a high concentration of collagen and gelatin that you’ve successfully extracted from the bones – precisely the beneficial compounds your skin, hair, joints, and gut will thrive on! If it doesn’t fully gel, don’t worry; it still contains wonderful nutrients and flavor.
Versatile Uses for Your Homemade Turkey Bone Broth
Your freshly made, nutrient-dense turkey bone broth is incredibly versatile and can elevate a wide range of dishes, adding not only depth of flavor but also a significant nutritional boost to your everyday cooking.
- Soups and Stews: This is the most classic application! Replace water or any store-bought broth in your favorite soup or stew recipe for a noticeably richer flavor and enhanced health benefits. Imagine a comforting turkey noodle soup, hearty beef stew, or a creamy potato soup made with your homemade broth.
- Cooking Grains: Elevate your side dishes by using bone broth instead of plain water when cooking rice, quinoa, couscous, or even pasta. It infuses them with savory flavor and extra nutrients.
- Sauces and Gravies: A splash of bone broth can deepen the umami flavor of pan sauces, gravies, and reductions, adding a professional touch to your meals.
- Sipping Broth: Many people enjoy simply warming a mug of bone broth and sipping it as a nourishing, warming drink, especially during colder months, when feeling under the weather, or as part of a fasting regimen for gut health.
- Risottos and Braises: The rich, complex flavor of bone broth is perfect for creating luxuriously creamy risottos or for slow-braising meats and vegetables, resulting in incredibly tender and flavorful dishes.
- Adding to Scrambled Eggs or Omelets: A tablespoon or two of broth can make your scrambled eggs fluffier and imbue them with subtle, savory notes.
- Roasting Vegetables: Use bone broth as a liquid base when roasting root vegetables or making a pan sauce for your roasted chicken or turkey.
From comforting family meals to a simple daily tonic, your body will undoubtedly thank you for the additional vitamin, mineral, and collagen infusion with every sip or bite!
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Instant Pot Turkey Bone Broth: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Absolutely! Turkey bone broth is packed with a wide array of nutrients that can significantly benefit your health. It’s an excellent natural source of collagen, which is highly celebrated for its positive impact on our joints, skin elasticity, hair strength, and nail growth. Additionally, the long simmering process extracts vital minerals from the bones and connective tissues, such as calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus, all of which are crucial for strong bone health and overall bodily function. When made with added vegetables, its vitamin profile is also enhanced, offering a more complete nutritional boost. Regular consumption can support gut health, boost immunity, and provide a warming, deeply nourishing pick-me-up.
The distinction between turkey broth and turkey bone broth lies primarily in their ingredients, cooking time, and the resulting nutritional profile and texture:
- Turkey Broth: This is typically made from meat scraps and sometimes a few bones (often without much connective tissue), along with aromatic vegetables and seasonings. It’s cooked for a shorter period, usually 1 to 3 hours. The result is a lighter-flavored liquid with a thinner consistency, primarily used to add flavor to dishes or as a cooking liquid.
- Turkey Bone Broth: This recipe focuses heavily on the bones, joints, and connective tissues, often with minimal meat. It’s simmered for a much longer duration – traditionally over 24 hours on the stovetop, or efficiently cooked for 2-3 hours under high pressure in an Instant Pot. This extended cooking time is essential to effectively extract collagen, gelatin, amino acids, and a rich array of minerals from the bones. The end result is a much richer, deeper-flavored liquid that becomes thick and gelatinous when cooled, which is a strong indicator of its high concentration of beneficial collagen. Bone broth is often consumed specifically for its significant health benefits, in addition to being a flavorful cooking ingredient.
Making bone broth at home is significantly more economical than purchasing it from a store. High-quality, store-bought bone broth can be quite expensive, especially if you’re seeking organic or pasture-raised varieties. The most cost-effective approach is to utilize what would otherwise be discarded – your turkey carcass and vegetable scraps. Instead of tossing onion ends, carrot peels, and celery leaves, collect them in a freezer-safe bag. Similarly, freeze your turkey carcass after the meat has been removed. When you’ve accumulated enough, you have the main ingredients for quarts of nourishing broth for essentially the cost of a few inexpensive aromatics and a splash of apple cider vinegar. It’s a prime example of frugal, zero-waste cooking that delivers superior nutrition at a fraction of the retail price.
While you can technically attempt to make a second batch of broth from the same set of bones, the nutritional and flavorful compounds will have largely been extracted during the first long simmer under pressure. A second batch will likely yield a much weaker broth in terms of gelatin content, depth of flavor, and mineral concentration. For optimal results and to produce the most potent and beneficial bone broth, it’s generally recommended to use fresh bones for each new batch. You’ve already pulled out most of the goodness in the first round!
