Spicy soup with leftover turkey

Method11 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Optional homemade stock: if using 8 cups prepared stock, skip the homemade-stock stages and start preparing the soup. Otherwise, pull as much cooked meat as possible from the roasted turkey or chicken carcass and reserve it toward the soup’s 2 cups or more shredded meat. Refrigerate this reserved cooked meat until preparing the soup.

   Uses Remains of roasted turkey or chicken

2. 2

   Step 2: Put the roasted carcass and bones in a large stockpot. Add water so the pot with its contents is about three-quarters full, leaving room to boil.

   Uses Stripped roasted carcass and bones · Water, enough for the optional stock pot to be about three-quarters full with bones

3. 3

   Step 3: Break bones up if necessary to fit. Bring the carcass and water to a boil over medium-high heat and skim foam.

   Uses Carcass and stock water

4. 4

   Step 4: Add the stock onion (1 whole onion for turkey, or 1/2 for chicken), carrot (1 large), celery (1 large), 5–7 garlic cloves and 1–2 bay leaves. Reduce to medium-low and simmer covered for 1–2 hours.

   Optional homemade stock · 120 minUses Boiling carcass stock · 1 medium onion for turkey stock (1/2 onion for chicken stock) · 1 large carrot, cut into large chunks · 1 large celery stalk, cut into large chunks · 5–7 plump garlic cloves, for stock · 1–2 bay leaves, for stock

5. 5

   Step 5: Strain the stock into a heatproof bowl or pot and discard the bones and spent stock vegetables. Remove fat with a fat separator, or promptly cool in smaller shallow containers and refrigerate until the fat solidifies, then spoon it off. Measure 8 cups for the soup; reserve any extra stock for another use.

   Uses Simmered carcass stock

6. 6

   Step 6: Shred the 2 cups or more cooked turkey or chicken meat into thin strips or bite-size pieces. If you made homemade stock, count the cooked meat reserved from the carcass toward this total.

   Uses 2 cups or more cooked turkey or chicken meat, shredded · Reserved cooked carcass meat, if making homemade stock

   
7. 7

   Step 7: Optionally blanch the mung bean sprouts (8 ounces) in boiling water for 1–2 minutes and drain. Cut the scallions (1–2 bunches) into pieces about 4 inches long. Thinly slice either the 5 fresh shiitake mushrooms or the 3 already-soaked dried shiitake mushrooms (3).

   Optional bean-sprout blanch · 2 minUses 1–2 bunches scallions · 8 ounces mung bean sprouts · 5 fresh shiitake mushrooms, or use the soaked dried alternative · 3 soaked dried shiitake mushrooms instead of fresh · Boiling water, enough to blanch bean sprouts (optional)

   
8. 8

   Step 8: In a pan, heat the sesame oil (2 tablespoons) until hot (but not smoking hot) over low heat. Add the chili pepper flakes and turn the heat off. Stir gently until the oil turns red and the chili pepper flakes become pasty. Do not burn the flakes.

   Uses 2 tablespoons sesame oil · 2 tablespoons gochugaru (Korean red chili pepper flakes)

   
9. 9

   Step 9: Add the shredded cooked meat, prepared bean sprouts and mushrooms, 1 tablespoon of the soup soy sauce and the 1 tablespoon minced garlic to the prepared chili-oil mixture. Mix and marinate for 10–15 minutes.

   Marinate poultry and vegetables · 15 minUses Shredded cooked poultry · Prepared bean sprouts and chosen mushrooms · 1 tbsp soup soy sauce · 1 tablespoon minced garlic · Prepared chili oil

   
10. 10

    Step 10: Bring 8 cups prepared stock, or 8 cups of the homemade stock, to a boil in a large pot. Add the marinated meat and vegetables, the gochujang (1 tablespoon) and the remaining 2 tablespoons soup soy sauce. Cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes.

    Cook soup · 5 minUses 8 cups prepared turkey or chicken stock, or use the homemade stock below · 8 cups homemade stock, instead of prepared stock · Marinated poultry and vegetables · 1 tablespoon gochujang (Korean red chili pepper paste) · Remaining 2 tbsp soup soy sauce

    
11. 11

    Step 11: Add the prepared scallions and boil for another 3–4 minutes, until the leftover poultry is steaming hot throughout. Season with salt (to taste) and black pepper (to taste) to taste and serve with cooked rice if desired.

    Finish with scallions until poultry is steaming hot · 4 minUses Boiling poultry and vegetable soup · Prepared scallions · Salt, to taste · Black pepper, to taste · Cooked rice, for serving (optional)