Lowcountry Turkey Leg Soup

A lowcountry-inspired soup that is full of shredded turkey leg meat, potatoes, mushrooms, and oysters.

Servings:

Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 4

Course: Main Course,Soup

Cuisine: American

In a large pot, add all of the ingredients for the turkey stock. Cover with water. The water level should be a few inches above the ingredients. Bring to a simmer and cook until the turkey meat is falling off the bone. This can take between 2 and 4 hours. Strain and discard the vegetables while reserving the cooking liquid and turkey.
Shred the turkey meat and refrigerate it for later. Discard the turkey's bones. You'll need about 2 1/2 cups of the stock for the soup, plus a little more to thin out if needed.

In a large pot over medium heat, add the chopped bacon and cook until browned and the fat has rendered. Set the bacon aside, reserving about 2 tablespoons of the fat in the pot. You'll be using the cooked bacon to garnish later.
Turn the heat to medium low. Add the onions, garlic and mushrooms. Cook until the onions and mushrooms are soft, stirring every minute or so. This will take about 8 to 10 minutes. Place the mixture in a container (you'll be adding them back later).
Add the butter to the pot and melt. Add the flour and stir until no lumps remain. Cook until the flour has lightly browned. Add the half-and-half while stirring, and whisk to ensure there are no lumps. Add the turkey stock and oyster liquor while whisking.
Add the potatoes and the cooked mushroom/onion mixture. Adjust your stove's heat until you reach a slow simmer. Cook until the potatoes are just fork tender (aldente).
Add the cooked wild rice, shredded turkey meat and the ground sesame seeds. Cook at a slow simmer for about 8 minutes while gently stirring often.
Season to taste with salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper. Add the sherry of using.

Turn off the heat. Add the oysters to the stew and gently stir until they are incorporated. You want the oysters just heated through.
Garnish each bowl with the cooked bacon, chives, green onion and hot sauce.

Smoke the turkey legs first if you want a stronger broth. The post notes that 2 to 3 hours at 250 F works well before simmering them for stock.
Simmer the legs until the meat falls off. Plan on 2 to 4 hours for the stock, then shred the meat and save about 2 1/2 cups of the broth for the soup.
Brown the bacon and save the fat. Cook the bacon first, hold it for garnish, and keep about 2 tablespoons of the rendered fat in the pot to build the soup base.
Cook the roux lightly. After the mushrooms, onion, and garlic soften, cook the butter and flour just until lightly browned, then whisk in the half-and-half, turkey stock, and oyster liquor.
Add the oysters last. Turn off the heat before stirring them in and warm them through gently so they stay tender. The post specifically says they do not make good leftovers.
Make it ahead carefully. You can make the soup the day before, but wait to add the oysters until you reheat it to serve.

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation. Nutrition is per serving.

Keywords: Comfort food, Soup

Make this recipe?Mention @Larry__White or tag #WildGameGourmet!