Slather Leftover Turkey In Butter For A Moist Sandwich
Many of us agree: Eating a sandwich made with leftover turkey is one of the traditions that makes a great Thanksgiving dinner better. In the best-case scenario, your leftover turkey still tastes flavorful and delicious and is a significant upgrade from regular, everyday deli meat. Eating leftovers also offers a great way to repurpose and avoid wasting food. However, sometimes your Thanksgiving turkey can get a little dry when reheated. So, if you're making a sandwich with leftovers, avoid consuming turkey jerky by slathering this lean meat in butter before you pop it in the microwave. Butter is perfect for adding moisture to the turkey, giving you a better-tasting sandwich that won't dry out your mouth as you eat it.
Microwaving is the easiest and fastest method for reheating a serving or two of leftover turkey for a sandwich, but it can also dry out your turkey, which is lean and, therefore, on the dry side in the first place. When food is microwaved, the water molecules in the food vibrate intensely, producing friction that creates heat. As the water molecules rapidly heat up, they evaporate, which may cause your food to dry out. When all the water, fat, and juices are sucked out of your turkey, you're left with a tough, dry piece of meat. Fortunately, butter's high-fat content will help your turkey retain moisture throughout the reheating process, giving you something capable of creating the ultimate leftover Thanksgiving turkey sandwich.
Other ways to keep leftover turkey moist and delicious
In addition to slathering your turkey slices in butter before microwaving, you can heat the leftover meat with chicken broth or gravy to ensure a super tasty — and not dry — turkey sandwich. These liquids will add moisture to the turkey and amazing flavor to your sandwich. Start by spreading butter on the turkey. From there, drizzle the gravy or broth over it, cover it with a microwave-safe lid, and microwave on medium power for a minute or so until thoroughly heated. Another option is to place the turkey in a microwave-safe bowl with about an inch of broth to allow the extra liquid to soak into the meat while it heats.
Of course, microwaving isn't the only way to reheat a small serving of turkey. If you have more time to spare, heat it in a skillet filled with a small amount of broth on the stovetop. You can even butter the leftover turkey before adding it to the skillet to make it extra moist and flavorful. Whether you use the stove or the microwave, monitor the meat as it cooks to avoid overheating.
The best way to reheat turkey
While impractical for reheating a couple of slices for a sandwich, the oven is considered the best way to reheat turkey, as it delivers the ultimate taste and texture. This is also ideal for feeding a large group; you can reheat a whole pan. However, this requires more planning since most recommend reheating it slowly at a low temperature. Use the butter trick for this method, too. Layer turkey slices or shreds in a baking dish, add about an inch of chicken broth or gravy, and place a few butter pats on top for extra tasty, moist turkey.
You can also ensure more moist leftovers the first time you cook your bird: Your turkey is less likely to get dried out later if it's perfectly juicy in the first place. However, you still have to use proper reheating techniques. Dry-brining the turkey a couple of days before cooking, checking it with a digital thermometer to avoid overcooking during the process, and allowing it to rest before carving are a few ways to prevent dryness.
Using butter to rehydrate your dried-out turkey doesn't just work for leftovers. If your turkey is dry when it comes out of the oven, mix some butter into your gravy and spread it over carved turkey slices before serving. These two ingredients, readily available pre- and post-Thanksgiving, work wonders to create a quick fix for this notoriously easy-to-overcook meat.