Did anyone else end up with far too much leftover turkey from Thanksgiving yesterday? And what about all of the bones from those giant turkeys we roast? I have some ideas of how to use them. I am not a proponent of wasting food. If I have anything leftover in the fridge, I almost always figure out a way to use it. Any leftover veggies get used in an egg scramble or salad, ripe bananas get used in muffins, a tiny bit of plain yogurt goes into a sauce, a little bit of chicken gets used in tacos, etc. I spend a lot of money on groceries, so I like to get my money’s worth! Using up your leftover turkey is a great way to be frugal, and also end up with some really delicious food! My best advice with what to do with your leftover turkey is to absolutely make some bone broth in the crock pot! Then use that broth in turkey and wild rice soup. I also have a couple other ideas of how to use leftover turkey! How many times can I say ‘turkey’? Good grief!
Turkey Bone Broth
This tastes so much better than store-bought broth.
P.S. This same method can be used with chicken bones from a roasted chicken! You may not need as much water with those.
P.P.S. I used two crock pots, because I had carcasses from two large bone-in turkey breasts.
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- 1 turkey carcass most of the meat removed
- 12-14 cups filtered water enough to cover the bones in the crock pot
- 2 Tbsp raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar
- 3 stalks celery large chop
- 2 large carrots large chop
- 1 yellow (sweet) onion large chop
- pinch dried basil
- few black peppercorns
- 2 garlic cloves peeled and chopped
Ingredients
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- Remove as much of the meat from the turkey carcass as possible. Place the carcass (bones) in a large crock pot.
- Add the celery, carrot, onion, basil, peppercorns, and apple cider vinegar.
- Carefully pour in the water. I used 13 cups, but it may not take quite that much. You need enough for the bones to be covered.
- Set the crock pot to low and cook for 20 hours. After 20 hours, add the garlic cloves. Continue cooking for 4 more hours. The goal is 24 hours total, but you could have a great broth within 18 hours, and maybe even 12.
- Once the broth has cooked, you will need to strain it through a fine mesh strainer or sieve into a large glass (heatproof) bowl. Allow to cool, then store in mason jars. Cool and then freeze if desired.
- I keep bone broth in my freezer and use it for soup!
Turkey Wild Rice Soup
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- 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups celery small dice
- 1 1/2 cups carrot small dice
- 1 large sweet yellow onion small dice
- 4 thyme sprigs
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 1/4 cups wild rice blend I used Lundberg Wild blend rice
- 9 cups turkey bone broth or stock (can use less for a thicker soup)
- 3-4 cups shredded, cooked turkey
- salt and pepper to taste
Ingredients
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- Heat the olive oil in a large pot. I used my dutch oven. Add the celery, carrot, and onion. Cook over medium for about 8 minutes, until the vegetables are starting to soften.
- Add the rice, thyme, and bay leaf. Stir well. Add the broth and the shredded turkey. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
- Allow to simmer, covered, for 45 minutes, or as long as the directions on your rice says to cook. By 45 minutes, the rice in my soup was cooked well.
- Remove the thyme sprigs and bay leaf and season with salt and pepper as needed.
Greens & Turkey Bowl
Y’all know how much I love a good healthy bowl meal. This one was seriously so yummy! I used arugula, lentils, leftover turkey, pomegranate seeds, and roasted butternut squash with a light vinaigrette. The dressing was 1 Tbsp whole grain mustard + 1 Tbsp raw honey + 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar + 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil. The dressing recipe makes enough for several salads.
Broccoli Turkey and Rice Skillet
This is my go-to meal when I really need the boys to eat a vegetable, but I don’t want to deal with a fight at the dinner table. It is also fast, filling, and comforting. AND it can easily be made gluten and dairy free. I usually make it with leftover chicken, but turkey would work just as well!
I pulled these photos from my instagram highlights. I have meal ideas saved under “Easy Dinners,” “GF DF,” “Meal Planning,” and “Daily Eats.”
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- 2 cups brown rice cooked
- 1 1/2 cups shredded, cooked turkey could also use roasted chicken
- 1 1/2 cups steamed broccoli chopped very small
- 1/2 cup turkey bone broth or stock could also use chicken
- 1/2 cup paleo mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup cashew yogurt, plain unsweetened could use plain Greek yogurt if you don't need it to be dairy free
- 2 dashes curry powder
- black pepper to taste
- salt if needed
- 3/4 cup dairy free cheese grated; the Myokos mozzarella would be great (can use regular cheese if not dairy free)
Ingredients
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- Warm the turkey (or chicken), rice, and broccoli in a large, deep skillet. This will only take a couple minutes. Do this over medium heat, so that it doesn't stick.
- Whisk the yogurt, mayonnaise, broth, and seasonings in a medium size bowl. Stir the sauce into the skillet.
- Cook until slightly thickened and season with salt and pepper as needed.
- Add cheese right at the end (optional) and store until melted. Serve immediately.
[…] make bone broth in the crock pot (recipe here), but you can also buy it. I’ve tried Kettle and Fire and also Bona Fide Provisions brand, […]