TURKEY CARCASS SOUP

I remember the big Thanksgiving meals at my grandparents home and how my aunt would always take the turkey carcass so she could make soup. Her family loved turkey carcass soup and this recipe reminds me of an aunt long gone from this world.

1 turkey carcass
4 quarts water
6 small potatoes, diced
4 large carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 large onion, diced
1 1/2 cups shredded cabbage
1 (28 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup uncooked barley
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1 pinch dried thyme


Place the turkey carcass into a large soup pot or stock pot and pour in the water; bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook the turkey frame until the remaining meat falls off the bones, about 1 hour. Remove the turkey carcass and remove and chop any remaining turkey meat. Chop the meat.

Strain the broth through a fine mesh strainer into a clean soup pot. Add the chopped turkey to the strained broth; bring the to a boil, reduce heat, and stir in the potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, cabbage, tomatoes, barley, Worcestershire sauce, salt, parsley, basil, bay leaf, black pepper, paprika, poultry seasoning, and thyme. Simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 1 more hour. Remove bay leaf before serving.

Note: File Photo