It is inevitable that you will buy the biggest turkey in the store, you will be afraid that it isn’t big enough, and you will have leftover turkey to spare, even after you force a “please take some home” plate full on every guest. So what will you do with all the leftover turkey?
After everyone has snuck into the kitchen and snitched bites off the carcass, they have had their turkey sandwich during the last football game of the day, and they are all fat and happy lounging on the couch, while you are faced with the turkey remains alone. It's time to get creative.
Got Turkey?
Here are some traditional ways that people use leftover turkey to make it stretch throughout the week. Keeping reading, though, if you want to see some great recipes after looking through this list.
- Turkey casserole? Hmm, no one will touch that again this year.
- Turkey noodle soup? Nope, they didn’t buy it last year either.
- Turkey potpie? Doubtful, that has been done to death.
What other possibilities could there be? Think positive and creatively.
Surprisingly New Recipes
The first thing to do with that leftover turkey is to slice some off to freeze for sandwiches. Leftover turkey stays good for about a month in the freezer. Then, pop that ole’ carcass into a big kettle, or your slow cooker, and let it simmer until the remaining meat falls off the bones. Let it cool and separate the meat from the bones.
And then…
Turkey Hash & Mash
Ingredients:
Leftover
- 3 cups Turkey
- Stuffing
- Potatoes (mashed)
- Corn (or whatever vegetable you served)
Directions: Lightly spray your frying pan with olive oil, add each ingredient, and sauté until everything smells delicious again. Warm up your leftover gravy, and pour over each serving. Enjoy.
Honey Dijon Turkey
Ingredients:
- 4 Tbsp. olive oil
- 4 cups loosely packed turkey
- 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
- 1 medium Onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 3 T. Dijon mustard
- 1/4 c. honey
- 1 c. turkey broth
Directions:
- Slice onions into 1/4 inch slices.
- Chop garlic.
- Shake the turkey in a gallon size zip-lock bag (or a big plastic bowl with cover) with flour to coat.
- In a sauté pan, add olive oil over medium high heat.
- Add the floured turkey and cook on each side for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add onions, garlic, and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Deglaze your pan with the turkey broth for about 1 minute.
- Add Dijon mustard and honey, stir all ingredients, and bring to a boil.
- Salt and pepper to taste.
- Remove from heat and serve, with the leftover potatoes and vegetables.
Turkey Tacos
Ingredients:
- Turkey
- Tortilla shells
- Lettuce
- Tomatoes
- Cheese
- Taco seasoning
- Salsa
- Sour cream
Directions:
- Re-heat the turkey and add the seasoning according to the package directions.
- Warm the tortilla shells in your microwave for 1 minute, and then accessorize your tacos with the list of ingredients above.
There you have it, three exciting and tasty recipes for this year’s leftover turkey. Enjoy!
Tip: Enter “leftover turkey” into your search bar, and the recipes will overwhelm you. Good luck and good cooking!
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