Instant Pot Turkey Broth

Why You Should Make Turkey Broth in the Instant Pot

Traditional broth-making can take hours on the stove in a Dutch oven over medium heat, but the Instant Pot cuts down on the time dramatically!

You can have a super flavorful broth in under two hours, and the pressure cooking extracts every bit of goodness from those turkey bones. If you're in a pinch, grab your Instant Pot!

Stock vs. Broth

When looking at recipes, you'll often see "stock" and "broth", but what the heck is the difference? Stock is typically made with bones rather than meat and is simmered for longer to extract the collagen, giving it a slightly thicker and darker consistency.

Broth, on the other hand, is often made with both bones and meat, and has a lighter texture. This recipe is more of a broth since we’ll use leftover turkey bones (which usually still have some meat on them) along with veggies and herbs.

Ingredients to Gather

Here’s what you’ll need to make this delicious Instant Pot turkey broth:

• Leftover turkey bones (from a cooked turkey). The Instant Pot will only hold about 3-4 pounds of turkey bones. If you have more than that, make two batches.
• 1 onion, quartered (no need to peel).
• 2-3 carrots, cut into large chunks. Depending on how big your carrots are will depend on how many carrots you need.
• 2-3 celery stalks, cut into large chunks
• 3-4 garlic cloves (you can leave the skins on).
• 2 bay leaves.
• 1 teaspoon peppercorns.
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar. It helps draw out the minerals from the bones. It doesn't make the broth taste vinegary at all.
• 8 cups of water, or enough to cover the bones
• Salt to taste. Don't oversalt. You can always salt the broth when you are using it.

Be sure to check out the printable recipe card for full recipe information on ingredients and quantities.

How To Make Instant Pot Turkey Broth

Step 1: Break up the turkey carcass so it fits into your Instant Pot. Don't stress over it. Just make sure everything fits comfortably.

Step 2: Throw in your quartered onion, carrots, celery, garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns, and parsley.

Step 3: Add enough water to cover the bones and veggies, about 2 liters. Then add in your apple cider vinegar.

Step 4: Close the lid and set your Instant Pot to high pressure for 90 minutes.

Step 5: Once the cooking time is done, allow the pressure to release naturally for about 20-30 minutes. Don't manually release the pressure.

Step 6: Carefully strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth into a large bowl or container. Get rid of the bones and the veggies.

Tips and Tricks

• Don't oversalt! Hold off on adding too much salt to the Instant Pot. It’s better to season to taste once the broth is done, especially if you'll be using it in recipes that may already have salty ingredients.
• Don't skip the natural pressure release! Let the Instant Pot naturally release the pressure after cooking. This helps the broth continue cooking and avoids splattering when opening the lid.
• Don't skip the apple cider vinegar! Adding apple cider vinegar helps extract more minerals and collagen from the bones, giving your broth a deeper flavor and more nutrients. You only need a tablespoon or two and it doesn't make the broth taste vinegary at all.

Storage Info

Once your broth has cooled down, transfer it to airtight containers or jars. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days. If you want to keep it longer, freezing is your best bet!

Freezing turkey broth is super easy and convenient. Here’s how:

1. Cool the broth completely before freezing.
2. Portion it out into freezer-safe containers, leaving about 1 inch of space at the top. As the broth freezes it will expand. I've had a broth or two explode in the freezer and it's not fun!
3. Don't forget to label! Write the date on the containers and freeze for up to 6 months.

You can also individually freeze the broth. Freeze the broth in ice cube trays and then transfer the frozen cubes into a freezer bag. This way, you can grab just what you need for recipes without thawing a whole container.

How To Use Pressure Cooker Turkey Broth

• Drink it! Add a little bit of salt and drink it as it is! It's so good on a cold Winter's night!
• Make soup with it. You can make any soup that calls for chicken broth with this turkey broth
• Make risotto with it! I love making risotto, especially Instant Pot asparagus risotto or crab risotto. This broth is so good in those recipes.
• Add it into your Thanksgiving or holiday recipes! If you have a small turkey breast, you can cook it a week or two before Thanksgiving and then make this turkey broth. Then you can use it in Italian sausage and cheese stuffing, cornbread stuffing with Jiffy mix, and even sourdough stuffing.
• Use it in place of water in recipes! You can make Instant Pot orzo, Instant Pot couscous, or even Instant Pot cilantro lime rice with this broth. It will all get soaked up into the recipe.

Frequently Asked Questions

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