Turkey Soup

Turkey Soup

When I was a kid my grandmother used to make turkey soup.  All of us grandkids would always make fun of her when she did.  We thought it was the most disgusting thing to boil the carcass of the poor creature that had given its life for our holiday meal.  It seemed somehow gruesome to me.  On top of that, after eating turkey for 3 or 4 days, then to stretch out the same meal for another 2 or 3 days was more turkey than I could take.  My father explained to me that my grandparents had lived through the depression so never threw anything away, EVER.  This was a woman who would wash plastic silverware to use again, and rinse out paper towels to reuse.

Now that I am older I realize that most of the flavor from any protein comes from the roasted bones.  Once the turkey has been roasted, the real flavor can be extracted from the pieces that most people throw away. Take the entire carcass, skin, bones, scrapings from the bottom of the pan, etc., and throw it all into a huge pot.  Add 1 tsp. salt.  Cover with water and simmer on low for 2-3 hours, keeping a close eye on the pot to make sure that the water doesn't completely boil out.  After the pot has reduced by 25-30%, taste the broth.  When it tastes like turkey, remove from the heat and strain through a fine strainer.  (Turkey soup can have many small bones and pieces, especially from the neck and backbone.  Make sure to get them all so no one will choke later).  You now have the base of your soup.  To this you can add anything you like:

Onions
mushrooms
celery
carrots
corn
beans
peas
potatoes
rice
noodles
leftover turkey meat
chicken meat

Add your desired ingredients, in your desired amounts and simmer for another 15 minutes to cook through. 
Make your soup any way that you like.  I throw the leftover gravy into mine too.  I also like mine a little thicker.  Leftover mashed potatoes can do the trick here too.  I like my soup pretty thick.  Rachael Ray calls it stoup - a cross between stew and soup.

Experiment.  Have fun.  But above all, don't throw anything away.  Someone from the Great Depression might get mad!  Thanks Grandma.


Psalm 118:22 (New International Version)
The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone;


Enjoy~

Lori

Psalm 23:6 "...my cup overflows."

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