Properly stored, homemade turkey bone broth has a good shelf life. In the refrigerator, it will typically last for about 3-5 days. For much longer storage, freezing is your best and most reliable option. When frozen in airtight, freezer-safe containers, your bone broth can maintain its quality and nutritional integrity for up to 6 months. Always ensure the broth is fully cooled before refrigerating or freezing to prevent bacterial growth and maintain optimal food safety.
Yes, absolutely! While a gelatinous texture when cooled is often considered the gold standard for bone broth (indicating a high collagen content), it’s not a strict requirement for a beneficial broth. Many factors can influence whether your broth gels, including the age of the animal, the specific bones used (more joints and cartilage lead to more gel), and the exact cooking time and pressure. Even if your broth remains liquid when cold, it still contains valuable amino acids, vitamins, and minerals. It’s still incredibly healthy and delicious to use in all your recipes, offering significant nutritional advantages over store-bought alternatives.
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Turkey Bone Broth Recipe
Instant Pot Turkey Bone Broth
Easily make your own incredibly nutritious turkey bone broth using an Instant Pot and freeze it for future use in soups, stews, or for sipping. This recipe helps you utilize your turkey carcass to its fullest potential, yielding a collagen-packed, flavorful stock.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Depressure & Straining Time: Approximately 1 hour
Total Time: 3 hours 5 minutes
Course: Soup Base, Healthy Drink
Cuisine: American
Servings: Approximately 3 quarts
Author: Sula
Equipment
- Instant Pot (6-quart or larger is ideal)
- Large Colander
- Cheesecloth (two layers)
- Large heat-proof bowl(s) for straining
- Freezer-safe containers (glass jars or plastic containers)
Ingredients
- 3-4 pounds Turkey bones (about half a carcass, including the neck if available for extra collagen)
- 10-12 cups Water (or fill to just below the maximum line of your Instant Pot)
- 2-3 Bay leaves
- 2 Carrots (roughly chopped, no need for perfection)
- 2 Celery ribs (roughly chopped)
- 1 Onion (peeled and quartered, no need to dice finely)
- 2 tablespoons Apple cider vinegar (essential for mineral extraction)
- 1 teaspoon Salt (adjust to your preference)
- 2-3 Whole peppercorns
- Parsley or other fresh herbs (optional, such as thyme or rosemary for additional aroma and flavor)
Instructions
- Add Ingredients to Instant Pot: Place all the turkey bones (carcass, neck), water, bay leaves, carrots, celery, onion, apple cider vinegar, salt, peppercorns, and optional fresh herbs into your Instant Pot. Ensure the water level is just below the maximum fill line to allow for pressure build-up.
- Pressure Cook: Secure the lid on the Instant Pot and ensure the sealing valve is set to the “Sealing” position. Select the “Pressure Cook” or “Manual” setting and set the cooking time to 120 minutes (2 hours) on high pressure.
- Natural Release: Once the cooking cycle is complete, allow the Instant Pot to natural release pressure for at least 30 minutes. This helps to maximize nutrient extraction and is safer. After 30 minutes, you can carefully turn the sealing valve to “Venting” to quick release any remaining pressure before opening the lid.
- Cool Slightly: Carefully open the lid and allow the broth to cool slightly in the pot before handling.
- Strain the Broth: Place a large colander lined with two layers of cheesecloth over a large heat-proof bowl (or multiple bowls). Carefully pour the entire contents of the Instant Pot through the cheesecloth to separate the rich liquid from the solids. Gather the edges of the cheesecloth and gently squeeze out any remaining liquid from the bones and vegetables. Discard the spent solids.
- Cool Completely: Allow the strained broth to cool completely at room temperature. For faster cooling, you can place the bowl of broth in an ice bath.
- Store for Future Use: Pour the cooled broth into freezer-safe containers. If using glass jars, leave about 1-2 inches of headspace to accommodate expansion during freezing. Label each container with the date. Store the broth in the freezer for up to 6 months, or in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
Video Guide
Nutrition Facts (Estimated per serving)
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data, as actual values may vary based on ingredients and preparation.
- Calories: 34 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 8g
- Protein: 1g
- Fat: 0.1g
- Saturated Fat: 0.03g
- Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.05g
- Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g
- Sodium: 847mg
- Potassium: 199mg
- Fiber: 2g
- Sugar: 4g
- Vitamin A: 6811 IU
- Vitamin C: 5mg
- Calcium: 49mg
- Iron: 0.3mg