Name: Homemade Turkey Stock
Cook time: 15 minutes
Total time: 4 hours plus chilling
Yield: Makes 10 cups
Ingredients: 3 lb. turkey wings (about 3 large wings), chopped into 2" pieces; 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil; 1 medium onion, chopped (about 2 cups); 1 medium carrot, chopped (about ½ cup); 1 medium celery stalk with leaves, chopped (about ½ cup); 6 sprigs fresh parsley; ½ tsp. dried thyme; ¼ tsp. whole black peppercorns; 1 dried bay leaf; Special Equipment: Large flameproof roasting pan

Turkey stock is poured into a mason jar.

Photo by Elizabeth Coetzee, Food Styling by Tiffany Schleigh

While you can certainly make homemade turkey stock using a leftover turkey carcass (in fact, we encourage it), the problem inherent in doing so is that most people don’t have access to one until after the Thanksgiving holiday. For folks who want turkey stock to use day of, we’re delighted to report there’s another way.

This turkey stock recipe is made with turkey wings, which are relatively inexpensive and available throughout the year. Call it a hack or chalk it up to the power of advance planning. Either way, simmering roasted turkey wings with fresh herbs and other aromatics delivers a rich, deeply flavored stock you can use for your favorite stuffing recipe or to make your famous turkey gravy. But be warned: Once you learn how to make turkey stock, you’ll want it on hand all the time to make turkey soups or stews or to swap it in for a store-bought chicken broth in any weeknight recipe. Luckily, in the days following Thanksgiving, you should have a few leftover turkey parts to make a second batch.

Test-Kitchen Tip: Turkey wings, with a good combination of skin, meat, and bones, make great stock. The wings should be chopped up before adding to the pot—they’ll fit better in the pot, develop more browning, and release more gelatin and collagen to give the stock richness. If you don’t have a heavy cleaver, ask the butcher to chop them for you. Otherwise, chop the wings as best you can, dividing at the natural separations at the joints. Don’t try to hack at the thick turkey bones with a knife, as you will likely chip the blade.

Recipe information

Total Time
4 hours plus chilling
Yield
Makes 10 cups

Ingredients

3 lb. turkey wings (about 3 large wings), chopped into 2" pieces

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1 medium onion, chopped (about 2 cups)

1 medium carrot, chopped (about ½ cup)

1 medium celery stalk with leaves, chopped (about ½ cup)

6 sprigs fresh parsley

½ tsp. dried thyme

¼ tsp. whole black peppercorns

1 dried bay leaf

Special Equipment: Large flameproof roasting pan

Preparation

Step 1
Place a rack in top third of oven and preheat to 450°. Spread 3 lb. turkey wings (about 3 large wings), chopped into 2" pieces in roasting pan and roast, turning with tongs after 20 minutes, until deeply browned, about 45 minutes.
Step 2
Meanwhile, in a 6-quart large stockpot over moderate heat, heat oil until hot but not smoking. Add 1 medium onion, chopped (about 2 cups), 1 medium carrot, chopped (about ½ cup), and 1 medium celery stalk with leaves, chopped (about ½ cup), and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 10 minutes. Add wings and any pan juices and reduce heat to low.
Step 3
Straddle roasting pan across 2 burners on high heat and cook until browned bits are sizzling, about 1 minute. Add 2 cups cold water and bring to boil, scraping up browned bits with flat wooden spatula or spoon. Pour liquid into pot and add enough cold water to cover ingredients by 1", about 14 cups.
Step 4
Raise heat to high and bring to boil, skimming foam from surface. Add 6 sprigs fresh parsley, ½ tsp. dried thyme, ¼ tsp. whole black peppercorns, and 1 dried bay leaf. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered and adding water as needed to keep wings covered, 3 hours.
Step 5
Strain stock through fine-mesh sieve into large bowl, discarding solids. If using immediately, let stand until yellow fat rises to surface, 1–2 minutes, then skim off and discard fat. If not using immediately, place bowl in larger bowl of iced water. Let stand, changing ice water as it warms, until stock cools to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, then scrape off and discard fat.
Do ahead: Stock can be made ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container, such as a mason jar, up to 2 days or frozen up to 6 months. Reheat in saucepan over low heat.

Editor’s note: This recipe was first printed in October 2007. Head this way to find out the difference between turkey stock, turkey broth, bone broth and more →