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Turkey Stock Done Right (Ruhlman's Oven Method)

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  • Author: Mike Vrobel
  • Total Time: 6 hours 10 minutes
  • Yield: 6 quarts 1x

Description

Michael Ruhlman's hands-off method for turkey stock - barely simmered in a low oven for hours, with the aromatics added at the end.

Ingredients

Scale
  • Carcass from one turkey, broken into pieces that will fit in your pot
  • 6 quarts cold water (or more to cover)
  • 1 large onion, peeled, trimmed and halved
  • 1 celery rib, cut in half (optional)
  • 1 large carrot, peeled and cut in half (optional)
  • 3 cloves garlic, skin on, crushed (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 sprig fresh thyme
  • Stems from half a bunch of parsley (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven: Turn the oven to 180°F (or as close as you can get it, if your oven doesn't go that low).
  2. Add the carcass and water: Put the carcass in the pot, and add cold water to cover the carcass by 1 inch.
  3. Bring to a simmer and skim: Put the pot over high heat, bring to a bare simmer, and skim off anything that rises to the top that you wouldn't want to eat in a soup. Do not let the stock boil!
  4. Cook in the oven: Put the pot in the 180°F oven for 5 hours (4 to 6 hours is OK).
  5. Add the aromatics: One hour before the cooking is done, add the aromatics (all the other ingredients), and continue cooking in the oven for another hour.
  6. Strain and chill: Strain the stock into a large pot, let it cool to room temperature, cover, and refrigerate overnight. The next day, remove the fat cap from the stock. Use it right away, refrigerate for up to 4 days, or freeze.

Notes

Equipment: A 12 quart stock pot, or the largest pot you have that fits in your oven. I use an All-Clad Stainless 12-Quart Multi Cooker.

Timing: About 6 1/2 hours end to end - 5 minutes to get the pot on the stove, about 1 hour to come to a simmer, 5 hours in the oven, and 15 to 20 minutes to strain.

Ruhlman now recommends 8 to 16 hours in the oven; 5 hours has been working well for me.

You can cook this on the stovetop instead of in the oven, but it's easier to hold such a low temperature in the oven. Make sure your pot fits in the oven before you start - I had to remove all but one rack and put it on the lowest level.

To scale up, keep the ratio of one turkey carcass plus aromatics to about 4 quarts of water.

This is a very hands-off recipe, especially with a probe thermometer set to alert you at 180°F, so you don't have to watch the pot come to a simmer.

See my stock straining setup here.

  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 6 hours

Find it online: https://www.dadcooksdinner.com/turkey-stock-done-right/