5 Friendsgiving Turkey Ideas That Put the Fun Back Into Turkey
Looking for Friendsgiving turkey ideas? Read on!
Let’s face it: Thanksgiving turkey has gotten stale. The football has gotten better, the drinks have gotten better, and even Aunt Maude has gotten better. However, turkey remains the same large bird stuffed with a secret stuffing recipe that no one seems to enjoy. From dried out meat to trite ways to prepare the bird, turkey has seen much better days. This is why Friendsgiving has taken hold within the millennial generation. Instead of having to eat a turkey made from a recipe passed down from pissed off pilgrims, millenials push the envelope for creating inspiring Friendsgiving turkey ideas that put the fun back into turkey.
Turkey Pasta Jambalaya
The New Orleans staple dish typically includes shrimp, andouille sausage, and chicken. Substitute turkey for chicken and pasta for rice, and you have a Friendsgiving feast your friends will talk about for years to come. This Friendsgiving turkey idea does not require you to slow cook a large bird in an oven overnight. No, you simply saute dry spice rubbed turkey slices pan coated in extra virgin olive oil. Cook the meat medium to ensure moisture content and then toss the turkey with cooked shrimp and andouille sausage to mix the flavors of the three proteins. Of course, make sure to have plenty of garlic, red onions, bell peppers, and cayenne pepper to round out the innovative Friendsgiving turkey idea.
Turkey Po Boy
In keeping with the New Orleans spirit, the turkey po boy provides the anti-thanksgiving interpretation for preparing the large bird. Once again, slice thin pieces from a turkey breast, but instead of immediately cooking the slices in olive oil, you coat each slice roasted brined buttermilk. Dip the turkey pieces in a spicy flour mixtures and then drop each piece into a deep pan filled about a quarter of the way up with cooking oil. Make sure the oil reaches cooking temperature to avoid drenching the turkey pieces in oil. Po boys include several ingredient options, but you can’t go wrong with, spicy coleslaw, heirloom tomatoes, and homemade remoulade sauce. Thick wheat baguettes make the perfect bread for turkey po boys.
Turkey Chili
The season makes the perfect match for chili, but instead of ground beef, you decide to go with ground turkey or simply turkey pieces freshly removed from a perfectly cooked bird. Everyone has a favorite chili recipe, so use the recipe that makes your friends come back for more. Another reason why turkey chili makes a great Friendsgiving turkey idea is that you can set the crock pot out on a counter and your friends help themselves, whenever hunger pangs begin to develop. You create your special chili recipe the night before Friendsgiving and then heat the dish the next day, after you cook the turkey.
Turkey Tacos/Burritos
Put a little fiesta into your Friendsgiving celebration by making turkey tacos and burritos. Ground turkey works for the tacos and piping hot pieces of turkey just removed from a cooked bird works for the burritos. Most of the prep for the two dishes involves chopping vegetables and cooking beans. The turkey slow roasts overnight or you saute ground turkey in a dry frying pan. Turkey invariably works best when cooked with other ingredients, especially garlic, onions, and peppers. Protein rich black beans also complement turkey pieces carved from the breast area.
Turkey Fried Rice
Unlike Thanksgiving, turkey doesn’t have to be the star at your Friendsgiving celebration. In fact, a Friendsgiving turkey idea that puts the fun back into turkey makes the bird a secondary player at mealtime. For example, you can highlight another protein as the main dish, while creating turkey fried rice as complementary dish. The key is to simmer the turkey pieces within the seasoning and uncooked rice to enhance the flavor of a bird.
The primary impetus for throwing a Friendsgiving bash is not to avoid spending time with family, but to put a different take on a holiday that spans almost five centuries. One way to own a unique Friendsgiving involves trying Friendsgiving turkey ideas that put the fun back into turkey.