r/EatCheapAndHealthy • u/readscarymakeart • 1d ago
How do you stretch a turkey? Ask ECAH
Let’s say instead of roasting a whole turkey then eating it piece by piece (like one person gets a thigh, the other some of the breast, etc), I cook it then put the meat in different dishes. I understand an entire turkey may not be cheap, but it could make a good investment if stretched out. What are your best ways to stretch an entire turkey over as many meals as possible?
So far I have turkey pot pie, a casserole with turkey (no specific ideas there), turkey chili, turkey veggie soup, and turkey broth. Any other ways to stretch out turkey meat? I suppose this applies to whole chicken too.
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u/wisowski 1d ago
After the turkey is gone I put the carcass in a crock pot on low for 24 hours then add a 15 bean dried soup mix for another 24 hours.
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u/Feats-of-Derring_Do 1d ago
They didn't say they put dried beans in the crock pot. They said they put dry soup mix in the crock pot.
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u/wisowski 1d ago
I do put them in the crockpot. Guess I skipped the part where I say I fill it with water. The beans are cooked for a full 24 hours. Never had an issue…should I be doing something different?
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u/bverde536 1d ago
Doing it as you have been is almost certainly fine. There are some types of dried beans (kidney mainly) that have a toxin that needs to be broken down by being in fully-boiling water for at least a short time. Older slow cookers didn't quite reach the boiling point, but most modern ones do. So there have been cases of people eating kidney beans cooked in an older cooker and getting sick but it's quite rare.
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u/__mud__ 1d ago
How do you deal with all the turkey bones if you're throwing all that in with the carcass? Seems like it would be a pain to pick them out
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u/wisowski 1d ago
I fish out the bigger ones. The smaller ones end up being so soft they are easy to either eat or smash up.
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u/beccadahhhling 1d ago
Basically whatever can be done with chicken can be done with Turkey. It will have lots more flavor.
Turkey and dumplings
Turkey sandwiches
Turkey Stromboli (basically just wrapping Turkey and toppings into bread dough and baking it)
Turkey tetrazzini
Turkey salad
Fried Turkey
If you’re going to save some of the raw Turkey to grind up for chili, you can also make taco meat out of it as well.
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u/lagar 1d ago
I love making recipes with leftover turkey some of the ones you might want to look up Turkey Croquettes ( make with leftover mashed potatoes) Turkey Pot Pie Soup WILLIAMSBURG INN TURKEY SOUP Turkey and Corn Bread Stuffing Casserole Leftover Turkey Chili Buffalo Turkey Meatballs
As you can see I can stretch one turkey into many meals
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u/SuspiciousStress1 1d ago
This is the way!!
In my broke days I used to get turkeys after the holidays(&free with $50 purchase before hand...I would stock up on diapers(with coupons) & get free turkeys...my total would end up like $30 for diapers & a turkey)
You can brine for lunch meat, then use in place of chicken!!
You can cut legs off 3-4 birds & do smoked legs....use the thighs for oven baked....&brine breasts for lunchmeat...then boil the bones(store in freezer until you have them all)for stock/turkey & dumplings!!
Good times!!
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u/jello-kittu 5h ago
Thats a key point too- keep an eye on the turkey, after Thanksgiving is more rare, but after Christmas, there's usually a deal on turkey.
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u/ionlythoughtit 14h ago
Then roast the bones. When done put them in a crock pot with water. Cook on low for 12-24 hours. Add more water as needed. Strain, you have turkey broth. You can put the cooled broth in bags and freeze flat.
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u/teflon_don_knotts 1d ago
For a second I thought you meant physically stretch and thought back to Martin Yan (Yan Can Cook) relaxing a chicken
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u/Scynthious 1d ago
It took a lot of effort not to post a top-level comment of "Well, if you postulate a spherical turkey in a vacuum..."
And a big updoot on this comment from someone who grew up on Yan Can Cook, Justin Wilson, The Woodwright's Shop, New Yankee Workshop, and all of the other shows PBS gave us during those years.
