About 87% of Americans who celebrate Thanksgiving do so with a turkey as the centerpiece of their holiday meal.

There is no solid evidence that turkey was enjoyed in late 1621 at what is now recognized as the first Thanksgiving celebration between the settlers of Plymouth Colony and the indigenous Wampanoag people. But thanks to the work of writer and editor Sarah Josepha Hale, known as the “mother of Thanksgiving”, by the mid-19^th century, turkey was widely enjoyed at Thanksgiving meals.

Her efforts also led to an expansion across the country in the celebrating of Thanksgiving, which culminated with President Abraham Lincoln declaring the last Thursday in November as a national Thanksgiving holiday in 1863.

Today, over 46 million turkeys are consumed in the U.S. every Thanksgiving. Today’s turkey producers are raising larger, faster-growing birds with high amounts of white meat, thanks to advances in selective breeding. Thirteen states produce nearly 90% of the nation’s turkeys, with Minnesota producing more birds than any other state.

Regardless of how you are preparing your Thanksgiving turkey this year, don’t let the good times last for just one day. You can take that turkey carcass that you used to just discard and turn it into delicious homemade turkey and noodles that you can enjoy for the days and weeks to come. Your future self will be thankful of you for sure.

Homemade broth, veggies, egg noodles, and leftover turkey come together for a warm, comforting post-Thanksgiving meal.

Ingredients:

Broth

• 1 turkey carcass
• 1 large onion, cut into quarters
• 3 ribs celery, cut into chunks
• 2 medium carrots, cut into chunks
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled
• 2 bay leaves
• ½ teaspoon ground sage or herb of your choice
• 12 cups water

Soup

• 2 tablespoons butter
• ½ cup finely diced onion
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 2 ribs celery, diced
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 ½ cups cooked, chopped turkey meat
• 1 teaspoon salt, more to taste
• ½ teaspoon pepper, more to taste
• ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
• 8 oz egg noodles
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

Instructions:

1. Place turkey carcass, onion, celery, carrots, garlic, bay leaves, and water in a large soup pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook partially covered for 3-4 hours.
2. Line a strainer with cheese cloth and strain the broth. Discard the bones and vegetables. Let the broth rest at least 20 minutes, skim the fat off the top of the broth.
3. Taste and season the broth with salt and pepper. Add it back into the pot and simmer uncovered to reduce to desired consistency.
4. In a separate pan, cook the onion in butter until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in flour and seasonings and cook for 1 minute. Add celery and carrot and cook for 2-3 minutes more.
5. Add vegetables to the broth, followed by the chopped turkey. Bring to a boil and then add the egg noodles. Cook noodles until al dente, following package instructions.
6. Stir in parsley. Season with additional salt and pepper.

If you would like to freeze your soup to enjoy on a later date, wait to add the noodles until that time. Noodles can also be boiled separately in water, drained, and added to the warm broth before serving.

At Compeer Home™, we don’t just help you find your place in the country. We celebrate the life you build there. Explore more inspiration on our rural lifestyle page.