Every year, so many people throw away the turkey bones & leftovers after Thanksgiving. You can use those to make your own turkey stock, and due to the size of the bird, it will be enough to can and stock up your pantry! Making your own stock is not only rewarding when you reach into the pantry, but it can be much healthier!
You get to control the salt, the preservatives, and the ingredients used to save your family from yet more unnecessary chemical intake. Plus, you can save some cash by stocking the pantry with nutrient-rich, homemade stock.
If you aren’t ready to commit to making this right after the hustle and bustle of Thanksgiving cooking and eating, of course, you can easily store them in your freezer in 2-gallon freezer bags. Then pull them out when you’re ready!
What to save
Everything you can! We tend to host and fry two turkeys every year. When you fry them, the wings are not the best to eat, but are fantastic for stock! I pull the neck and “gizzards” out and put them into a freezer bag right away. We don’t make gravy from them or anything, but they are a great addition to the stock!
What makes a good stock?
The basics of a stock are honestly what make it so good. It’s just primary protein source, veggies or veggie scraps, and water. Some people will add aromatic herbs like bay leaves and thyme.
The main thing that makes a good stock is the use of bones and the condensing of the water, which gives the flavor!
Keep in mind that the vegetables are not necessary. I’ve made stock in the past with just the bones and leftover meat from the turkey, and it is just fine. If you keep a stash of vegetable scraps from cooking in the freezer, they are easy to dump into the stock.
You can also cut up some fresh celery, carrots, and onions and toss those in the stock instead. No worries!
What you need
- Scrapes & bones from turkey and veggies (optional)
- Pressure canner
- A large pot to cook and condense the stock. A stew pot or Dutch oven will work great!
- Large strainer and or colander
- A large bowl or a second pot for straining into
- Canning supplies such as tongs, lid magnets, etc.
Is Pressure canning necessary?
Yes. Any food with a lower acid content must be pressure canned to reach the proper temperature to kill the bacteria that can cause botulism. Unfortunately, most of these items you will want to can. Pressure canners can get much higher temperatures than boiling water alone. This gives them the ability to kill toxins that can be in the food, such as the one that causes botulism, a severe infection that attacks the nervous system.
How to make Homemade Turkey Stock
Put all the bones into a pot
Take all of the bones and scrapes and put them into a large pot. You can add the veggies or veggie scraps at this point if you would like.
The bigger the pot, the better. A large stew pot will work, but I use a huge stock pot designed for the outdoor propane burners. That’s just because I’m doing two turkeys and vegetables and don’t want to do multiple batches. I’m a bit greedy with my time, as you should be!
Thoroughly cover in cold water and add herbs, if you choose. Common herb additions include bay leaves, thyme, or oregano.
I typically do not add herbs, as I want the stock to be as versatile as possible for canning and storing. However, if you are making a specific recipe, adding herbs now is a great way to enhance your dish’s flavor!
The bones may peek over the top of the pot at first if using a smaller pot, and that’s perfectly okay. Just push them down as they cook.
Cook at a simmer
Bring everything to a boil and reduce the heat to a steady simmer. It will need to simmer for at least 4 hours. I like to keep them going for 6 hours to make the stock as rich and fortified as possible. You can actually simmer for up to 24 hours, but…wow.
Keep in mind that you may need to add water along the way to keep everything covered up. Since you are using a whole turkey carcass, stir and move the bones around to separate everything to cook and rotate everything through the water.
Do not boil! Simmering allows for more efficient extraction of flavors and nutrients, especially from bones. Boiling will also change the color, but that doesn’t matter for the flavor.
Strain
Once everything is cooked and simmered for the proper amount of time, it’s time to strain to remove all the food bits.
I like to double-strain everything since it will be going back and forth between containers anyway. Once is with a colander over a large pot. I get as much juice out as possible and run through the strainer first using a measuring cup. This makes the pot weigh the least to pour the last of it out. So much easier to handle and less messy!
Now rinse out your stock pot just to be sure nothing is lingering on the edges. Now I use a fine-mesh strainer to pull out the small pieces as I put them back into the large pot.
You want the second strain to make the stock as clean as possible for canning.
Condense
Now you get to see where the stock actually stands. Give it a taste and remember that you’ve likely added additional water throughout the process. If it doesn’t have a strong enough flavor or the flavor you’re going for, put the stock on a light boil to condense it down a bit more.
Pressure Canning Turkey Stock
Here is the simple step-by-step process for pressure canning homemade turkey stock. Remember that no matter what type of stock you are working with, the basic process is the same, which makes it super easy to get the hang of!
