Slow Cooker Turkey Carcass and Rice Soup
This is the perfect recipe for that leftover turkey and it is so good! And forgive the catchy name. I couldn’t help myself. How often do we get the chance to put the word “carcass” in a recipe?
I hate eating chicken or turkey off the bone. I know I am a total hypocrite, but it reminds me that I am eating an animal. So when I have to pick all the meat off the turkey carcass on Thanksgiving, it is just a little too much for me.
Luckily that carcass has everything you need to make the most amazing soup. Bone broth is supposed to have lots of amazing health benefits like boosting your immune system and it is packed with nutrients.
So after the turkey feast, I just cut off the meat that is easy to get off and then stick that bird in a crock pot! I leave enough meat on it so that I have some turkey meat in my soup. Once it has been cooking in the crock pot for awhile, the meat should just fall off the bone. And if you don’t have a leftover turkey, you can just use a whole chicken.
The recipe calls for fresh herbs, and I won’t lie to you, it makes a tremendous difference. And rosemary is so easy to grow there is really no excuse not to have some in your backyard. And did you know that you can freeze your fresh basil to use later? But you can also use dried herbs if you really must. Just remember that 1 teaspoon of a dried herb is about 1 tablespoon fresh.
Also, feel free to throw in some extra veggies. One time I made it with some shredded zucchini and it was delicious. If your kids don’t like veggies, just send them through the food processor. Once they have been cooking in the crock pot for a few hours your kids won’t even know they are in there. This soup is sooooo good for you! And it is amazing if you are sick!
Slow Cooker Turkey Carcass and Rice Soup
Ingredients
3 carrots, chopped
1 onion, chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped
1 leftover turkey carcass or 4 pound whole chicken*
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh basil
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon fresh oregano
1 cup brown rice**
1 quart chicken broth
1 quart water
Directions:
1. Put the veggies and herbs in the bottom of the slow cooker. Place the turkey (or chicken on top). Pour 1 quart water on top. Season with salt and pepper. Cook on high for 4-6 hours.
2. After 4-6 hours, remove the bones, gristle, and skin from the crock pot, leaving just the meat. Shred the remaining meat.
3. Once you have removed the bones, add the brown rice and 1 quart chicken broth. Cook for another 3 hours in the slow cooker on low.
*If you use a whole raw chicken, increase the first cook time to 6-8 hours.
**If you add white rice, it only has to be cooked for another 2 hours.
