Creative Ways to Deal with Ham and Turkey Leftovers

Once the kids left home, I suddenly had a lot of leftovers. And so I had to think of creative ways to use them. You know the scenario. The Festive Season is suddenly over and you don't know what to do with all that turkey and ham? Well, we all have the same problem, and as a result we some great recipes using either leftover ham or turkey and hopefully making space in that fridge of yours after Christmas.

I don't know about you but when you look at your fridge after Thanksgiving and Christmas and all you see is a mountain of food that you have no idea how you will reinvent it into something new, you will have that meat sitting in the fridge for weeks until you have to throw it out. What a waste! It doesn't have to be like that.

We hope you enjoy both our ham our turkey recipes using leftovers which can all be found below. We would appreciate any comments from you, once you have used them, so that the rest of our readers can see what your experience was like

Tips for Using Leftover Meat

When using cooked meat only re-heat it once because if you re-cook it several times some meats can become indigestible.

What to do with Leftovers - Turkey Leftover Recipes

Turkey Crouquettes

A pile of turkey croquette made from leftovers.

Take scraps of turkey, You can also add some ham as well if you like.
Seasoning
Pinch of herbs
1 tablespoon butter
3 tablespoon flour
1 cup milk
Oil for cooking
Egg
Breadcrumbs

Finely chop the turkey leftovers, season well and add herbs. Add to this a very thick white sauce made by adding the flour to the melted butter, cook for 2 minutes and gradually add up to a cup of milk. Season well. Add meat.

Flour a board and roll meat mixture into a long roll 1 1/4 inch thick. Cut into equal lengths, about 3 inches, roll in seasoned flour, then dip into beaten egg, and then finally into seasoned crumbs. Shake off excess crumbs. Drop into deep hot frying oil. Serve with a salad and tomato sauce.

Turkey Pancakes

Take scraps of turkey. Again you could use ham instead. Make your favorite thin pancake batter and cook thin pancakes. Using the recipe above, add a little more milk, add some cheese and parsley. Season to taste and wrap up in your warm pancakes.

Turkey Chinese-Style

2 teaspoons peanut butter Leftover Chinese turkey and noodle dish.1

2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger,
1 clove crushed garlic
1x tablespoon soy sauce
4 teaspoons seasame oil
4 teaspoons honey
6 tablespoons olive oil
A generous squeeze of lemon juice.

Season and mix with:

12 oz (340 g) shredded, cooked turkey mixed with 4 chopped spring onions and 1/2 a cucumber cut into batons. Serve on noodles, with a sprinkling of cashew nuts.

Turkey Club Sandwiches

18 slices bread
4 ripe avocados
1 bunch radishes, trimmed and sliced thinly
4 oz (113g) alfalfa sprouts
12 thin slices roast turkey leftovers
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Roughly mash avocado flesh with a fork and season to taste. Spread over the 12 slices of bread. Top with radishes, sprouts and leftover turkey.

Stack the sandwiches together so that each sandwhich has 2 layers and 3 slices of bread. Slice in half on the diagonal and serve.

What to do with Leftovers? - Ham Leftover Recipes

Poached Egg and Grilled Ham Steaks

A recipe using leftover ham, with eggs and a cheese sauce.

Brush 6 slices of leftover ham with maple syrup. Grill over a medium heat, until syrup is caramelised and ham has heated through. Be careful not to burn.

Meanwhile, crack 6 eggs into individual ramekin bowls and microwave on High (100%) for 1 minute, cooking 2 eggs at a time. Or, you can poach the in some vinegar water in a pan.

Make a hollandaise or cheese sauce. Add a tablespoon of finely chopped parsley.

Toast 6 slices ciabatta bread, add butter if desired, and spread slices with wholegrain mustard. Top with ham steaks and egg. Spoon over the hollandaise sauce with either spinach leaves or celery on the side. Serve with fried potatoes.

Leftover Ham and Egg Ceasar Salad

Cut 6 slices of bread into small pieces and toss in 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 crushed, peeled garlic clove. Bake in a moderate oven for 12 - 15 minutes, or until golden.

Wash and drain a cos lettuce, and tear into bite size pieces. Transfer to a salad bowl and add 200g diced leg ham leftovers, 4 quartered boiled eggs and 150 ml Caesar salad dressing.

Top with garlic croutons and Parmesan cheese shavings and serve.

Ham and Turkey Glazed Loaf

1 lb minced ham
1/2 lb minced turkey
1/2 cup coarse cracker crumbs (8 cream crackers)
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup buttermilk or milk
1 egg
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
8 canned pineapple rings
salt and pepper to taste

The Glaze:

3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup pineapple syrup
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 teaspoon prepared mustard
salt and pepper to taste

Thoroughly combine meat, cracker crumbs, onion, milk, egg, parsley, and seasoning. Shape into 9 patties, the diameter of each being the same as the diameter of the pineapple rings.