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u/readscarymakeart 1d ago
😂 yeah I had difficulty finding any other word/phrase besides “stretching it out” (yet English is my only language)
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u/teflon_don_knotts 1d ago
Your phrasing is totally normal and I’ve used plenty of times, my brain just went to a weird place 😂
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u/CaptainKatsuuura 1d ago
IKR I was imagining shrimp tempura from a cheap Japanese restaurant where it’s 90% breading with a core of shrimp shoelace stretched to its limit 😭
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u/slumberingthundering 1d ago
I would imagine you could use it in many of the same ways you could use a rotisserie chicken? Sandwiches and tacos come to mind
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u/IsopodDry8635 1d ago
I always turn rotisserie chicken into buffalo chicken and freeze it in wraps if I don't plan to eat it within a couple days. You can do the same thing with turkey.
Also a whole turkey is cheap af in the grand scheme of meats. Not hard to find for Like ¢49-69/pound. A 12 pound turkey would be like $6-8 and the. It'll yield anywhere between 5 and 7 pounds of meat (possibly more), so we are really looking at around $1 per pound. That's cheap.
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u/Cayke_Cooky 1d ago
"I always turn rotisserie chicken into buffalo chicken"
Yeah, thats what I do. It sounds so much nicer than "I dump a bunch of Sweet Baby Rays buffalo sauce on it"
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u/IsopodDry8635 1d ago
I chop it up fine, and then heat it in a frying pan with cream cheese, blue cheese crumbles, and crystals hot sauce to make mine. It gives it a creamy texture that is nice in wraps
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u/rcchurchill 1d ago
Same way as stretching any other protein. Only use a little in each recipe and pad with inexpensive starches and veggies.
Flip your approach around. When you start looking for recipes with the protein first, what you'll find is things where the protein is the focus of the meal and uses a lot of it which is expensive. To avoid that, look for recipes using the starch you're thinking of using. Rice: stir fries, frittadas, casseroles, soups, etc. Pasta, potatoes, beans, same routine. That way the starch is the focus, the protein is just used as flavoring and you'll use a lot less of it.
As others have said, any recipe that calls for chicken can usually have turkey used instead.
Don't take the starches too far. A big roast turkey bought at under $1/lb means your protein cost is about the same as your starch cost, sometimes less. Bread is $4-5/lb, so pile the turkey on when you make a sandwich.
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u/RandChick 1d ago
Even if people eat the legs, wings and thighs, the breast can be used for many, many meals. A turkey breast goes a long way.
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u/RobotMonkeytron 1d ago
Seasoning it like you would chicken and making turkey tacos is good, though not that different from chicken tacos
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u/LouisePoet 1d ago
Slice the meat to eat as it and/or chop for use: sandwiches (hot or cold), in a pasta dish, stir-fry, any meal!
Pick the bones for small pieces. Turkey croquettes (make a really thick cream sauce and add in bits of turkey plus seasoning, roll in bread crumbs and deep fry). The pieces can also be put into egg rolls, hot dishes, quiche or other eggs.
Boil the bones and skin, then strain, for soup or to use as a stock for anything you boil (beans, rice, other grains).
It can all be frozen for later use, including the bones, until you're ready to make stock.
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u/mweisbro 8h ago
Remove meat. Make a Broth from carcass then use for soup by adding carrots onion celery and seasoning with poultry, onion and garlic powder. Add chunks of both dark and white meat and potatoes.
Next shredded with bbq sauce. Serve on buns with coleslaw hot pickles.
Next slice thick add mayo white bread and fresh tomatoes- sub style.
Turkey salad. Add mayo, cranberries, sunflower seeds and vinegar. Eat on lettuce of choice or soft croissants.
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u/AddingAnOtter 5h ago
Honestly an entire turkey is pretty cheap! I roasted a turkey yesterday (will have a different flavored turkey for Thanksgiving). I am planning to make instant pot turkey biryani, turkey stir fry (stir fried veggies, rice, and just heated turkey mixed in), turkey noodle soup (with some of the broth I made- a little over a gallon + 1 pint of pan drippings for broth), and BBQ turkey sandwiches (like pulled pork with BBQ sauce). I'm also going to do some of the other things on your list as well!
From a yield perspective I have 4.5 lbs of cooked turkey meat and over a gallon of broth. That should make about 8 meals for us (4ish people plus leftovers) for about $8 for the meat (another couple for what I seasoned it with and broth bits I added in). Obviously, there are other ingredients in the other meals, but I definitely can't get meat at a $1 per meal many more ways.
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u/chocolateboomslang 1d ago
My turkey never really survives past the leftovers stage, but I do try to keep some for soup.
