Big Batch Matzo Ball Soup

Preparation

Most people tend to serve this for Hanukkah, but don’t put Matzo Ball Soup in a box. Eat it all year round! Since Hanukkah often falls just after Thanksgiving, you could get into the habit of using the turkey carcass for a super rich broth but using equal parts chicken is also good. You may shy away from premixed additives, but the taste of chicken bouillon in this soup can't be duplicated. Using it at the end to season it to taste yields the best result. We’ve also given you options for both a traditional matzo ball and a gluten-free version that is honestly just as good.

1. Prepare the stock. Place a HexClad 12 QT Hybrid Stockpot over medium heat. Add thighs skin-side down and sear until lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Remove thighs from the pot to a plate and add in the onions, parsnips, carrots and celery. Sauté the vegetables in the rendered fat from the thighs until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add back in the seared thighs along with the dill, peppercorns, salt and water. Bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer. Put a lid on the stockpot and simmer for 2 hours.
2. Remove the thighs from the stock to a plate and set them aside to cool. Once they are cool enough to handle, rip apart the meat and store in the refrigerator. Put any bones, skin and cartilage back into the stockpot. Continue to simmer stock for another 3 hours with the lid on.
3. Strain and discard all the solids out of the stock and pour the stock back into the stockpot. Reserve the carrots and parsnip.
4. Make the soup. Add the carrots, parsnip and thigh meat to the stockpot and bring the soup to a simmer over medium-high heat. Season to taste with the bouillon cubes, adding a quarter of a cube at a time until the soup is salty enough. Simmer until the vegetables are cooked, about 20 minutes more. Just before serving, stir in the dill and parsley.
5. Put a matzo ball or two (see below for instructions on different variations) into the bottom of a large soup bowl and ladle soup over top. Serve piping hot.

For regular matzo balls: 

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the matzo meal, eggs, chicken fat or oil, ¼ cup of homemade stock from the stockpot, dill and salt. Rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.
2. in a HexClad 10QT/10 L Hybrid Stockpot, bring 6 quarts of water to a boil. Once the water is boiling, form the matzo balls with wet hands into balls the size of golf balls. Place them gently into the boiling water and reduce the heat to a simmer. Put the lid on and simmer for 30 minutes until puffed and uniform in color.

For gluten-free matzo balls: 

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk matzo ball mix, eggs, chicken fat or oil, and dill. Rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.
2. in a HexClad 10QT/10 L Hybrid Stockpot, bring 6 quarts of water to a boil. Once the water is boiling, form the matzo balls with wet hands into balls the size of golf balls. Place them gently into the boiling water and reduce the heat to a simmer. Put the lid on and simmer for 30 minutes until puffed and uniform in color.