Turkey Carcass Soup

By Hilda Joy
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One of the best things about our traditional American Thanksgiving dinner is the choice of leftovers and the creative uses to which such leftovers can be put.  Thanksgiving evening, shortly after we think, “I can’t eat another thing,” we may find ourselves heading to the kitchen and opening the fridge to see what would make a quick snack.  For me, that is usually a leftover biscuit split in half, dabbed with mayo, and filled with a small piece of cold turkey and topped with a spoonful of cranberry sauce.
 
My favorite leftover, however, is Turkey Carcass Soup.  Making it also clears out the fridge a bit.  Though not as rich as a traditional bone broth because the turkey bones have given up most of their goodness during the roasting process, this soup is satisfying because of the addition of fresh vegetables, frozen corn, and wild rice.  It became even more filling the year I decided to make croutons from leftover stuffing.
 
The morning after Thanksgiving, while the Turkey Carcass Soup was simmering gently on the stove, perfuming the whole house, and working up appetites for lunch, I was rearranging the fridge.  “What can I do with all this leftover stuffing?” I wondered.  I transferred it to a large rectangular baking dish and baked it until crisp and cut it into small squares for topping the soup.  Ever since, these croutons have been part of this soup recipe, which I hope you will try this Thanksgiving.

A New Mexico friend—when she lived on a small farm in Michigan—threw a star-gazing party most every August during the Persied Meteor Showers.  Friends from several states would arrive in campers and trucks loaded with food.  One year, three turkeys were brought—my smoked turkey, a roasted turkey, and one made on site on a Weber grill.  After a long, sumptuous outdoor feast and lots of oohs and aahs as we watched the meteors, several women gathered in the farm-house kitchen and began stripping the turkey carcasses of meat, and all during the night a large stock pot simmered with turkey bones and meat and lots of vegetables.  The first person to waken was expected to enter the kitchen and turn on the huge coffee pot already filled with water and coffee.  As I crawled out of my pup tent, I realized I was the only person there to see the sun rise.  Walking up the steps to the kitchen, I was overwhelmed with the smell of turkey carcass soup.  Sometimes I think I can still smell it.  Yes, I know I can!

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​​dressing (stuffing) left
   over from turkey dinner
​butter

After turkey dinner, place leftover dressing into a buttered large rectangular baking dish.  Pat down to an inch in height.  Cover/refrigerate until soup is in process.

​​3 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon black pepper
2 tablespoons sage
​10 cups cold water

​Throw seasonings into a large stockpot.  Add water and bring to a boil.

​​1 large onion, diced
1/2 stalk of celery, diced
   and including leaves
1 handful of flat-leaf
   parsley leaves, chopped
6 large carrots, peeled and
   cut into 1/2-inch ‘sticks’
carcass of 1 roasted
   turkey, stripped of meat

​When water comes to a boil, add remaining ingredients; return to a boil; then, lower heat and simmer for 2 hours.  While soup is simmering, dice left-over turkey; set aside.  While soup is simmering, cut cold dressing in baking dish into 1/2-inch dice.  Bake in preheated 375-degree F oven until brown on top.  Remove from baking dish and separate into croutons.  If croutons are not crisp on bottom, return loosened croutons, a half batch at a time, to oven to finish browning.  Remove from oven; set aside.  While soup is simmering, prepare wild rice (see below).

​​1 cup wild rice, rinsed
   and drained
3 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt

Put all ingredients into a medium saucepan; bring to a boil; stir.  Lower heat to very low; lid the pot; let wild rice absorb all of the liquid (takes 45 to 60 minutes).  Set aside.  Chicken or vegetable stock can be substituted for water​

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​the diced, left-over turkey
cooked wild rice
1 cup frozen corn

​At end of 2-hour cooking period, retrieve and discard turkey carcass.  Incorporate diced turkey, wild rice, and frozen corn, stirring well.  Cook for an additional 10 minutes.  Remove soup from heat.  Note:  Adding a little turkey bouillon at this point intensifies the flavor of this soup.  Recommended:  Better than Bouillon Turkey Base.

​flat-leaf parsley, chopped
baked dressing croutons

​Pour soup into a tureen or into individual soup bowls.  Garnish with parsley.  Pass croutons in a separate bowl.  Serve immediately.

EnJOY