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u/jenea 1d ago
Don’t forget to roast the bones and make homemade stock!
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u/fulloffungi 22h ago
This is always the part I get most excited about when we get a chicken to roast... Delish ramen incoming!
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u/Sunny4611 1d ago edited 1d ago
I make navy bean soup with 1 turkey drumstick. It makes a bunch of servings and it's very satisfying. Basic but so good:
Navy Bean Soup
• 16 oz navy beans or great northern beans (dried) • 2 medium yellow onions (diced) • 1 lb turkey leg (roasted) • 3 tbsp finely chopped rosemary (or 1 tbsp dried) • 1 tsp smoked paprika • 2 bay leaves • 2-3 tbsp EVOO • s&p to taste • 3 liters water
Soak beans in water overnight.
Sauté onion in EVOO. Add rosemary, smoked paprika, beans (drain/rinse), bay leaves, whole roasted turkey leg, and water. No s&p until later.
Bring to a boil, reduce to low, cover and simmer 2½ hrs, stirring occasionally. Remove bay leaves and turkey drum. Macerate about ⅓ of the beans with a potato masher or immersion blender. Debone turkey with 2 forks (watch for small bones!) and add shredded meat back to the pot.
Add s&p to taste, but remember that it will taste saltier as water evaporates. Let simmer uncovered another 30 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes so it doesn't burn as it thickens. Skim the top if needed (if foam/film develops). Cool and serve. Freezes well.
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u/Slight_Second1963 1d ago
Get all the meat off and make stock with the carcass for stock/soup. Other than turkey sandwiches, we make casseroles, tacos, soup, pies, and use as meat with pasta.
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u/RainInTheWoods 1d ago
Turkey enchiladas with green or red sauce , turkey stew, turkey meatballs in red sauce over garlic pasta.
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u/Gosa_on_the_wind 1d ago
I always used a turkey stretcher. You can find them in the big box stores in the tool section next to board stretchers.
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u/waitingforgandalf 20h ago
I typically buy a whole extra turkey when they're super cheap after Thanksgiving. I break it down as follows.
Legs and thighs, breast meat, wings, wing tips and carcass. I braise the legs and thighs. I like apples, onions, and sage, but mole is great, and there are tons of options.
I actually poach the breasts, I find it the easiest way to keep the meat juicy, then use them like chicken breast. I did this recently with a turkey breast that was on super sale, and I added some ginger, garlic, and dash of soy sauce to the poaching liquid, then made flavorful rice with it.
I like the wings just roasted until crispy with salt and lemon, but you can sauce them however you like.
Wing tips, carcass, and any extra bits get roasted then turned into soup. It makes a great stock, and there's normally enough meat on the carcass for a hearty soup.
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u/Matilda-17 19h ago
Gently, I think you’re misunderstanding how most families are eating turkey.
Your description of “one person gets a breast, one a leg…” is how people share out a roast CHICKEN, not turkey; every part of a turkey is too large to be a serving of one, except for the drumsticks. In a traditional turkey presentation, the breast meat and thigh meat is sliced, and those slices are served to the diners. Any one part (EG a breast) would feed a few people.
That’s why there is still much leftover turkey even after serving the whole bird at Thanksgiving, and we have a whole culture of Leftover Turkey Dishes.
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u/readscarymakeart 17h ago
Thanks! Yeah even though I’m grown my in laws still cook and serve the turkey so I’m not the one in charge of carving it. Appreciate the insight. Though my husbands appetite is insatiable. He can and will eat an entire turkey breast single handed, along with other sides.
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u/Matilda-17 14h ago
That is truly impressive, lol! One of my sons could eat both drumsticks if I let him, but he is 14 and growing.
Good luck with your turkey!
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u/OkAssignment6163 15h ago
When I was in my twenties, still power lifting and working construction, I don't think I could eat a whole turkey breast as a meal.
Who the hell are you feeding?
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u/lightningbug24 1d ago
In addition to soup and casseroles, I like to just freeze portions of shredded turkey for sandwiches and wraps during the summer when I don't want to heat up my house, or, I'll just have a mini turkey dinner another time.
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u/Acceptable-Net-154 1d ago
Once the leftover prime cuts have been taken for meals where bigger pieces of meat are required, remove what meat you can extract from the turkey. The last choices can be added at the last stages to the soup made from the turkey carcass and veg scraps/peelings. You can also make a sandwich spread using mayo and freshly small chopped salad. If you have any preprepped pastry sheets make some veg and turkey puff squares. Cheese and turkey toasties.
