Homemade Turkey Soup

 

Carcass from cooked 10- to 12-lb turkey

3

quarts (12 cups) water

1

teaspoon salt

1/2

teaspoon pepper

1/4

teaspoon poultry seasoning or dried sage leaves

1

dried bay leaf

1/2

cup uncooked pearl barley

3

medium carrots, sliced (1 1/2 cups)

1

large onion, chopped (1 cup)

2

medium stalks celery, sliced (1 cup)

3

cups cut-up cooked turkey

2

tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, if desired

• 1 Break up turkey carcass to fit 6-quart Dutch oven. Add water, salt, pepper, poultry seasoning and bay leaf. Heat to boiling over high heat; reduce heat to low. Cover; simmer 1 hour 30 minutes.
• 2 Skim off any residue that rises to the surface. Remove bones, meat and bay leaf from broth; cool. When cool enough to handle, remove meat from bones and cut into bite-size pieces; set aside. Discard bones and bay leaf.
• 3 Skim fat from broth; discard. Add turkey meat cut from bones to broth; stir in barley. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to low. Cover; simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• 4 Stir in carrots, onion, celery and 3 cups cooked turkey. Simmer uncovered 20 to 25 minutes longer, stirring occasionally, until vegetables and barley are tender. Stir in parsley.