Turkey Leftover Recipe: Turkey Noodle Yum Yum

One of my favorite parts about Thanksgiving is the turkey butt.  I know, sounds a bit off however, the most amazing stock, tender meat and soup base is waiting in that turkey that has been set aside after being carved. 

The cooking of the leftover turkey in the slow cooker has become a tradition in our family.  I keep the leftover turkey bones and all in a big zip lock (or four this year, I had to have the largest turkey sold on the market) and while everyone is out black Friday shopping, the slow cooker is doing the work for me.  I place the turkey in the slow cooker and cover it with water.  It is already so tender that it is usually fairly easy to separate into smaller pieces so it all fits.  After I cover it with water I cook it all day on low or for the afternoon on high.  If you have leftover turkey meat but no turkey carcass, just use chicken stock in place of the turkey stock.  And next year keep that turkey butt!

 

I place a larger colander in a deep mixing bowl and pour the contents of the slow cooker into it once it has cooked all day and smells wonderful.  I let it cool a bit so I can remove the colander from the bowl which then strains the turkey broth.  I pour the turkey stock into a stock pot. 

 

Now that you have your stock pot full of yummy broth (I usually have 8-12 cups), add the following and cook until tender:

 

2 cups each finely chopped celery and carrots

1 chopped onion

1 T. dried parsley

1/2 t. pepper

 

Once your carrots are tender, add the meat you pulled off the bones from the slow cooker, and any additional leftover turkey meat you would like.  Some people use egg noodles next, some rice.  I use elbow noodles make from white rice so this is gluten free.  I use about 2 cups of uncooked pasta, and add it to the stock, along with the remaining meat and cook until tender.  The noodles will taste AMAZING since they absorb some of the stock. 

 

We devour this over the weekend while we hang our fresh garlands, dig out the ornaments, and play as much Dean Martin, Bing Crosby and Nat King Cole as possible.

 

And that is what I do with my leftover turkey every year, Turkey Noodle Yum Yum.

Hugs & Blessings to you and your family, as always thank you so much for reading!

 

xoxo, Tanya