Turkey & Barley Soup

This is a great way to use your left over turkey from Thanksgiving.  It's a delicious & hearty soup.  My dad makes this soup every year the week after Thanksgiving.  Thank you dad for this recipe.

Soup Stock Ingredients

1 - 20lb. turkey carcass & any left over turkey meat

4 qts. of water

1 whole yellow onion (quartered)

4 whole carrots (cut in half)

4 whole celery stocks (cut in half)

3 whole garlic cloves (peeled)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp. pepper

Place your turkey carcass in a large stock pot.  Cover the whole carcass with water.  I'm guessing it's about 4 qts. could be more, could be less.  Add in the remaining ingredients above.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 4 hours, till turkey meat is falling off the bones.  Remove chunks of veggies, remove bones.  Strain the soup stock through a large colander into a large bowl to make sure you get every bone out of the soup stock.  Throw away all the veggie chunks.  Let the carcass cool.  Pick over the cooled bones and remove all meat.  Shred the turkey meat with your hands so that everything is bite size.  Keep turkey meat with the soup stock in the large bowl.

Turkey & Barley Soup Ingredients

soup stock from above

left over turkey meat

1/4 cup butter

1 large yellow onion (chopped)

6 celery stocks (sliced)

4 whole carrots (sliced)

2 cloves of garlic (minced)

1 cup pearl barley

1 Tbsp. italian seasoning

2 bay leaves

1 tsp. thyme

sprinkle of cumin

1/4 cup fresh parsley (chopped)

Salt and pepper to taste

In the large stock pot, melt butter.  Saute yellow onion, celery and carrots for 4 mins.  Add minced garlic for the last minute so it doesn't burn.  Sprinkle in all the italian seasoning, bay leaves, thyme and cumin.  Pour in the turkey and soup stock.  Bring to a boil.  Add the barley into the soup. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour to cook the barley.  Add fresh parsley, salt and pepper to taste.  Then serve.  Makes 8-10 servings.  Serve with soup crackers or fresh bread or garlic bread.  Which ever you like best.  Enjoy!