Leftover Turkey Recipes

One of the best things about the holiday are all the great leftovers!  For starters, pick the turkey carcass clean and make a batch of stock - it's the smaller bits of meat are great for stir fries, or add to the stock with vegetables and rice or noodles for a great turkey soup.  If you've got gravy and vegetables leftover, blend equal parts with turkey for pot pie - cover with a prepared crust or mashed potatoes and make it a Shepherd's Pie.

Recipes for Turkey Soup and Turkey Fried Rice follow - or checkout our recipe database for 18 more leftover turkey recipes.

Day After Thanksgiving Soup

turkey carcass
2 carrots, sliced
4 stalks celery, sliced
1 thumb ginger, sliced
1 onion, quartered
1/2 tsp salt
12 whole peppercorns
6 whole cloves
1 head garlic, split
3 bay leaves
sprigs of thyme and parsley
fresh lemon or orange zest
16 cups water

After removing most of the meat from the turkey carcass, break it up and place it in a large stockpot with remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, skim, and reduce to a steady simmer to reduce until the stock is tasty, at least 3 hours. Strain, remove and discard solids, skim any fat from the top. Can be refrigerated at this point (once refrigerated, any remaining fat can easily be skimmed from the top).

Simmer sliced carrots, sliced onions, sliced celery and cubed potatoes in stock until veggies are soft (or use leftover veggies and simply warm). Add cooked egg noodles or cooked rice and shredded leftover turkey and warm through. Season to taste with salt, pepper and herbs. –Chef Mick Rosacci, Tony’s Markets

Chef’s Note: Customize this soup with just about anything you like. Leftover gravy can be added to richen the broth, or leftover cream. Mashed potatoes can be added as a thickener. The soup can also be extended or enriched with flavorful turkey or chicken stock or stock concentrate (such as More Than Gourmet’s Glace de Volialle or Glace de Poulet or Tony's Homemade Stock).

Turkey Fried Rice - recipe follows.

Turkey Fried Rice

2 cups cold leftover rice
1 cup vegetables (peppers, zucchini, broccoli, mushrooms, etc.)
2-3 TBS canola oil
1/4 - 1/2 tsp hot pepper oil
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1 cup shredded or cubed turkey
1-3 TBS soy sauce
sea salt and white pepper
pinch of sugar

Crumble cold rice with your fingers and set aside. Boil 1 cup salted water in wok and blanch fresh veggies, then shock in cold water, or use leftover veggies. Preheat a large wok over a high flame, and get all your ingredients in front of you.

Drizzle wok with oil and immediately add hot pepper oil and garlic, it should sizzle loudly! Immediately add crumbled rice and toss to coat evenly with oil. Add cubed turkey and veggies, as well as splashes of soy sauce, a pinch of sugar, salt and pepper to taste. Continue to stir-fry over very high heat until heated through – taste and adjust. Serve immediately. – Chef Michaelangelo (mick) Rosacci,

About the author: Chef Mick (Michaelangelo) Rosacci is the Corporate Chef and co-owner of Tony’s Markets in the Denver Metro area. Mick also teaches cooking on Denver’s Channel 7 News and Dig In, a local gardening show on FOX. For more recipes, visit www.TonysMarket.com and/or join Tony’s Culinary Club.