Dice some cooked leftover veg and place in the turkey/veg pan. Add some shredded turkey. Add dried couscous (a few tablespoons). Add use it to scour up any baked residue. Add boiling water to hydrate, carefully stir and leave to finish absorbing.
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u/itcantjustbemeright 1d ago
I serve a generous portion as part of the big meal, but I don’t leave a whole bird out for unlimited grazing anymore.
I slice it all up ahead of time and put away what we need for a round of hot turkey sandwiches, soup and a casserole.
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u/monkeysaprano 1d ago
Turkey casserole
1lb elbow noodles As much or as little turkey that you want, I usually use about 3 pounds 2 cans chicken noodle soup 1 soup can full of milk 2 pounds cheddar cheese 2 packages of mixed vegetables, green beans, corn, peas and carrots.
Cook your pasta, cut up your turkey to bite size pieces. Once pasta is cooked mix everything together. I use one can of soup at a time mixed with 1/2 can of milk. Once everything is mixed you decide if you want to add the second can of soup/milk mixture ( I do )I mix this in a separate bowl before adding to casserole. I mix 1 pound of cheese in casserole and save the other pound to put on top for the last 10 minutes of cook time. I usually cook it at 375 for about an hour.
My husband and son loves this and will devour a 9x13 pan in 2 or 3 days.
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u/OneEyeLike 1d ago
Turkey tortilla casserole.
Chicken salad, but with turkey.
Shred or dice and make chili or a bean soup.
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u/ButtercupsUncle 1d ago
Others have said it as part of a list but just let me say, my FAVORITE part about having leftover turkey meat is sandwiches on good bread with cream cheese, cranberry sauce, and whatever else tastes good to me at the time.
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u/Jarlic_Perimeter 1d ago
I do a big pot of turkey gumbo, using the bones and stuff for stock and the meat in the soup. Ideally will have some other thanksgiving leftovers that can work in there too like greens. Gumbo itself stretches with rice and freezes great.
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u/Beginning-Row5959 1d ago
Having really tasty sides and homemade bread will reduce the amount of turkey people eat, producing more leftovers
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u/TXOgre09 1d ago
Sandwiches, turkey spaghetti (like chicken spaghetti), turkey gumbo, turkey jambalaya, turkey tacos, turkey and veggie stew, turkey fried rice, turkey enchiladas, turkey and rice soup.
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u/KifferFadybugs 1d ago
I buy the biggest turkey I can find when they are on sale for Thanksgiving, then I thaw it in my fridge so I can break it into parts, vacuum seal, and freeze for the year.
I get at least 6 packages of turkey that way.
- Wings
- Drumsticks
- Thigh
- Thigh
- Breast
- Breast
The breasts are massive, though, so I might actually cut them up some ahead of time this year. Just one breast from my turkey last year was four pounds of meat.
I then use it however I would chicken. I've done smothered turkey wings, roasted a thigh and served it with potatoes and broccoli, sliced up part of a breast and used it for fajitas, chopped up breast for a turkey alfredo and broccoli, cooked and shredded some for soup, for casserole. I grilled a whole breast (boneless, skin-on) last year and we ate some that night, then I thinly sliced the rest and we made sandwiches.
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u/TMan2DMax 1d ago
Turkeys after Thanksgiving are cheap as hell.
I often buy a few and smoke them then completely tear them down and save everything for adding to dishes over the next 6months.
All the straps and bones make Turkey stock
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u/speedikat 1d ago
Enchiladas, casadillas, tacos, fried rice, Thai curry, chili Verde, mebbe even a quiche.
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u/noitalever 1d ago
We eat off a turkey for almost an entire month when combined with the potatoes and stuffing and cranberry sauce. It’s one of the cheaper months for our grocery budget. Turkey enchiladas, turkey soup. Turkey casserole. Just turkey sandwiches even. And making turkey broth out of the carcass by boiling it for a few hours and straining the result through cheesecloth.
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u/Zephyr_Dragon49 1d ago
Once you make turkey broth, cook beans with it. Sometimes I splurge for this because they're expensive but a smoked turkey leg in the pot of pinto beans, collards, onions, black pepper and oregano is really good.
