Hearty Barley Turkey Soup

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

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.