Slow Cooker Turkey Stock (2024)

FAQs

How much stock do you put in a slow cooker? ›

Add stock, water or other liquids, making sure there is enough to come up 1-2cm from the base of the slow cooker bowl. Cover with the lid and cook on High for 4-5 hours or Low for 5-8 hours, or until the meat is tender and pulls apart easily with a fork.

How much liquid do I add? Water or liquid is necessary to create steam. When cooking meat or poultry, the water or liquid level should cover the ingredients to ensure effective heat transfer throughout the crock. Some manufacturers of slow cookers recommend adding liquid to fill the stoneware 1/2 to 3/4 full.

Finishing the Stock

When strained and chilled, the stock should set like jelly, a sign you've done it right.

Can you overcook turkey stock? Yes, the culprit is high heat. A really long simmer time (even up to 4-5 hours) is totally fine, as long as it's a gentle simmer and not a fast boil. High heat deadens the flavors of all those wonderful herbs.

The difference is the time it takes to reach that temperature. Low: 7-8 hours to reach the simmer point. High: 3-4 hours to reach the simmer point.

To keep a pot roast from drying out, your slow cooker needs liquid to create a moist environment, and that can include meat or vegetable stock, wine or water. This doesn't mean the meat should be submerged; a cup or two of liquid will be enough, since the cooker is covered and liquids stay trapped inside.

Not adding enough liquid can lead to burning.

"It's important to add enough liquid to ensure the bottom of your dish doesn't burn." If your meal does burn, the chef said to avoid scraping the bottom of the pot while stirring and serving because it can give the entire dish a burnt flavor.

Reduce liquid when using a slow cooker

Half to two-thirds full is ideal – certainly no more than three-quarters.

Let the stock cook, uncovered or partially covered, at a low simmer for 3-4 hours. If any scum or foam appears on the surface of the stock as it cooks, use a large spoon to skim it away and discard. Add a little more water to the pot if needed as liquid evaporates.

Emulsification of fats: Just like how water and oil can emulsify into an opaque mayonnaise, fats from meat or bones can emulsify into the water of your stock, making it cloudy. The culprit? Boiling. Fats in your stock emulsify with the water when the stock boils.

Is turkey broth the same as turkey stock? ›

Yes, turkey stock and turkey broth are the same thing. Some people argue that they're different – but they're made the same way and can be used interchangeably. Often, broth is richer than stock… but at the end of the day, bone broth, stock, and broth all mean the same thing: liquid made from leftover bones/scraps.

BUT: The sign of the 'jelly' is what lets you know you've cooked the bones long enough, you've not used too much water, and you've used bones that have high gelatin in them. Gelatinous bone broth is the visual sign (when it's wobbly once cooled in fridge) that you've got a great amount of gelatin in there.

Potentially hazardous foods (cooked vegetables and raw or cooked meat, poultry, fish or wild game) are not safe to consume if they have been left out at room temperature for more than 4 hours. We recommend they be cooled and refrigerated within 2 to 3 hours.

A good stock isn't done until it's been strained, seasoned and cooled. Skimping on any of these steps can leave you with stock that's murky, bland or stale-tasting. To strain, pour the stock into a colander lined with at least two layers of cheesecloth.

You shouldn't be filling your slow cooker to the brim with ingredients. It needs space between the food and the lid to prevent it from boiling over. The heat inside also needs room to circulate and cook the food the right way. Generally, you shouldn't fill your slow cooker more than three-quarters full.

Never ever put liquid into the base of a slow cooker. It was not designed for that and clearly states not to immerse the base in water. The heating element and components are not in a waterproof environment. You will quickly ruin the heating element and risk injury from electrical leakage into the metal base.

For example, a ratio for preparing a stock calls for 3 parts liquid to 2 parts bones (3 lbs. water to every 2 lbs. of bones), which means converting the water to a liquid measure (knowing that a one-pint liquid measure equals one pound takes out the mystery).

Fill the crock pot at least half full and no more than two-thirds full. Thaw frozen meats and vegetables before placing in the crock pot. Place dense vegetables in crock pot first, such as carrots and potatoes, since they take longer than meats to cook.