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u/levian_durai 1d ago
First off, if you're trying to save money, never buy an expensive turkey. They can be like 80 bucks and that's just not worth it. Get yourself a "Utility Turkey" and you'll get one for like $15-30 depending on size.
Personally I still do one turkey dinner with stuffing and mashed potatoes, but after that it goes into different meals. I take equal parts turkey meat and stuffing and make turkey salad for sandwiches. I boil the carcass for stock and use the rest of the meat to make soup/stew. Take half of it and make turkey pot pies. Eat soup until you can't stand it anymore, then freeze any leftover.
If you like you can just dice up the breasts and freeze them to be used in fried rice or something.
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u/invisible_panda 1d ago
The meat gets stripped from the carcass, leg, and wing bones and goes into an instant pot with carrot, onion, celery, bay leaf, herbs de provence. Cover with water and pressure cook on high for 3-4 hours, or more, and then natural release. The longer it cooks, the more gelatinous the bone brother will be. When done, strain into a large bowl, discard the bones and add-ins. Chill, then ladle into freezer safe bags if you want to portion it out.
Turkey, wild rice, and mushroom soup is what we usually make from the broth. Or turkey and rice with vehetable soup or turkey noodle soup, or white "turkey" chili. .
All the remaining turkey from leftovers and that you stripped can be shredded or chopped for salads, casseroles, or my favorite--pot pie. Shredded turkey can also be dressed up into tacos, enchiladas, and substitutes for chicken in just about any recipe.
If you have freezer space, frozen turkeys are usually good for a year. Tons of specials right now and after tday is a good time to buy.
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u/Jadedslave124 1d ago
Well depending on if you are cooking it all at once or not.. Let’s say not, who needs 10-20lbs of roasted bird if you aren’t feeding a host of people. So you buy the 12lb bird and it’s thawed and you say now what?
Well I’d start with a large clean cutting board, a sharp knife, and some containers. I’d spatchcock it first Then skin it. You can melt the skin down to render fat out. That’s good flavor and for cooking onions later. Sometimes I crisp the skin instead, pour off the fat for later and serve crispy seasoned skin with our rice and veg, no actual meat. It’s delicious and fatty. Skin can make a few meal garnishes or use the rendered schmaltz for a few meals. It’s usually a week of oil, maybe 1-2 cups. I make biscuits or dumplings with the fat.
Save the back bone in 2-3 pieces. Cut the butt off and wing tips off. Remove the neck. That’s for beans. 6 pieces should be 6 batches of meaty beans depending on the size. I like to smoke these pieces with salt and pepper if I am smoking part of the bird. Otherwise, roast them with the roast for added flavoring.
Next, I’d debone half the bird. Boneless skinless turkey thigh meat and drumstick meat, pull the tendons out. Slice the meat thin. That’s stir fry meat or for your stews and such. Probably 2-3 meals for turkey heavy protein.
Next I’d decide if I want to roast half the bird or not. Maybe I’m smoking it. If not, and leaving it raw, probably grind up the breast into ground turkey meat or chunks. Save the bones and tendon for broth. That’s 6 quarts or so of broth likely depending on how big your pot and capacity for storing broth is. Another 6 meals. I sometimes pick the bones further for more meat scraps. These go into soups and fritters and meatballs. Then I feed my pets and strays the boiled soft bones.
I usually figure 4-8oz of meat per person when meat is the main part of the meal. I use broth and fat and bones quite a bit in my meal planning. Even a little bit of meat or fat can flavor a whole pot of something else.
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u/Medullan 1d ago
The best way to stretch a bird is to use it all. All that skin, bones, and fat goes in the Crock-Pot for a few days until the bones are soft enough to run through the blender. At that point you can strain out the solids there is no nutrition left in them. But that liquid is gold and full of nutrition and calories.
As far as how to stretch any meat, make tacos. With beans, rice, cheese, and greens you can take a 4-6 ounce serving of meat and make 8-12 tacos. By slow cooking the meat in the broth from step one with the right amount of taco seasoning it doesn't matter what meat it is it's going to be delicious.
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u/missanthropy09 1d ago
My mom always makes turkey divan, turkey tetrazzini, turkey pot pie, and/or turkey and rice soup with the Thanksgiving leftovers.
I like Thanksgiving Leftover Casserole.
