If like many of us, you are faced with a load of leftover turkey meat from your festive feast – we have a selection of ideas to transform your leftovers into tasty new meals for your family and friends to enjoy in the holidays after Christmas.
Make sure that the cooked turkey hasn’t been hanging around in the summer heat for too long before you refrigerate it. If possible, let everyone finish eating then clear it away and add it to a sealed container and pop it into the fridge so that you can use it over the next few days safely. If you don’t think you’ll be able to consume the meat within two days, freeze it for use when it is convenient.
Here are seven sensational ideas to use up your leftover turkey:
- Gourmet Boxing Day Turkey Sandwich: Many of us look forward to the day after Christmas feasting as much as the actual celebration itself. Gather your friends and family for a lazy summer lunch and get them to use up your Christmas leftovers. Turkey sandwiches are a great way to do this. Best served on fresh bread, plenty of butter, some mayonnaise, cranberry jelly, shredded turkey meat, pickles, tomato and cheese. You can’t go wrong! If you’re feeling decadent put some gravy on there too! This makes an epic leftover lunch – perhaps even better than the day before
- Turkey & Cranberry Braai Pie: Pair classic Christmas flavours together but transform them into a braai pie. YES, what a brilliant way to use up that leftover turkey & stuffing. For many, Boxing Day is a time to enjoy the Summer and braai, so why not use up those leftovers? Shredded turkey, with that sensational stuffing you worked hard to make, with added mushrooms, sauce, and cheese, popped in some pastry and onto the braai; how could you not try this?! Get the recipe here.
- CreamyTurkey and Mushroom Pasta: use a classic creamy mushroom sauce recipe as your base but add the cooked shredded turkey. Serve with your choice of pasta, plenty of chopped fresh parsley and lashings of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
- Turkey Enchiladas: Fancy something a little spicy? Use your leftover turkey meat in some spicy Mexican enchiladas. Grab some wraps, grate some cheddar cheese, chop and fry some onion, red pepper and garlic and fry up some bacon. Fill the wraps with the turkey, onions, cheese and bacon and roll them up. Add to a greased baking dish and pour over some tinned chopped tomato, season and add more grated cheese. Bake in the oven until heated through and the cheese is melted. Serve with chopped coriander, fresh avocado, pickled jalapeno and some sour cream.
- Turkey Stir Fry: Transport yourself to Asia and whip up a simple spicy classic, substituting the usual chicken for the cooked turkey meat you have. Add any of your favourite vegetables, noodles, soy sauce, chilli, ginger and garlic.
- Christmas Turkey Salad: Make use of your cooked turkey and leftover roast veggies by transforming them into a salad for lunch the next day. Add your favourite leaves, nuts, dried cranberries, feta cheese and a vinaigrette of your choice! Try this recipe using leftover turkey with a cherry dressing.
7. Turkey soup: make a hearty soup that will stretch a long way and feed many hungry mouths. Simply cut up onions, carrots, celery and garlic and fry these off till soft. Add in the shredded turkey meat (no bones) and any other veggies you’d like to use. A nice way to stretch the soup further is to add legumes (dried beans, lentils, chickpeas etc), noodles or rice. Cover with chicken stock, bring to a boil and then simmer. When you’re about to serve add some fresh cream and chopped parsley.
From our family to yours this Christmas, for a #FoodLoversChristmas. Happy feasting!
