Hearty Barley Turkey Soup

This turkey barley soup is made with homemade turkey stock from your Thanksgiving turkey. It's rich in flavor and loaded with barley and aromatic veggies.

• Preparation Time: 10 mins
• Cooking Time: 3 hr 35 mins
• Total Time: 3 hr 45 mins
• Calories: 102 Calories

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 1 pinch dried thyme
• 10 whole black peppercorns
• 1 cup barley
• 1 large bay leaf
• 1 turkey carcass
• 2 large bay leaves
• 2 medium onions, diced
• 1 pinch dried thyme, or to taste
• 5 quarts water, or as needed
• 3 stalks celery, cut in half
• 6 stalks celery, cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 0.5 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 0.5 cup chopped mushrooms
• 0.5 cup chopped carrot
• 1.5 cups coarsely chopped onion
• 1.5 pounds carrots, cut into 1-inch chunks

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Make turkey stock: Combine 5 quarts water and turkey carcass in a large stockpot over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Add onion, carrot, celery, peppercorns, bay leaf, and thyme. Reduce heat and simmer, skimming excess fat and foam from the surface as needed and adding more water as it evaporates, for 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

Step 2

Remove carcass to a cutting board and cool. Strain stock; discard solids and return liquid to the pot.

Step 3

Pull meat from cooled carcass and discard bones. Shred meat and refrigerate until needed.

Step 4

Make soup: Add carrots, onions, celery, barley, mushrooms, bay leaves, salt, marjoram, pepper, and thyme to stock; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until barley is fully cooked, about 1 hour 20 minutes.

Step 5

Return shredded turkey to the soup; simmer until heated through, about 10 minutes. Remove bay leaves and serve.