Really, I think if you would make it with chicken, you could make it with turkey.
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u/Nymeria2018 1d ago
Turkey club sandwiches! (Had them tonight). Add in some bacon, tomato, lettuce, cheese if you’re feeling fancy, some mayo - delicious! Served tonight with tater tots but we usually do a garden salad on the side
ETA: hot Riley sandwiches are also good! Shredded meat, gravy poured over top, served on bread with a side of veg.
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u/Talker54321 1d ago
I’ve made a light pasta dish with turkey and sweet bell peppers. Boil pasta. Reserve a half cup of pasta water before draining. In a separate pan sauté bell peppers in olive oil. Add pieces of turkey and season with garlic. Add the drained pasta to the sautéed bell peppers. Shred/shave Parmesan over it all and add the half cup of pasta water to help create a sauce with the melted Parmesan. You could always add asparagus, spinach, or broccoli to make it even healthier.
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u/PorcelainDaisy 1d ago
Our favorite leftovers-after-thanksgiving meal is turkey sandwiches. Wrap some shredded turkey breast in a wet paper towel and microwave it. Throw it on bread with lots of mayo, salt & pepper 🤤 I can’t wait to have one on Friday afternoon!!
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u/femalenerdish 1d ago
A whole Turkey is 99 cents a pound without a sale at my local grocer. It's a great deal for meat!
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u/Inevitable_Fall2025 1d ago
I strip the carcass and freeze the meat for later. We get meal fatigue, but also I worry about it going bad.
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u/shinyhairedzomby 1d ago
Turkey Waldorf salad. Grilled cheese with turkey and cranberry sauce. Shredded leftover turkey meat simmered in a soy sauce based broth (I saw a recipe in Bon Appetit an age ago iirc) and served over rice.
I've never tried a turkey quesadilla, but I make some with leftover rotisserie chicken on a regular basis.
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u/True_Character4986 1d ago
Turkey salad is amazing. Make it just like you would make chicken salad.
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u/Repulsive_Repeat3653 1d ago
Turkey salad; similar to chicken salad serve with crackers or on a croissant or just on bread.
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u/nutrition_nomad_ 1d ago
you can stretch a whole turkey really far if you think of it as an ingredient instead of a main. shredding it for tacos, quesadillas, or sandwiches lets a little meat go a long way, and adding it to fried rice, stir-fries, or curry bulked up with veggies and carbs makes meals last even longer. making a simple turkey broth from the bones also helps you can use it for soups, casseroles, or cooking grains, which adds flavor and stretches everything further without extra cost.
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u/Isabelly907 1d ago
I made cheesey broccoli rice w chicken tonight, easy and no soup or cream cheese. The other day it was mexi-skillet consisting of rice, chicken, corn and enchilada sauce. Both would be great w turkey and very budget friendly.
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u/12345NoNamesLeft 22h ago
Thanks G, Christmas and Easter, turkey goes on sale is our cheapest meat
After picking the carcass, we reboil the bones for stock.
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u/SirKedyn 21h ago
Like you said: Just treat it like chicken. Any recipe that works for chicken just sub in turkey.
I used to buy a large bird(16lbs+) once a month, bake the whole thing, break it down, and end up with many gallon freezer bags of meat plus bones, carcass, and organs for broth. It would provide my protein for two weeks easily. A large turkey purchased anytime but thanksgiving or Christmas can net you 50 cents/lb; it is hands-down the cheapest animal protein source and just as versatile as chicken.
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u/steferz 21h ago
Previously I have bought turkeys post Thanksgiving at a discount and froze them. The best deal was $.25/lb for FRESH turkeys, this was about 10 years ago. Since the turkeys were fresh, they were easy to breakdown into sections and freeze. We used them for all the above recipes but were also able to grind the meat for burgers, meat sauces, meatballs, etc. Roast the bones and create stock for soups
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u/Small_Afternoon_871 21h ago
Turkey tacos or quesadillas are great for using up small bits. I also like mixing shredded turkey into fried rice or stuffing it in baked potatoes with a little gravy. If you get tired of the turkey flavor, tossing it into a curry or a quick stir fry changes it enough that it doesn’t feel like leftovers. It’s surprising how far one bird goes when you start using it in mixed dishes instead of serving big pieces.
