Leftover Tactics, Last Minute Ideas, Deep Frying Birds, and More!

Welcome!

Happy Thanksgiving! We know you likely already have some favorite/family recipes lined up for this week, so this newsletter’s main goal is to show you how to repurpose your leftovers after the big day.

On Thursday morning, keep an eye out for a special Sunday Cooking Club article! We’re on a deep dive into an iconic (and controversial) Thanksgiving table item, and want to share what we’ve learned.

Since this week is leftover focused, there won’t be a shopping list linked at the end. We’ll be back for your grocery run next Sunday, though.

In This Week’s Edition

Try Something New 🤯 — Cranberry-Pumpkin Creme Brulee

Throwback Time 🍳 — The Moist Maker, An Ultimate Day After Sandwich

The Leftover Shelf 🥡 — Turkey Tonkotsu Ramen

Extra Helpings 🍽 — Deep Frying Birds, Turkey Tips, and More

Try Something New 🤯

The best way to revive your cousin’s store-bought pumpkin pie and can of cranberry sauce. It's fun to layer this dessert in a creme brûlée-esque presentation, and the tartness of the cranberry sauce balances the added sweetness.

Cranberry-Pumpkin Brûlée

A layered and elevated leftover dessert.

Components

• Leftover pumpkin pie

• Leftover cranberry sauce

• Granulated sugar

Nice to Have Accessories

• Shallow, wide ramekins or equivalent dish

• Kitchen blowtorch (but you could use the broiler)

Instructions

1. Scooping just the flesh of the pumpkin pie, create a smooth, flat layer of pumpkin filling into the first 1/3 of the ramekin.

2. Follow that with a layer of cranberry sauce, about another 1/3 of the way up the side of the ramekin.

3. Fill the remaining 1/3 of the space with more pumpkin pie filling, and scrape flush with the top of the ramekin.

4. Dust with a layer of granulated sugar and tip off the excess. Use a torch or broiler to melt the sugar until fully browned and caramelized. Let rest for 5 minutes or until the caramel top is fully cooled and hard to the touch. Crack the surface and enjoy!

Throwback Time 🍳

Like the Macy’s parade, making a sandwich with thanksgiving leftovers has become an official American tradition by this point. But this year you don’t just want to make any old sandwich; you’re going to want to make the King of all Thanksgiving Sandwiches.

Check out the Moistmaker 2.0 video, or read the recipe here.​

BTW — If you’re still scrambling for a stuffing recipe, this video shows how to make an upgraded version. It’s so good.

Regardless, don’t throw out any bones (or scrap meat) from your Thanksgiving meats and you’ll be ready to make an amazing ramen broth once you’re sick of the usual leftovers.

The Leftover Shelf 🥡

Leftovers are back in style if you know how to use them…like this year’s leftover turkey bones.

This week’s move:

Leftover turkey and/or ham bones → Turkey Tonkotsu Ramen

This deeply savory ramen is the perfect change up from eating stuffing for the 3rd meal in a row.

Broth Components

• Leftover roasted turkey or ham bones and any scrap meat.

• Optional aromatics: Onion quarters, whole garlic cloves, whole green onions, a knob of ginger

Ramen Components

• Favorite ramen noodles, dried or fresh

• Leftover turkey or ham slices

• Tare (broth seasoning) of choice: Soy sauce + powdered dashi, bouillon powder, or MSG

• Toppings to preference: Sliced green onions, a soft-boiled egg, seared and sliced mushrooms, sesame or chili oil, nori, toasted sesame seeds, or bean sprouts.

Prepare the broth ahead of time: While using roasted turkey bones won’t get you that white, creamy traditional Tonkotsu (classically made with washed, raw pork bones), you can still get a delicious and unctuous broth from your Butterball.

In a large stockpot, add in your meat, bones, and aromatics. The more bones you have, the richer your broth will turn out. Completely submerge with cold water. Bring to a medium simmer. Then simmer for at least 2 hours and up to 12, overnight. Periodically skim off impurities and foam that gathers on the surface, but you can leave in any rendered fat.

The more time you have, the better, just be careful about the broth reducing too much. Add water or cover if necessary. Strain broth and store in airtight containers in the fridge or freezer until ready to use.

Assemble ramen: 1) Boil noodles according to package directions, drain and portion into bowls 2) Reheat turkey or ham slices in an oiled pan, making sure to get a nice sear or char on both sides. Add to bowl. 3) Reheat ramen broth and season to taste with tare ingredient(s), and ladle over noodles 4) Top with egg, scallion, mushrooms, sesame/chili oil, nori, bean sprouts, or toppings of choice.

Pro-Moves: If you want a creamier, richer broth, you have a few options: 1) Buy a couple of extra pork bones or trotters to simmer with the leaner turkey bones 2) Add in a packet or two of powdered gelatin. This will get you that classic ramen mouthfeel without having to use more bones 3) Before serving, blend the broth to emulsify rendered fat into the mixture. You can even add in additional rendered turkey or pork fat at this stage.​

Extra Helpings 🍽

🚀 Viral Eats

Thanksgiving cooking trends explained.

Q: How did deep frying a turkey become popular? Isn’t it really dangerous and inconvenient?

A: What’s more American than deep frying a 20lb Butterball whole?

Deep frying is actually a great way to achieve really crispy skin and juicy meat at the same time. The oil dehydrates and crisps the exterior of a bird while it insulates and more gently heats the rest of the meat. There’s a reason why fried chicken and duck confit (cooking in submerged fat) make for some of the best dishes ever. Turkey fryers are really just a (large) combination of these two classic techniques.

And, deep frying can be done safely if proper precautions are taken. Most of these viral (and pyro) fryer-on-fire videos happen because of 2 major mishaps:

1) The turkey wasn’t appropriately thawed. When it hits the oil, the icy surface of the bird immediately boils and splatters the surrounding oil into a flammable spray.

2) Someone didn’t account for the volume of the Yardbird and filled the frying pot with way too much oil. Bird goes in, and the oil overflows straight into the flames. Don’t be that guy.

🤔 Reader Q&A

Q: I still haven’t picked out a turkey recipe. Where do I start? Any last minute tips for how to avoid dry, overcooked turkey (or just embarrassing myself)? Thanks! — Aubrey H.

A: Great Question, Aubrey. If deep frying sounds too risky (and if you’re in a rush, it probably is), then you might just want to at least brine your bird. Brining both internally seasons the meat (which solves the case of the bland turkey) and, more importantly, allows the meat to retain moisture during cooking.

You can either wet brine, or just dry brine by salting both the exterior and interior of the turkey and setting it on a wire rack & pan uncovered in the fridge overnight.

If even that sounds like too much work, here’s a no-brine, no-fuss method.​

If you’re really in a rush, with no time to thaw, day of, here’s a last resort for you.​

🏆 Dinner Winner! Reader Photo Submission of the Week

This week’s winner is Calvin Brice, who cooked up some Fiery Carbonara for his wife on date night 😍! Way to go, Calvin. The carbonara looks perfectly garnished and very romantic.

Reply with a picture of the best meal you made this week for a chance to be featured in a future email.

🤤 More Yummy Content

A Read: On cooking duty this year? Wrap your head around The Secrets of Flavor​

In a Minute or Less: Dairy-free mashed potatoes​

What We’re Watching: Anthony Bourdain visits the French Laundry​

Food Science: Do bay leaves do anything?​

Upgrade Your Feed: Connect with Ethan everywhere.​