Heat Broth & Water
Start by putting jars and lids into water and boiling for 10 minutes. It may be necessary to do these in batches, depending on the number of jars and the size of the pot you’re using. I recommend a canning pot due to its large size.
Heating broth while you wait for the jars. Remember that we always want to work with hot, warm liquids when canning.
Heat water in the Pressure Canner. The amount you use depends on the manufacturer’s instructions, but it’s typically about 3 inches. I know it seems low! Especially if you have been canning via water bath for a while, where you have to cover the jars completely. Remember that the canner creates a pressurized environment that will process the entire pot as long as it has the proper water level and is properly sealed.
Fill hot jars
Now use the tongs to remove the hot jars from the pot. Best to place them on a towel to prevent sudden temperature changes.
Use the canning funnel and a large ladle to fill your jars. Be careful not to get burned by the hot liquid and jars! Leave about 1 inch of “headspace” at the top. If you are using small jars in your little variety pack, 1/2 to 3/4 space should be fine.
Wipe the rims with a clean rag or paper towel to remove all of the stock residue. It is best to add a splash of vinegar to clean it thoroughly. We need a clean surface for the lids to seal to.
Place Lids & Rings
Using a magnet, remove the lids from the hot water bath and place them carefully on the jars. The rings go last, but do not tighten completely. Just a little nudge. They are mostly used to keep the lids in place throughout processing.
Fill the Pressure Canner
Make sure the water in the canner is hot and boiling. We need everything to pressurize quickly once you set your timer. Using the tongs, set the filled jars into the canner’s hot water. Place the jars onto the canning rack to keep them from touching the hot bottom of the canner.
You can stack jars!! This is even better, as now you can fit more into the already quite large pressure canner. Keep in mind that it is never recommended to stack more than once, even with small jars. I tend to do quarts or 24 oz jars on the bottom, with pints and half pints on top.
If you decide to stack jars, put a second canning rack on first to distribute the weight of the second layer evenly.
Processing
Turkey stock must be processed for 30 minutes using 10 10-pound pressure weight. Make sure to put the weight! Otherwise, the pot will be releasing steam the entire time. The cans may seal, but they haven’t been pressure-canned and may not be safe for consumption.
Close the canner following the manual
I cannot stress enough how important it is to close and tighten your pressure canner properly. These guys can be dangerous at worst and will not pressurize at best. Read the instructions that came with your canner and follow the manufacturer’s safety guidelines.
Once the lid is securely in place, place the pressure control weight and set a timer for 30 minutes.
Cool Cooker & Remove Jars
When the timer goes off, turn off the heat. You can technically vent the pressure by removing the weight control and releasing the steam, but my friends, I am a coward when it comes to heat. Why risk it?! I’m good.
Turn off the heat, and the pressure will slowly, naturally release. Even if you have other things to cook, the canner can be pushed to the back of the stove. After about an hour, you should be more than good enough to open the lid and pull out the jars. Believe it or not, the jars may still be hot, so use the canning tongs to be safe.
Clean the canner
Some people assume that since the food isn’t going directly into the canner, no need to wash it. You’ll notice that it smells like whatever you have canned. Be sure to wash it out along with the weight, and allow them to dry properly before packing everything away.
All Done!
Once your jars are cool, label and date them. Take pride in yourself as you put them away. Making and canning things is a cool skill that is slowly being lost, and you have a reason to feel like a boss. Keep S%#t that up!
Until Next Time!
PJtxGirl
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Frequently Asked Questions
Are broth and stock the same?
They are not. Broth is mainly made from meat & stock is made from the bones. Stock is also cooked much longer and condensed to create a much richer flavor. In vegetables that are basically the same, the stock is cooked longer to concentrate it.
Once you start using and making your own stocks, you get a bit spoiled by the flavor. Whenever making a broth out of fresh chicken for something like chicken and dumplings, I end up condensing it or adding Homemade Bouillon to enhance the flavor.
Why don’t you salt stock?
Given the richness of the stock, adding salt isn’t necessary to enhance the flavor. Therefore, you are also cutting back on sodium.
Is turkey stock healthy?
Yes! While you will need more than stock to survive and stay healthy, making rich stock from vegetable scraps yields a low-fat & low-calorie option. It will also contain protein, vitamins, and minerals.
Is Pressure canning turkey stock necessary?
Yes. Any foods with a lower acid content must be pressure canned. Unfortunately, this is most items. Pressure canners can reach much higher temperatures than boiling water alone. This gives them the ability to kill toxins that can be in the food, such as the one that causes botulism, a serious infection that attacks the nervous system.
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