Hearty Barley Turkey Soup

Just the best turkey soup ever. If you brined your turkey, you will need to add less salt to the soup.

Original recipe makes 12 servings

Ingredients

Turkey Stock:
5 quarts water, or as needed
1 turkey carcass
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped onion
3 stalks celery
1/2 cup chopped carrot
10 whole black peppercorns
1 pinch dried thyme, or to taste
1 bay leaf
Soup:
1 1/2 pounds carrots, cut into 1-inch chunks
2 onions, diced
6 stalks celery, cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 cup barley
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pinch dried thyme

PREP

20 mins
COOK

3 hrs 30 mins
READY IN

3 hrs 50 mins

Directions

Bring water and turkey carcass to a boil in a large pot; add 1 1/2 cup chopped onion, 3 stalks celery, 1/2 cup chopped carrot, peppercorns, 1 pinch thyme, and 1 bay leaf. Simmer, skimming excess fat and foam from top of stock as needed, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Add more water to stock as it evaporates. Remove carcass from stock and cool. Pull meat from bones and shred; refrigerate until needed. Strain stock and return liquid to pot.
Mix 1 1/2 pounds carrots, 2 onions, 6 stalks celery, barley, mushrooms, 2 bay leaves, salt, marjoram, black pepper, and 1 pinch thyme into turkey stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer soup, stirring occasionally, until barley is fully cooked, 1 hour and 20 minutes. Add turkey meat to the soup and simmer for 10 more minutes. Remove bay leaves before serving.