Turkey Carcass Soup

Leftover turkey soup is just as much a Thanksgiving tradition as the turkey itself! Turkey carcass, slowly simmered, makes a rich, flavorful broth.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 3 hours 30 minutes

Total Time 4 hours

Servings servings

Calories 123kcal

Author Vered DeLeeuw

Ingredients

For the basic broth:

Carcass of a 10-12-lb. turkey
3 quarts water
1 tablespoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf

For the turkey soup:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup sliced celery
1 cup chopped onion
2 cups cooked turkey breast skinless, diced (10 oz)

Instructions

Place the turkey carcass in a large stockpot and cover it with cold water. Add the kosher salt, black pepper, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Skim the foam off the surface. Reduce the heat to medium-low so that the stock is at a gentle simmer. Cook, partially covered, for 3 hours.
Remove the bones and the bay leaf and discard. Strain the stock through a strainer. Measure how much liquid you have - you should now have about 2 quarts of soup. If you have less, add enough water to get to 2 quarts. Wipe the stockpot clean with moist paper towels.
In the clean stockpot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat, about 2 minutes. Add the carrots, celery, and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender-crisp. You want the onions golden, not browned. If the bottom of the stockpot becomes too dry, add a splash of water.
Skim the fat layer from the top of the broth if you wish, then add it back to the stockpot. Add the turkey meat. Bring back to a simmer and cook just until heated through, about 5 more minutes.

Video

Notes

The sodium content is an estimate. If this is of concern to you, please verify it independently.

It's up to you if you'd like to skim the fat layer off the top of the soup. I actually prefer not to, since the fat adds so much flavor.

If you decide to skim it, it's easier to allow the broth to cool completely in the fridge. The fat will float to the top and harden, and it will be very easy to remove. Then you can reheat the broth and proceed to make the soup.

Nutrition