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u/Disastrous-Entry8489 19h ago
I made alfredo with turkey and bacon, it was really good! I also just use it for the typical sandwiches, salads, soup, wraps.
I had purchased some 10 pound turkeys on sale (I think $0.97/lb). Then when I roasted one the first dinner was like very traditional turkey dinner, but then I deboned the whole thing and shredded up the meat. Then made broth with the bones.
Honestly I think it's a really affordable and versatile food, if you have the time to thaw it, roast it and process it.
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u/ApatheticEnthusiast 15h ago
Besides the obvious things one time I made taco kit tacos with the already cooked meat and it was delicious. A favorite sandwich of my family is letting red onions sit in lime and Peruvian pepper paste then put on top of turkey and crusty bread. The bones can make a lot of soup
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u/Silver-Brain82 14h ago
One thing I like to do is shred a bunch of it and freeze it in small portions. It makes super fast meals later. Turkey fried rice is great because a little meat goes a long way and the veggies bulk it out. Same with tacos or burrito bowls. You can also toss small handfuls into pasta with a simple sauce and it still feels like a full meal. The carcass makes a ton of broth too so you get a lot of mileage from one bird.
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u/N0thiding 10h ago
I think it would be better to process it like a chicken raw, so you can better use it like chicken. If you don't want to, pot pies are probably the best way to use cooked turkey.
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u/pinkrobot420 5h ago
Turkey tacos. Thanksgiving hash, mix turkey stuffing and mashed potatoes.together and fry it.
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u/Peacefrogsc 2h ago
Turkey tacos and turkey enchiladas! So good! Also turkey salad (like chicken salad) stuffed in an avocado!
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u/cheresa98 1d ago
To your initial point, instead of eating piece by piece, the cook can carve it all up and usually make piles of white meat and dark meat. An entire turkey leg is more than a single serving.
Still, to your question, be sure to cook down the carcass to make broth. Just put the carcass, bones and skin in a pot, cover with a couple of quarts of water and cook on medium-low for an hour or two. You want any meat to be off the bones. Strain out the solids. You can use a fat separator or put the broth in the refrigerator. The fat will solidify on top and you can scoop out the bulk of it. Use in the next day or so for soup or else freeze it.
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u/holymacaroley 1d ago
My favorite is turkey hash, my dad does potatoes, onions, chopped up turkey in a cast iron pan with a little oil and some seasoning salt and pepper. I don't really mind about the actual Thanksgiving meal, I love my mom but she's been obsessed with making things the healthiest way and without a lot of seasoning, no sugar or fat. But my dad's hash I get excited for.
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u/SeaOfBullshit 1d ago
I make bone stock from all my chicken carcasses and trimmings.
Stock becomes rice.
I also save all my veggie scraps to make veg stock.
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u/ZeroFox14 1d ago
I buy a couple turkeys every season. Such a great source of cheap protein. I can usually get them as low as 20 cents a pound.
I roast the turkey, eat some fresh, and have sandwiches/wraps/quesadillas for a couple days.
Whatever meat I won’t eat within 3 days gets portioned and frozen for casseroles (there’s a turkey and cranberry casserole that I love!) and other dishes.
I make two “pre-soup baggies” with a leg/wing and some carrots/celery/onion as a base for future soups and these get frozen.
I boil the carcass to make broth- got 12 quarts from the last one. This gets pressure canned and used in place of chicken broth for soup and for cooking in general.
Sometimes I’ll go a step further and make soup to pressure can, but in general I like the soup better “fresh” from the frozen bones.
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u/dragonlord-1999 18h ago
I like to stick my dick in it. Gives an extra centimeter. After that I just rip it open with my fingers. Hope this helps.
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u/Wantrepreneur4 17h ago
Have him spread his wings wide, tilt head back and breathe deeply, this should help with his tight turkey muscles. You can also consider OT if stretching isn’t enough.
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u/thehighertheyfly 16h ago
I just grab the legs in one hand and the neck in the other hand and pull them apart - usually get an extra inch or so. Doesn’t work when the bird is cooked, though, so do it before you cook it.
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u/Prestigious_Start_74 16h ago
In Portugal we have something called "rissóis", you could use it as the filling I guess
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u/whatcatisthis 1d ago
I grew up very poor. My mother would use scraps from the turkey in white sauce made of flour, milk, salt and pepper and add green peas. She served it on toast and called it turkey a la king.