Leftover Turkey "Carnitas" Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to good carnitas? ›

The secret? Cooking the pork slowly in lard, water and milk. Today's recipe is a classic old-school rendition of carnitas prepared traditionally: cooked slowly in lard. You can find lots of recipe online using this method.

USDA recommends using cooked turkey within 3 to 4 days, kept refrigerated (40°F or less). Refrigeration slows but does not stop bacterial growth. Turkey can be frozen for 3 to 4 months. Although safe indefinitely, frozen leftovers can lose moisture and flavor when stored for longer times in the freezer.

In addition to gravy, you can also save dry turkey with a little chicken (or even better, turkey) stock or broth. Place your carved meat in a shallow baking dish and cover it with stock.

Store leftover carnitas in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Drizzle with a couple extra tablespoons of the cooking liquid to help keep them moist before storing. Reheat in the microwave.

The orange juice in the cooking liquid provides acidity that helps break down the meat so it's extra tender and juicy.

Oil: I use a high-heat cooking oil for recipe (usually avocado oil), but lard is also an option. Aromatics: Inspired by authentic carnitas from central Mexico, we use fresh orange, onion, garlic, a bay leaf, and a cinnamon stick.

Cooked turkey and other leftovers can be kept in the fridge safely for about three to four days, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and FoodSafety.gov say. But after that time, "the risk of food poisoning goes up," the Mayo Clinic notes, pointing to the growth of bacteria in refrigerated leftovers.

Before refrigerating, make sure to divide leftovers into smaller portions and put them into shallow containers so they cool quickly, which should prevent bacterial growth. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for three to four days, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service.

The answer is simple: leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator for three to four days. This means you have until the Monday after Thanksgiving to eat all those delicious leftovers or place them in the freezer to enjoy later. If you store leftovers in the freezer, they will be of best quality within 2-6 months.

Though it's especially obvious in leftover fish and poultry, discerning connoisseurs can pick out the WOF bouquet in most reheated meats. These flavors are the result of a series of chemical reactions that begins with the deterioration of specific kinds of fats known as polyunsaturated fatty acids, or PUFAs.

How do you revive leftover turkey? ›

Simply heat your oven to 300 degrees, put the carved meat in a baking dish, and add some chicken broth or turkey stock to the pan. The meat will absorb some of the liquid as it heats, making it nice and juicy. Cover the pan tightly with foil and place it in the oven until the meat is hot, 20 to 30 minutes.

Place the turkey pieces in a baking dish and drizzle with a few tablespoons of stock and/or butter. Cover the dish with foil and heat in the oven at 350°F for about 30 minutes. Alternatively, you can microwave the sliced turkey (cover with a damp paper towel) in a microwave-safe dish at 50% power in 1-minute intervals.

Roughly chop the garlic and place in the slow cooker (I actually kind of rubbed it onto the meat to get as much garlic flavor as possible, but you could just toss it in, too). Sprinkle the meat with salt, cumin, chili powder, black pepper, oregano, cinnamon, and cayenne.

In a small bowl, combine chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper then generously season the pork on all sides. Add Onion, Garlic and Citrus: Place the seasoned pork in the bottom of the slow cooker then add garlic, chopped onions, orange juice, and lime juice around it.

In other regions of Mexico, people add their own special seasoning to this dish, such as condensed milk, garlic, chicken broth, co*ke, orange juice, and/or beer. Not only do these ingredients give the carnitas their distinctive golden-brownish color, but they also help tenderize the meat.

You can use corn or flour (we love corn, but that's up to you). Gently heat the tortillas before serving. TRICK: Turn on your grill or gas burner, and quickly heat them over the heat. You'll get a little char and warm them just enough, but don't over do it, or they will dry out!

Another alternative is to add a bit extra water and then cook off the water when you're ready to serve. The advantage is that you'll preserve most of the flavours that way and also have fresh-from-the-stove carnitas.

To spice up bland carnitas, try adding extra seasoning such as chili powder, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, or diced jalapeños for a kick of heat. You can also experiment with different herbs and spices to tailor the flavor to your liking.