Turkey Carcass Soup
This turkey carcass soup recipe turns leftover holiday bones into a rich, golden broth and a hearty, old-fashioned pot of comfort. Simmered with potatoes, carrots, celery, cabbage, tomatoes, and pearl barley, it's a budget-friendly, zero-waste meal that tastes like the holidays in a bowl.
Equipment
- Large stockpot (at least 12 quarts) or large Dutch oven Must be big enough to hold the whole carcass
- Fine-mesh strainer For catching small bones and cartilage
- Chef's knife and cutting board
- Tongs For lifting the carcass out of the pot
- Rimmed baking sheet or large platter For cooling the carcass
- Fat separator (optional)
- Ladle
- Airtight storage containers For leftovers
Ingredients
- 1 turkey carcass from a 12 to 16 pound roasted turkey, with some meat still on the bones
- 4 quarts cold water 16 cups
- 1 can whole peeled tomatoes 28 ounces, with juices
- 6 small potatoes diced into 1/2 inch pieces
- 4 large carrots peeled and diced
- 1 large yellow onion diced
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 1 1/2 cups shredded green cabbage shredded into thin ribbons
- 1/2 cup pearl barley rinsed
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 large bay leaf
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 1 pinch dried thyme
Instructions
- Remove leftover stuffing, large pieces of loose skin, and big pockets of fat from the carcass, leaving small bits of meat and clinging skin for flavor. Break the carcass into two or three large pieces so it fits in your pot.
- Place the carcass in a large stockpot, pour in 4 quarts of cold water to mostly cover the bones, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce to a gentle simmer, skim off any foam, and simmer about 1 hour until the meat falls off the bones.
- Lift the carcass out with tongs onto a rimmed baking sheet and cool 10 to 15 minutes. Pull off the remaining meat, chop it into bite-sized pieces, and discard the bones, skin, and gristle.
- Set a fine mesh strainer over a clean large pot and carefully pour the broth through it to catch tiny bones and cartilage. Skim off visible fat or use a fat separator, then return the strained broth to the stove.
- Peel and dice the potatoes into 1/2 inch pieces, peel and dice the carrots, dice the onion and celery, shred the cabbage, rinse the barley, and crush the canned tomatoes with your hands or a spoon.
- Add the chopped turkey to the strained broth and bring to a boil, then reduce to low. Stir in the tomatoes with juices, potatoes, carrots, onion, celery, cabbage, barley, Worcestershire sauce, and all seasonings, stirring so the barley does not clump.
- Simmer gently about 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes, until the potatoes, carrots, and barley are tender. Add a splash of water if the soup becomes too thick, then remove and discard the bay leaf.
- Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Ladle the hot soup into bowls and serve right away with your favorite side.
Notes
- Start with cold water to pull flavor from the bones slowly, which gives a clearer, cleaner broth.
- Keep the pot at a gentle simmer; a hard boil makes the broth cloudy and greasy.
- Always strain the broth through a fine mesh strainer so no small bones end up in anyone's bowl.
- Add the vegetables after straining so they don't turn mushy during the long bone simmer.
- Season at the end, since roasted turkey and seasoned drippings can already be salty.
- Use any leftover sage, thyme, or parsley sprigs from your holiday meal in the pot.
- Swap the barley for 1/2 cup long-grain rice and simmer about 20 minutes, or skip it and add egg noodles during the last 8 to 10 minutes.
- Store cooled soup in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or freeze for 4 to 6 months.
- Stir in a little broth or water when reheating, since the barley thickens the soup as it sits.
- You can keep a carcass in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days, or freeze it for up to 6 months; no need to thaw before simmering.
Nutrition
Serving: 1BowlCalories: 190kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 14gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.5gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 25mgSodium: 550mgPotassium: 500mgFiber: 5gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 60IUVitamin C: 25mgCalcium: 4mgIron: 10mg
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