Thanksgiving Turkey Sandwich Recipes

THANKSGIVING SANDWICH

Steps:

• In a small bowl, whisk together cranberry sauce, mayonnaise and chutney. In a small pot, heat together turkey and 2/3 cup of the gravy.
• Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Place remaining gravy in a serving dish and stir in enough boiling water to make it thin enough to use as a sandwich dip. It should be like a rich broth. Season with salt if needed.
• Spread chutney mixture over cut side of bread halves. Make sandwiches with turkey, stuffing and blue cheese, if you like. Cut sandwiches in half and dip in the warm, thin gravy as you eat them.

OPEN-FACED HOT TURKEY SANDWICHES

Steps:

• Remove turkey and butter from the refrigerator an hour or so before cooking, so that they are approaching room temperature when the turkey goes into the oven.
• Heat oven to 400. Rub turkey with butter, using your fingers to slide butter under the skin. Season the turkey with salt, pepper, sage and lemon zest.
• Place turkey thighs, skin-side down, into a cast-iron skillet or medium-size oven-safe gratin pan, and roast in the oven for 30 minutes. Turn turkey thighs over, add the wine to the pan or skillet and continue roasting for another 30 minutes or so, basting occasionally, until the turkey is cooked through, golden and crisp, and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the turkey's thickest part reads in the neighborhood of 165 degrees. Remove turkey thighs from the pan, and allow to rest on a cutting board while you make the gravy.
• Heat the stock in a small pot. Drain off all but four tablespoons of the fat in the pan or gratin dish. Place pan or dish over low heat on the stove, and whisk the flour into it to make a roux. Stir the roux for 3 to 4 minutes, and then slowly start to add the stock to it, whisking as you do, until the mixture is smooth. Cook, continuing to stir, until the gravy has thickened, approximately 8 to 10 minutes. Add the cream, milk or half-and-half, stir and allow the gravy to thicken again, 2 to 3 minutes more. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• To make the sandwiches, carve meat and skin from the turkey thighs, and assemble two separate piles. Toast the bread, and lay one slice on each plate. Put a pile of the meat on each piece of toast, spreading it across the surface of the bread. Absolutely drench each sandwich with the gravy, and serve alongside buttered peas, mashed potatoes and a dollop of cranberry sauce. For this application, canned cranberry sauce is, by etiquette, required.

CRANBERRY THANKSGIVING TURKEY SANDWICH

Steps:

• Spread each slice of bread with mayonnaise.
• Top with lettuce, turkey and cranberry sauce and remaining slice of bread.

LEFTOVER THANKSGIVING PANINI

Steps:

• Spread the mustard on both slices of bread, then lay a slice of cheese on each piece. On one slice, arrange the turkey and the cranberry sauce. On the other slice, lay on the dressing and spoon the gravy over the top.
• Carefully unite the two halves into one sandwich, then spread the top side of the bread with 1 tablespoon of the butter.
• Invert the sandwich, butter-side down, onto a hot panini maker (or a grill pan or skillet over medium-low heat; see Cook's Note). Spread the top with the remaining 1 tablespoon butter.
• Close the panini maker and grill until the bread is crusty and golden, the fillings are hot, and the cheese is melted. (If using a grill pan or skillet, flip the sandwich halfway through to grill on the other side.)
• Pull the sandwich off the heat and slice it in half--this sandwich is to die for!

BEST THANKSGIVING LEFTOVERS SANDWICH

Steps:

• Grease a 8- or 9-inch square baking pan with butter, then line it with parchment paper, covering the bottom and 2 sides with one sheet, creasing it into the corners to ensure a snug fit. If the stuffing is cold, warm it in the microwave for 1 minute or covered in a 350-degree oven for 15 minutes.
• Put the stuffing into the prepared pan and press into an even layer using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Top with a sheet of parchment and press firmly with your hands, tightly compacting the stuffing. If you have a second pan of the same size, use that to pack down the stuffing. Cover and chill overnight.
• The next day, prepare your sandwich fillings: In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise and cranberry sauce. Set aside.
• In a small saucepan, combine the shredded dark-meat turkey and the gravy. Gently heat over medium-low, stirring occasionally, until warmed through, about 5 minutes.
• In a large nonstick skillet or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet over medium-high, warm the oil until hot and shimmering. (The stuffing needs to be cooked hot and fast, or it will stick to the skillet and fall apart.) Meanwhile, remove the stuffing from the pan by lifting the parchment overhang, and cut the stuffing into four squares.
• Cook stuffing until browned and crisp on one side, gently pressing it down using the base of the baking pan you chilled it in, about 1 minute. Using a flat spatula, quickly flip each piece of stuffing. Cook the other side until browned and crisp, about 1 minute. Transfer to a plate.
• In the same skillet, melt the 2 tablespoons butter over medium-low heat until foamy. Add the sliced turkey breast, flipping occasionally until warmed through, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Assemble the sandwiches: Evenly spread 2 tablespoons of cranberry mayonnaise on 1 side of each slice of bread. Divide the buttery sliced turkey over the 4 slices of bread. Divide half the assorted leftovers on top of the white meat, then top each with a slab of crisp stuffing.
• On top of the crisp stuffing, evenly divide the gravy-dressed dark meat and the remaining assorted leftovers. Top with remaining mayo-slathered bread. Using a sharp serrated knife, cut each sandwich on the diagonal and serve right away.