Once your holiday feast comes to pass, you’re almost certain to find your refrigerator stuffed with leftovers. However, that doesn’t mean you want to eat the same meal again and again in the days that follow.
The star of many seasonal celebrations, turkey can be reused in a variety of post-holiday dishes to cut down on food waste and create fresh new meals your whole family can enjoy.
Gone are the days of simply reheating turkey and stuffing or making a turkey sandwich. Instead, reinvent your holiday extras through fresh takes on classic dishes like this comforting Leftover Holiday Biscuit Pot Pie or spicy Leftover Turkey Carnitas Tacos.
Courtesy of Tajín
Leftover Holiday Biscuit Pot Pie
Total time: 45 minutes
Servings: 4
Biscuits:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 1/2 teaspoons sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter
- 2/3 cup buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted
Turkey Pot Pie Filling:
- 1/2 cup turkey fat
- 1 1/2 cups diced onion
- 1 1/2 cups diced carrots
- 1 1/2 cups diced celery
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon chopped thyme
- 1 tablespoon diamond crystal coarse salt
- 1 tablespoon coarse black pepper
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, divided
- 8 cups cold turkey stock
- Tajín Clasico Seasoning, to taste (about 1 tablespoon)
- 6 cups leftover cooked turkey, chopped
To make biscuits: In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and cream of tartar. Grate butter and mix with dry ingredients. Carefully add buttermilk and mix until incorporated. Fold over 5-6 times, roll out, and cut into 10-12 rounds. Place cut biscuits on floured surface. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
To make turkey pot pie filling: Preheat oven to 375 F. Heat large pot over high heat and add turkey fat. Add onions, carrots, celery, bay leaf, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper; gently sweat. Add 1/2 cup flour and cook 2-3 minutes. Add turkey stock 2 cups at a time, allowing to thicken before adding more. In a bowl, mix remaining flour with turkey. Add turkey to pot, bring to simmer until thickened. Add seasoning, to taste. Add pot pie filling to casserole dish and gently place biscuits closely together on top. Brush biscuits with melted butter and bake 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool 10-15 minutes before serving.
Courtesy of Tajin
Leftover Turkey Carnitas Tacos
Total time: 25 minutes
Servings: 2 (2-3 tacos each)
- 4-6 garlic cloves, peeled and separated
- 1 pinch salt
- 1⁄2 cup fresh bitter orange juice or fresh lime juice with fresh orange juice combo
- 1⁄2 cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Tajín Clasico Seasoning
- 1 cup leftover turkey, shredded
- 1 cup duck fat, ghee or high smoke point oil of choice
- 4-6 tortillas
Toppings (optional):
- pico de gallo
- pickled onions
- cilantro
- pomegranate seeds
- avocado
With mortar and pestle, crush together garlic cloves and salt, make paste and place in a medium bowl. Stir in juice, olive oil, and seasoning. Fold mojo into shredded turkey meat.
In a large, heavy-bottomed pot over high heat, melt duck fat and wait until it forms a wave. Add turkey, in batches, stirring often, until meat turns light golden brown, then lower heat to medium. Turn off heat.
Heat up tortillas, place turkey carnitas on top and add pico de gallo, pickled onions, cilantro, pomegranate seeds, or avocado as desired.
Note: Once browned in duck fat, carnitas can be stored in the fat overnight and reheated over low heat to melt fat and warm carnitas.
For more holiday recipe inspiration, visit tajin.com/us. Courtesy of Family Features