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Turkey Soup
Nov. 30th, 2008 03:55 pmmy after Thanksgiving favorite.
This is not a precise recipe, and it does change a bit every time i make it. but the basics are as follows.
Save the drippings from the bottom of the turkey pan (i used a cool whip container). refrigerate over night/until you are making delicious soup. Skim fat (opaque layer) off. the bottom layer should look like jelly. that is the good stuff. plop it into a crock pot. add twice as much water as turkey gloop. add in any leftover turkey. I usually use the leg and wing meat and whatever bits people failed to pull off the turkey proper. add about a cup of barley and wild rice (by a cup i mean a few handfuls. dont overdo it with the barley. it sucks up water and expands!) for veggies this year i copped out and used a dried veggie mixture. basically you want onion, carrot, celery, and some leeks in there. you can add parsnips and turnips if you are feeling adventurous. Cook for 5-6 hours on low. Add salt and pepper to taste. I like my soup a little on the salty side. i stir every now and then, and sample, adding more salt or pepper as needed. You can also use premixed seasonings like Mrs Dash, but that gets a little too strong for me. I actually like the turkey broth flavor. If you want a thicker soup, add some corn starch or tapioca. i eat all of my homemade soups with a lot of bread. may i recommend Marco Polo loaf?
see? ridiculously easy, and fantastically customizeable. and a good way to use up leftovers.
you can also make turkey stock by boiling the...well, the carcass (appetizing word choice, eh?) seasonings, and veggies for an hour or so, and then straining all the bones and bits out. and then use that as a soup base. thats usually round two for me. first batch of soup is from the drippings. second batch is from the big turkey carcass i have stuffed in the corner of the freezer until i need more soup.
either way, it will be blander than if you used store stock, so DO test as you cook and add salt, pepper, celery salt, whatever catches your fancy. you can toss in some peppers for a bit more kick as well.
honestly one of the tastier ways to spend a cold afternoon. my house smells DELICIOUS right now.
This is not a precise recipe, and it does change a bit every time i make it. but the basics are as follows.
Save the drippings from the bottom of the turkey pan (i used a cool whip container). refrigerate over night/until you are making delicious soup. Skim fat (opaque layer) off. the bottom layer should look like jelly. that is the good stuff. plop it into a crock pot. add twice as much water as turkey gloop. add in any leftover turkey. I usually use the leg and wing meat and whatever bits people failed to pull off the turkey proper. add about a cup of barley and wild rice (by a cup i mean a few handfuls. dont overdo it with the barley. it sucks up water and expands!) for veggies this year i copped out and used a dried veggie mixture. basically you want onion, carrot, celery, and some leeks in there. you can add parsnips and turnips if you are feeling adventurous. Cook for 5-6 hours on low. Add salt and pepper to taste. I like my soup a little on the salty side. i stir every now and then, and sample, adding more salt or pepper as needed. You can also use premixed seasonings like Mrs Dash, but that gets a little too strong for me. I actually like the turkey broth flavor. If you want a thicker soup, add some corn starch or tapioca. i eat all of my homemade soups with a lot of bread. may i recommend Marco Polo loaf?
see? ridiculously easy, and fantastically customizeable. and a good way to use up leftovers.
you can also make turkey stock by boiling the...well, the carcass (appetizing word choice, eh?) seasonings, and veggies for an hour or so, and then straining all the bones and bits out. and then use that as a soup base. thats usually round two for me. first batch of soup is from the drippings. second batch is from the big turkey carcass i have stuffed in the corner of the freezer until i need more soup.
either way, it will be blander than if you used store stock, so DO test as you cook and add salt, pepper, celery salt, whatever catches your fancy. you can toss in some peppers for a bit more kick as well.
honestly one of the tastier ways to spend a cold afternoon. my house smells DELICIOUS right now.
