Don’t throw away that turkey carcass! This turkey soup utilizes not only the carcass, but any leftover turkey meat you may have in the refrigerator as well. If handling the carcass makes you a little queasy, feel free to simply utilize the other broth ingredients.
Number of servings: 10
Serving size: 2 cups
Ingredients
For the broth:
- 1 turkey carcass
- 4 cups water
- 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 3 large onions, 1 quartered and 3 chopped
For the soup:
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 cup diced rutabaga or turnip, peeled
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 4 carrots, peeled and cut into thin strips
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup uncooked pearl barley
- 1 can (14 ounces) unsalted tomatoes
- 1 can (16 ounces) white beans, rinsed and drained
- 1/2 pound leftover light turkey meat, cut into bite-size chunks
Directions
In a large stockpot, combine the turkey carcass, water, broth and quartered onion. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1 hour. Strain the mixture, discarding the carcass and onion. Chill the liquid in the refrigerator — overnight, if possible — and skim off the fat from the broth's surface.
Return the liquid to the stockpot. Add the soup ingredients to the broth mixture. Bring to a simmer and cook, covered, for about 1 hour. Ladle into individual bowls and serve immediately.
For this recipe and more, visit https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/recipes
Nutritional analysis per serving:
Calories 178
Total Fat 2 g
Saturated fat 1 g
Trans fat Trace
Monounsaturated fat <1 g
Cholesterol 23 mg
Sodium 131 mg
Total carbohydrate 25 g
Dietary fiber 5 g
Added Sugars 0 g
Protein 15 g
This soup stock freezes well to serve as a base for other meals, or you can freeze the leftover soup for quick meals. Simply ladle 1 qt into a zip-type freezer bag and freeze for up to 6 months.
Good idea, Sue!
When I make turkey or chicken or any soup, I usually cook the carcass for 2-4 hrs. The longer you cook the bones, the more nutrients are extracted and the thicker the stock/broth becomes.
This is especially important for those with joint problems. Why take a joint supplement when a more tasty version is already be in your soup?