Joy of Cooking Recipe: Becker Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey Hash
Thanksgiving leftovers are a blessing and a curse. You may coast for the better part of a week on the turkey taking up room in your refrigerator. Not to mention the guilt-factor: Who among us feels comfortable throwing away the result of so much expense, time, and effort? Roast turkey sandwiches, tetrazzini, and reheated stuffing are dependable and easy, but very few of these options taste “fresh” or actually add something desirable to the plump, plastic storage bags staring at you from their chilly abode. You can always try turning them into gumbo or enchiladas out of sheer desperation, but we advise a less drastic approach: accentuate the flavors of Thanksgiving with a complementary addition of crisply sautéed vegetables, bright, fresh herbs, and rich mushroom flavor.
Becker Turkey Hash is a simple and delicious way of serving your excess turkey without desecrating it. Of course, our family hash would not be truly complete without our other must-have holiday recipe, Thanksgiving Duxelles Gravy. Find a versatile, make-ahead recipe for this savory, wine-infused reduction of browned mushrooms, onions, garlic, and pan juices on our blog. You may find yourself yearning for this delicious leftover-friendly hash before you even start roasting next year’s bird. From Joy of Cooking: 75th Anniversary Edition.
Becker Thanksgiving Hash
6-8 servings
Melt in a large skillet over medium-high heat:
2 tablespoons butter
Add:
3 medium carrots, diced
1 large onion, chopped
Cook, stirring, until the carrots are crisp-tender and the onion translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add:
1⁄4 cup sherry or port
Whisk in, blending well:
3 cups of Duxelles Thanksgiving Gravy
or, substitute:
(Two 10 3⁄4-ounce cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
(1 1⁄2 cups turkey stock or chicken broth)
Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thick, 5 to 10 minutes. Add and heat through, without simmering:
2 to 3 cups cooked turkey, picked over and roughly chopped
One 10-ounce package frozen petite peas
Season to taste with:
Black pepper
Serve over:
Buttered egg noodles
Garnish each serving with:
Finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
Fresh thyme leaves
Photo courtesy John Becker
Recipe excerpted from Joy of Cooking by Irma S. Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker, and Ethan Becker. Copyright © 2006 by Simon & Schuster, Inc. Excerpted with permission by Scribner, a Division of Simon & Schuster, Inc.