Leftover Turkey Pozole
The big day came and left… you turkey’d, you stuffing’d, you mashed-potatoes-and-gravy’d. You pumpkin pied, and whipped creamed (oh my!). Now comes the best part of Thanksgiving (we know, we know!): the leftovers! Nothing against the turkey sandwich with cranberry sauce AND stuffing on it (mandatory, non-negotiable), but why not also try something that’s warm, cozy, and a little spicy? Enter: Leftover Turkey Pozole. And because no one wants a heavy lift after cooking all week, this recipe makes great use of the electric pressure cooker, so it tastes like it’s been simmering for hours! Make a big pot of this and set out a toppings bar, so everyone can help themselves--you’ve done enough this week--take a load off!
NOTE: The chili verde portion of this recipe can be made up to three days in advance, kept in an air-tight container in the fridge.
MAKE TURKEY STOCK:
1 Turkey carcass with some meat still on it, skin removed, divided into pieces that will fit in pressure cooker pot
1 2oz chunk of slab bacon or pork belly
1 large carrot, chopped into 1” chunks
2 celery ribs, chopped into 1” chunks
1 small yellow onion, split in half with skin on
6 cloves garlic, smashed
1 Tbsp. neutral oil
2.5 - 3 quarts boxed low-sodium chicken stock
2 bay leaves
Toss above ingredients (except bay leaves and chicken stock) with oil in a roasting pan and cook in a 400ºF oven until deeply browned, then transfer to the pot of a pressure cooker. Alternatively if you own a combo air fryer/pressure cooker like the Ninja Foodi, combine everything but the chicken stock and bay leaves into the cooking pot, close the crisping lid, and AIR FRY/ROAST at 400ºF for 35 minutes, until everything is deeply golden brown.
In the pot of the pressure cooker, add boxed stock and bay leaves, and pressure cook on HIGH for 45 minutes. Quick release pressure (but letting pressure release naturally is fine, too). Let stock cool, and strain out solids. If you remove most of the skin from the carcass before roasting, defatting stock will not be necessary.
MAKE CHILI VERDE:
4 - 6 Poblano chili peppers
2 large Jalapeños
1 Serrano pepper
1 bunch fresh Cilantro
1 lb Tomatillos, husked and rinsed (halved if large)
Juice of 1 large lime
1 tsp. canola/veg oil
Kosher salt
Toss peppers with oil and char over direct heat on outdoor grill grates until skins are completely blackened. Alternatively, move oven rack 6” from the top heating element and preheat broiler on high. Toss peppers with oil, and scatter on a rimmed baking sheet. Broil peppers until completely blackened on all sides, turning as needed.
Place charred peppers in a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap, so that the peppers steam and release their skins. Once cool enough to handle, remove stems, seeds and as much blackened skin as possible.
Combine skinned peppers, tomatillos, juice of lime, cilantro and a pinch of kosher salt in a blender. Puree until smooth. Set aside.
Charring the peppers on the grill to avoid doing more dishes.
Cover & Steam the charred peppers, so the skin is easy to peel away
Blend with other ingredients to make the Chile Verde Puree
The finished puree can be kept in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
TO MAKE POZOLE:
1 large yellow onion, diced
6-8 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
1 1/2 Tbsp ground Cumin
1 Tbsp dried Oregano
Turkey stock (recipe above)
Chili Verde purée (recipe above)
2 (25oz) cans Hominy, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 - 2 lbs shredded leftover Turkey meat, no skin
Neutral Oil
Kosher Salt & Black Pepper
Heat 3 Tbsp of oil over medium-high heat in a 5-qt dutch oven. Add onion and garlic and sauté until golden, and lightly browned around edges. Add ground cumin and oregano and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add chili verde and strained turkey stock to pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add hominy to the pot, and immediately turn flame to low. Simmer for 20-30 mins, until hominy is completely tender (but still has some bite to it). Add leftover turkey meat to warm through.
Serve with an array of toppings and fresh warm tortillas on the side!
TOPPING IDEAS:
Diced Avocado
Thinly sliced Radishes
Diced White Onion
Thinly sliced serrano/jalapeño peppers
Fresh Cilantro leaves
Tortilla chips/Tostadas
Cotija cheese
Lime wedges
