Turkey Soup with Dumplings (Homemade Bone Broth)

Perfect for using up the last of the Thanksgiving or Christmas Turkey

Turkey Soup

For the Stock:

1 turkey carcass, meat removed from bones

1 large onion, quartered

2 carrots, chopped

Several celery tops/leaves

Several sprigs fresh parsley

1 tsp thyme

1 bay leaf

5-10 peppercorns

2 tsp. salt

½ tsp. pepper

Cold water

Add all ingredients to a large soup pot. Cover with 1 inch of cold water.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to a bare simmer. Simmer 4 hours with the lid tilted so broth can reduce. Then, remove bones/large chunks with tongs and strain through a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth. Discard bones, veggies, and anything else the strainer catches (you’ll use fresh veggies for the soup).

For the Soup:

¼ cup butter

3 cups chopped carrots

3 cups chopped celery

3 cups chopped onion

4 cloves garlic

¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped

4 tsp. poultry seasoning

Several dashes of sage, thyme, marjoram, turmeric, savory, etc.

Egg noodles or dumplings

6-8 cups shredded turkey meat

Salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter in a large soup pot. Add onion and celery and cook until tender. Add garlic and cook a minute more, until fragrant. Add the carrots and seasonings, then cover with stock. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat. Simmer 10 or so minutes until carrots are about halfway done. Then, add noodles or dumplings, as desired. Simmer until carrots and noodles/dumplings are cooked through (10-20 minutes more). Add the turkey meat and heat through. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Soup Dumplings

2 cups all-purpose flour

4 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

A few dashes of any seasonings (onion powder, garlic powder, etc.)

2/3 to 1 cup milk

Whisk together dry ingredients. Fold in milk with rubber spatula. Add enough milk to make a sticky dough.

Drop by small spoonfuls onto top of rapidly boiling soup. Cook 10 minutes uncovered, then another 10 minutes simmering and covered. 



Note: I had plenty of broth leftover that I froze in muffin trays and then transferred to a large gallon sized ziplock bag in the freezer so I can use it as needed for other recipes. Super handy!