In a baking dish (12" x 7 1/2") line up a row of alternating ham patties and pineapple slices; insert a skewer (At least 2 inches longer than the loaf) through the patties and the pineapple slices. Bake in a slow oven (325 degrees F.) for 30 minutes.

Combine the ingredients for the glaze. Pour a little over the roll; bake for 30 minutes more, basting frequently with the remaining glaze.

Remove from baking dish to warm platter, by lifting both ends of the skewer. Remove the skewer. Serve cold on a bed of cos lettuce, topped with glace cherries. This meat can also be served hot with vegetables.

Ham Pie

Short pastry Ham and egg pie.

1 small onion, diced
2 eggs
1 hard-boiled egg
1/2 cup milk
1 cup leftover ham, diced
1 cup grated cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Beat eggs, add milk, salt, mustard and pepper. Mince together ham, onion, hard-boiled egg and cheese. Line Pyrex dish or deep plate with pastry. Then put mixture on the pastry. Bake for 15 minutes at 375 degrees F. or until puffy and golden.

Ham and Cheese Tarts

6 oz (185 g) cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon milk
1/4 teaspoon finely shredded orange peel
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 cup sour light cream
1 tablespoon chopped chives or spring onion
1/2 cup finely diced leftover ham
24 purchased tiny vol-au-vent cases
paprika

Blend cream cheese, milk, orange peel and mustard. Fold in sour cream, chives and ham. Spoon about 3 teapoons of the filling into each of the pastry cases. Sprinkle lightly with paprika. Bake at 375 degrees F. (190 degrees C.) for 20 - 25 minutes. Serve warm. Makes 20.

What to do with Leftovers? Leftover Ham and Turkey Salads

Turkey and Fennel Salad

1lb (450g) shredded, cooked turkey
1/3 lb (150g) watercress
1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
2 oranges, peeled and sliced through in rings
French dressing

Mix all together.

Tip: If you find that the fennel is too strong, then soak in some water with a squeeze of lemon for an hour before mixing with the rest of the ingredients.

Mango, Ham and Turkey Salad

2 mangos, sliced Leftover turkey and mango salad

8 cos lettuce leaves, washed
8 slices leftover ham
1 red capsicum, sliced
2 boiled eggs, quartered
alfalfa sprouts, to garnish

Tear the leaves into bite size pieces. Place on a large platter and arrange leftover meat, quartered boiled eggs and mango on the lettuce bed. Arrange sliced red capsicum on the top. Sprinkle alfalfa sprouts over the top to garnish.

As an alternative, take out the eggs and replace them with peach halves. Fill with cottage cheese.

What to do with Leftovers? Quick and Ideas for Turkey and Ham

We hope these ideas for leftovers will help empty those stuffed fridges and fill those hungry hordes that gather during Christmas and Thanksgiving holidays.

Ideas and Recipes for Left Over Turkey

Fill 4 soft tortillas with 12 oz (340 g) shredded, cooked turkey leftovers, 1/2 red onion finely sliced, good quality tomato salsa and 1 sliced avocado. Top with sour cream and wrap.
Mix 12 oz (340 g) shredded, cold turkey leftovers with 3 oz (85 g) cooked prawns, 4 oz (113 g) sliced button mushrooms and 8 oz (230 g) cooked and sliced new potatoes. Bind with 4 tablespoons mayonnaise that has been mixed with 2 teapoons horseradish sauce. Serve on a bed of shredded lettuce leaves.
Whizz 4 tablespoons mayonnaise with 1 chopped garlic clove, 2 anchovies, 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese and a squeeze of lemon. Add a little extra anchovy or olive oil to loosen. Serve with cold turkey leftovers mixed with cos lettuce, 3 rashers chopped crispy bacon and a handful of croutons.
Chop 3 tablespoons dried apricots with 2 teaspoons apricot jam or mango chutney, 2 teapoons good quality curry paste, 2 tablespoons mayonnaise and 1 1/2 tablespoons yogurt. Mix 12 oz (340g) turkey leftovers, and 10 oz (285 g) cooked rice with enough sauce to bind. Top with a sprinkling of toasted flaked almonds.

Ideas and Recipes for Left Over Ham

For a quick and easy snack, sandwich together sliced ham leftovers, English mustard, sauerkraut and Gryuere in sliced rye bread.
Enclose shredded ham leftovers in a herb-filled omelette, drizzle with creme-fraiche and serve with a tomato salad.
Serve sliced ham leftovers, pickled eggs, a wedge of good cheddar, dill pickles and mustard with a loaf of homemade sourdough bread.
Serve savory French Toast with thinly sliced ham leftovers, baby spinach, roasted baby tomatoes on the vine and a thick, cheese or Hollandaise sauce.