After the holiday turkey is cooked and devoured, you can use the carcass and some leftover meat to make a delicious and warming soup. Making stock out of the bones is a great way of stretching meals, plus cooking with homemade broths is so much nicer than using commercial brands. The only real trick to making stock is skimming off the foam as it rises to the surface as it cooks, and having the patience to let it simmer long and slow. The longer it cooks, the better it will taste. You can let it go for longer than three hours – even overnight! If you do that, you may have to top it up with a bit of water if it reduces too much, but you will be rewarded with a rich, flavourful liquid that will make fabulous soups, sauces, or gravies. Use what you need for soup and freeze the leftovers for future use.
Of course, if you are not interested in making stock, you can still make this soup with commercial chicken stock, and if you don’t have leftover roast turkey, feel free to use chicken! Adding pearl barley to the soup makes it heartier and the veggies and noodles give this soup that old-fashioned taste your family will enjoy.
Directions
- For turkey stock: In large pot, place turkey carcass with onions, carrots, celery, bay leaves, peppercorns and parsley leaves. Add 4 litres of water or as much as you need to make sure it covers carcass by at least two inches.
- Bring to a boil over medium high heat and then turn down to simmer, partially covered, for 2-3 hours, skimming foam as it forms.
- Strain broth and discard carcass and vegetables.
- For soup: Measure 2 litres strained broth and place back into stock pot. Stir in Farm Boy™ Pearl Barley and salt to taste. Bring temperature to a simmer and cook, partially covered, for 15 minutes.
- Add carrots and celery and continue to simmer, partially covered, for another 15 minutes.
- Add diced leftover turkey and egg noodles.
- Simmer until noodles are tender, about 10 minutes longer. Adjust seasoning.
- Garnish with parsley and serve with Farm Boy™ Brioche Pull Apart Rolls.
Ingredients
- Turkey Stock
- 1 leftover turkey carcass
- 4 large carrots peeled and sliced
- 4 celery stalks diced
- 2 white onions quartered
- 2-3 bay leaves
- 1 tsp Farm Boy™ Organic Black Peppercorn ground
- 8 parsley sprigs
- 4 liters water
- Soup
- 2 liters turkey stock or Farm Boy™ Organic Chicken Broth
- 1/3 cup Farm Boy™ Pearl Barley
- 2 medium-sized carrots peeled and sliced 1/4" thick (1.5 cups)
- 2 celery stalks sliced 1/4" thick (1 cup)
- 2 cups leftover cooked fresh, local turkey diced
- salt to taste
- 1 cup egg noodles
- parsley chopped, for garnish
- 1 pack Farm Boy™ Brioche Pull Apart Rolls