After a holiday dinner, you usually have leftovers. Roast turkey is a common menu item for Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter dinner, and that means leftover turkey. What do you do with pounds of leftover turkey meat? How do you make your next meal something more than just reheated roast turkey with mashed potatoes and gravy? Here are 7 ideas for meals you can make with leftover roast turkey.
Leftover Roast Turkey Idea #1: Soup Options
First of all, you’re going to need to pick the turkey off the bones. Do this right after your roast turkey dinner and before refrigerating leftovers. To make a turkey stock, break the carcass apart and throw it and giblets, skin, tail, neck, drippings, and wings into the crock-pot to simmer all night. Add only enough water to cover the turkey and toss in onions, celery, garlic, carrots, black peppercorn and a bay leaf. Optional seasonings are salt, poultry seasoning, and allspice. Let your stock reduce to intensify flavors.
In the morning, strain the stock with a wire mesh or cheesecloth-lined colander and pick out the meat. You may get a cup or two of meat off the bones, and you can return this to the stock or not. Gather corners of the cheesecloth and discard the waste. Refrigerate your turkey stock in small freezable containers. When the stock is cold, lift off congealed fat and discard. Label, date, and freeze the containers. Your homemade stock is ready for use in wonderful soups and dishes for months to come.
Leftover Roast Turkey Idea #2: Sandwich Options
Don’t rule out sliced turkey with yeast breads or quick breads. You can make all manner of roast turkey sandwiches. Here are some ideas: hot roast turkey sandwich, stuffed pocket bread turkey sandwich, turkey on rye sandwiches, turkey salad sandwiches, turkey wraps, grilled turkey and cheese sandwiches, and turkey gravy on biscuits or toast.
Leftover Roast Turkey Idea #3: Casserole Options
Bring on the pasta. Leftover roast turkey is a wonderful pasta addition. Cut or cube your leftover turkey and toss it into a noodle turkey bake. Throw it into a turkey broccoli and cheese rice or noodle casserole, turkey pot pie, or turkey enchilada.
Leftover Roast Turkey Idea #4: Breakfast Options
Consider turkey for breakfast. Sauté some green peppers, onions, and mushrooms. Add to a warm tortilla with cubed turkey, scrambled egg, and shredded cheese, and you have a great breakfast burrito.
Leftover Roast Turkey Idea #5: Bean Options
Use leftover turkey in white bean soups or chili. Since the turkey’s already cooked, you can add it to beans or chili at the end of the cooking time. This keeps the turkey from falling apart into shreds.
Leftover Roast Turkey Idea #6: Patty or Loaf Options
Cut the turkey into small pieces or use a grinder or food processor. You can make turkey patties with egg, minced veggies, and bread crumbs or you can shape a turkey meatloaf. Brown patties in a skillet or bake patties or turkey meatloaf in the oven.
Leftover Roast Turkey Idea #7: Salad Options
Top a green salad with sliced or cubed turkey. What turkey you don’t need for that salad can be frozen and bagged in the right amount for future salads. This step makes it easy for those days when you must pack a lunch in a hurry. All you need to do is thaw a bag of chopped roasted turkey overnight and place the meat onto your salad in the morning before heading to work.
Leftover roast turkey meals don’t have to be boring, and you don’t have to eat all the leftovers in a matter of days. Freeze some of the leftovers–use the turkey when you will be more excited about eating turkey again. With these 7 leftover roast turkey ideas, you should be able to create new and different meal options that spark your creativity and entice your taste buds.
