TURKEY BARLEY SOUP

AFTER THANKSGIVING…

We had a really wonderful Thanksgiving. Kyle took Wednesday and today off so we have had lot of family time. We spent part of the earlier week with his family, and the latter half of this week with my family. We spent Wednesday night and Thanksgiving night up at my Dad and Stepmom’s little ranch with lots of friends and family. We get pretty spoiled for the big day, with talented chefs cooking up wonderful dishes, our wonderful friend from Portland brings the most amazing cheeses and treats and incredible champagne. I brought my Sourdough Stuffing, and Salted Caramel Cheesecakes. My Stepmom is a fabulous hostess, the table is arranged beautifully with thoughtful, funny gifts laid out for everyone and there’s a focus on gratitude, conversation, and fun. It’s quickly becoming one of my favorite holidays.

If you’ve hosted your own Thanksgiving and are lucky enough to be in possession of a leftover turkey, you can make this simple and incredibly comforting Turkey Barley Soup. The first step is to make a rich, flavorful broth from what remains of your Thanksgiving turkey. The soup is the perfect remedy for the long cold evenings between the holidays. Cozy up next your Christmas tree with a bowl of this soup and a chunk of crusty french bread.

PINPIN

TURKEY BARLEY SOUP

Ingredients.
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
4 cups shredded turkey meat
1 cup barley
8 cups turkey broth*
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1 bay leaf
pinch nutmeg
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

Directions.
In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Sauté the onion until softened, about 7 minutes. Add the carrots and celery and sauté for another few minutes. Toss in the garlic, spices and bay leaf and stir together for a minute or two.

Add in the broth, turkey, and barley. Stir together to combine and simmer, uncovered, for 35-45 minutes, until the barley is cooked through but still has a little chew and the broth is slightly thickened and bubbling. Season to taste.

Serve and enjoy.

*I make my turkey broth by cutting and breaking up my turkey carcass into smaller parts, submerging those parts in cold water in large stock pots, adding a bay leaf or two, a couple sliced carrots, celery and onions, peppercorns and a bit of thyme and rosemary. I simmer them on very low heat, partially covered for a few hours until the broth is super flavorful and slightly thickened. I strain it, and allow it to cool. Strip all the meat from the bones and set it aside to use for the soup. Scrape the fat from the top of the cooled broth and discard it. You should have a wonderfully flavorful and gelatinous broth!

PRINTABLE RECIPE.
TURKEY BARLEY SOUP