Hearty Barley Turkey Soup

Turkey barley soup is a comfort-food favorite that stretches your turkey into another meal. Simmer your Thanksgiving turkey carcass to create a rich homemade turkey stock that forms the base of a delicious soup, loaded with aromatic vegetables, barley, and mushrooms. Perfect for lunch or dinner with a slice of crusty bread, this may just be the best turkey soup ever.

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

Ingredients

• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 1 pinch dried thyme
• ½ cup chopped mushrooms
• 10 whole black peppercorns
• 1 cup barley
• 1 large bay leaf
• 1 ½ cups coarsely chopped onion
• ½ cup chopped carrot
• 1 turkey carcass
• 2 teaspoons salt (Optional)
• 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
• 1 ½ pounds carrots, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 6 stalks celery, cut into 1/2-inch slices

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.