Give Leftover Turkey The Carnitas Treatment And Thank Us Later

Love 'em or hate 'em, leftovers are a universal experience for most of us during the holidays — particularly when it comes to the turkey. Even if you carefully calculate how much turkey to serve per person, last-minute cancellations or your family's preference for sides can leave you saddled with an abundance of roasted poultry. If you're so tired of holiday dishes that even Martha Stewart's Thanksgiving sandwich sounds unappealing, don't worry — with the right seasonings, you can turn that leftover turkey into delicious carnitas.

Traditional carnitas are a Mexican dish made with pork butt or pork shoulder, which is slow-braised in lard and an abundance of seasonings until it's fall-off-the-bone tender. It's then shredded and pan-roasted until it's crispy on the outside, yet juicy and tender on the inside. You can achieve similar results with turkey, using turkey stock instead of lard. Simmering the turkey makes it tender and juicy, very similar to pork carnitas, especially when you use the right seasonings.

This dish starts with as much leftover turkey meat as you can salvage from the bird. Having dark meat in the mix is essential, as the fat and moisture from the dark meat will help tenderize the white meat while cooking. You then simmer the turkey in a bath of turkey stock (water works, too, but has no flavor), sour oranges, several halved onions, and bay leaves for about an hour. You can then fry the tenderized meat in a little oil until it's crisp and smells heavenly.

The most obvious (and one of the tastiest) ways to use your turkey carnitas is in tacos. This meat is so flavorful that it's perfect for simple street-style tacos, with a little hot sauce, cilantro, and chopped onion. You can also keep things on theme and serve them with cranberry salsa and lime crema alongside zesty sweet potato fritters and skillet-style street corn. Scallion-rich potato pancakes can take the place of corn tortillas for an impressive (and distinctly non-holiday) leftover feast. 

If you have an abundance of turkey carnitas and little else from your holiday celebrations, there are dozens of other ways to enjoy them. Beyond tacos, they also make delicious filling for burritos and burrito bowls, and interesting and flavorful topping for Mexican-themed pizza, or inside sandwiches along with plenty of cheddar cheese and avocado. Since their savory flavor pairs so well with cheese, it's almost a given that these carnitas are a great upgrade for plain grilled cheese.

For quick and flavorful brunches, try using turkey carnitas as an indulgent addition to egg dishes, as the richness of the yolks absorbs and distributes the savory, spicy seasoning inside the turkey. Think carnitas scramble topped with pico de gallo and cheddar cheese served alongside cinnamon pancakes. A quiche studded with chopped jalapeños and flavored with smoked gouda and crispy shredded turkey is delicious and satisfying. For a faster option, use these same flavors in omelets, and serve with warm corn tortillas.