9 Ingenious Ways to Use Up Your Thanksgiving Leftovers

Delicatessen

In true American fashion, we tend to buy an excessive amount of food for Thanksgiving, which can only mean one thing — leftovers! Turn those post-Thanksgiving blues upside down and get creative with your extra turkey this holiday season. Spice up your leftover mac and cheese, impress your family with a killer breakfast hash, or whip up some next level enchiladas. Let’s see what the experts have to say about maximizing your leftovers.

John Stage, founder of Dinosaur Bar-B-Que

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que

Dino Hash: Combine the smoked dark turkey meat with onion, peppers, all-purpose rub, BBQ sauce (Dino’s Wango Tango Sauce), and potatoes to form turkey patties. Top the patties with a fried egg and serve as a hash.

Troy Guard, chef/owner of TAG Restaurant Group

Turkey Fried Rice:
1 1/2 c Leftover Turkey, Chopped
1 c Quinoa, Cooked
1 c Farro, Cooked
1 c Brown Rice, Cooked
1/4 c Leftover Roasted Root Vegetables
1/4 c Green Onion, Sliced
1/4 c Snap Peas
1/2 c Diced Shiitake Mushroom
1 t Garlic, Minced
1 t Ginger, Minced
1 t Shallot, Minced
2 T XO Chili Sauce
1 T Sesame Oil
2 T Cooking Oil

Method: Heat wok and add sesame oil and cooking oil. When the pan begins smoking, add ginger, shallot, and garlic. Cook until lightly brown. Add all vegetables to pan and cook about one minute. Add quinoa, brown rice, and farro. Toss in turkey and mix well. Add xo chile sauce and mix again. Sprinkle salt and pepper to taste, or chilies if spice is desired.

Laurent Tourondel, executive chef/owner of L’Amico and The Vine

Melissa Hom

Leftover Turkey Sandwich: Toast two pieces of whole grain bread. Make cranberry mustard dressing by combining a half cup of cranberry sauce and two tablespoons of whole grain mustard and spread on bread. Heat up diced turkey with gravy and place on bread. Add baby kale or lettuce (optional).

Stuffing Hash: Dice stuffing and heat up in the oven (on baking sheet) until toasted and crispy.
Dice bacon and heat up in skillet. Add in diced leftover turkey (use dark meat). Add toasted stuffing to skillet and toss to combine. In a separate skillet cook a sunny-side up egg. Place egg on top of hash. 

Michael Ferraro, executive chef at Delicatessen

Delicatessen

Turkey Mac and Cheese:
1 pound Cooked Elbow Macaroni
1 pound Shredded Turkey Meat
1 cup Left Over Stuffing (optional)
3 Medium Size Sweet Potatoes (cut into small dices then cooked in salted water till tender)
1 cup Cooked Peas
½ Onion, Chopped
5 Sage Leaves, Minced
2 Garlic Cloves, Minced
½ cup Left Over Cranberry Relish (optional)
1.5 quarts Milk
¼ cup Butter
¼ cup Flour
4 cups Grated Cheddar Cheese
1 cup Mascarpone Cheese
1 cup Grated Fontina Cheese

Method: In a large pot add butter, onion, sage, and garlic, and sauté for five minutes. Add flour, whisk, and cook for another five minutes. Add milk and continue to whisk till milk comes to a boil and thickens. After milk thickens, whisk in the mascarpone, fontina, and one cup of the cheddar cheese. Once the cheese is melted and sauce is smooth, fold in the turkey meat, sweet potatoes, peas, and pasta. Season with salt and pepper. Place in a three-inch baking dish, cover with remaining cheddar cheese, and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes until hot and brown. Serve with a tablespoon of cranberry relish.

Michael Armstrong, executive chef at Bodega Negra

Bodega Negra

Turkey and Sweet Potato Enchiladas:
12 each, Flour or Corn Tortillas
3 cups, Leftover Turkey Meat, White and Dark, Diced
2 cups, Leftover Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Diced
2 cups, Pepper Jack Cheese, Shredded
1 cup, Leftover Cranberry Sauce
1 cup, Leftover Gravy
2 each, Canned Chipotle Chilies, Diced
½ cup, Chicken Broth or Water
1 T, Chile Powder
½ cup, Sour Cream

Method: In a saucepan, combine cranberry, gravy, chipotles, broth/water, and chile powder together, then simmer for 15 minutes. Mix turkey, sweet potatoes, and half of the cheese together with a half cup of sauce, divide evenly and wrap in the tortillas and place in a baking dish. Cover with the rest of the sauce and the other half of the cheese and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove from oven, divide among four plates and garnish with sour cream.

Michael Fiorello, culinary director of operations at Howard Wein Hospitality

Turkey Scotch Eggs: Using the leftover thigh and leg confit, create “turkey rillettes” that you will mix with gravy and cool before carefully wrapping around six-minute eggs, while keeping the eggs’ shape. Fry em’ up and serve with the leftover gravy that you can fortify with sherry!

Pasquale Cozzolino, executive chef at Ribalta

Ribalta

Turkey & Eggplant Rolls:
3 Slices of Turkey
3 Slices of Cooked Ham
Scamorza Smoked Cheese
6 Slices of Eggplant
1 Egg
Flour (for celiac or gluten free use rice flour)
Salt & Pepper
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Toasted Almonds to Garnish

Method: Cut the eggplant into slices, sprinkle with salt, and leave to stand at least half an hour. Wash and squeeze. Beat an egg in a dish brush up the eggplant, then coat in flour and bake at 500 degrees Fahrenheit on baking paper for 10 minutes. Remove when cooked and pat dry with paper towels. Meanwhile, cut the turkey slices in half lengthwise, sprinkle with salt and pepper, top with a slice of ham about the same size, the cheese, and a slice of eggplant. Roll them up and seal with toothpicks. Place the rolls in a pan with a little oil and bake at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15-20 minutes. Garnish with toasted almonds to serve.

Daven Wardynski, executive chef at Omni Amelia Island Plantation Resort

Sweet Potato Casserole with Oatmeal Streusel:
8 oz. Sweet Potato Casserole, Leftovers
1.33 cup Steal Cut Oats
3 cups Milk
1 cup Water
.5 tsp Cinnamon
.5 tsp Kosher Salt
2 oz. Dried Cranberry
2 oz. Candied Pecan

Method: Warm the milk, water, and salt to a simmer. Stir in the oats and simmer for 15 minutes.
Remove from the stove and stir in your leftover sweet potato casserole. Portion to six bowls and top with the dried cranberry, streusel, and candied pecans. Serve and enjoy!