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How to make Homemade Turkey Soup

Ingredients

  • Turkey carcass with some meat left on the bones
  • water
  • 2 carrots or more peeled and chopped
  • 2 celery stalks or more chopped
  • 2 medium onions or more diced
  • a couple tablespoons of olive oil or more if desired
  • 1/2 - 1 cup lemon juice fresh or bottled
  • start with a 1/2 cup and add more to taste if desired
  • 1-2 cups white wine pino grigio or whatever leftover white wine you have on hand
  • Start with one cup and add more to taste if desired
  • salt & pepper
  • optional: lemon pepper

Instructions

  • Place turkey carcass in large stock pot. (Fine if it's on end or sticking up out of the pot.)
  • Cover carcass with water.
  • Bring to a full boil, uncovered.
  • Reduce heat to low, cover pot, and simmer for 8-12 hours.
  • Add more water to keep carcass covered if needed.
  • Remove pot from heat and cool.
  • Chill/refrigerate soup until fat rises to the top and congeals.
  • Remove fat layer from the top of soup by skimming it off with a spoon and discarding.
  • Warm soup slightly over low heat on the stovetop.
  • Remove bones and skin from the soup and discard. See post above for tips to simplify this process.
  • Be very careful to remove all the tiny bones, as they are a potential choking hazard.
  • Once you think you've removed every bone, pour turkey broth through a woven metal strainer.
  • (For best results, see my tips above about the process.)
  • Heat soup on stovetop on medium high, stirring often.
  • Meanwhile, in a frying pan on the stovetop, sauté chopped celery, carrots and onions in a few tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat, until vegetables are just softening and onions are translucent.
  • Add sautéed vegetables to the soup and heat thoroughly.
  • Add cooked rice.
  • Add lemon juice and white wine.
  • Season with salt and pepper.
  • (I start with a teaspoon of salt and a 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground pepper and taste test, then adjust if needed.)
  • A few minutes before serving, add frozen sweet peas.
  • Enjoy steaming hot with a slice of crusty fresh bread!