Leftover Turkey "Carnitas" Recipe (2025)

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Transform your leftover Thanksgiving turkey into wonderfully crispy and juicy taco filling

By

J. Kenji López-Alt

Leftover Turkey "Carnitas" Recipe (1)

J. Kenji López-Alt

Culinary Consultant

Kenji is the former culinary director for Serious Eats and a current culinary consultant for the site. He is also a New York Times food columnist and the author of The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science.

Learn about Serious Eats'Editorial Process

Updated August 31, 2023

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Leftover Turkey "Carnitas" Recipe (2)

Why It Works

  • Boiling the already-cooked turkey meat first makes it extra tender.
  • Pan-frying shredded, cooked meat adds crisp texture and complex flavors.

I’m writing this after four solid days of roasting and smoking turkeys by sunlight and painting the walls in my house by moonlight. The last thing I want to do right now is write a long article. It's also going to be published the morning of Thanksgiving, which means that the last thing you'll want to do is dig into a long article. I think we can come to a mutually beneficial agreement here, so I'll keep it snappy, and you'll have the chance to dig into a tasty taco that much faster tomorrow.

Here's what you need to know: You can transform your leftover turkey meat into wonderfully crispy and juicy shreds that are a dead ringer for carnitas, minus all the lard and time involved. This is a technique I discovered by accident a few years back, when I decided to see what would happen if I fried up the shredded meat I'd picked off the turkey carcass that I'd just used to make stock.

Extreme deliciousness is what happened.

The technique works best with leftover dark meat from the thighs, drumsticks, wings, and scraps picked from the carcass, which I simmer until it's falling-apart tender. I pretty much always use my turkey carcasses to make soup or stock, which means that I always have plenty of that boiled meat available. If you don't typically make soup or stock yourself, you can simply simmer your leftover dark meat in nearly enough water to cover, along with a few traditional carnitas flavors: sour orange, onion, and bay leaf.

Leftover Turkey "Carnitas" Recipe (3)

After that is the easy part. Take that tender double-cooked turkey, shred it up as finely as you'd like, then fry it. You want a good amount of oil in the pan—at least a couple of tablespoons—in order to give the turkey some extra succulence. If you have access to some duck, turkey, or chicken fat, all the better.

Make sure to season the turkey with salt while it's in the pan. Not only will the salt cling to it better, but when you inevitably start stealing pieces of crispy turkey out of the skillet, those stolen bites will at least be seasoned properly.

The real keys here are to use a nonstick or cast iron skillet (you want all the brown, sticky bits to cling to the turkey, not the pan) and to cook the turkey longer than you think is necessary. As bits start to crisp up, fold them over and gently stir them back into the rest of the meat. Continue doing this until the turkey is as crisp as you'd like (I like mine quite crisp).

And that's about it. A super simple technique that creates delicious carnitas for any dish that calls for them, including tacos, burritos, quesadillas, and nachos.

Of course, I won't blame you if it all disappears from the pan before it ever even gets to the table. Pro tip: Blame it on the dog.

Recipe Details

Leftover Turkey "Carnitas"

Prep5 mins

Cook75 mins

Active20 mins

Total80 mins

Ingredients

  • Any amount leftover cooked dark-meat turkey (thighs and drumsticks) (see note)
  • 1 orange, preferably sour, per pound (450 grams) of leftover turkey meat, quartered (see note)
  • 1 medium onion (about 6 ounces; 175 grams) per pound (450 grams) of leftover turkey meat, quartered
  • 2 bay leaves per pound (450 grams) of leftover turkey meat
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, chicken fat, turkey fat, or duck fat per pound (450 grams) of leftover turkey meat
  • Kosher salt

Directions

  1. Combine turkey meat (with bones if available), orange, onion, and bay leaf in a pot that fits them snugly. Add enough water to cover halfway. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce to a bare simmer and cook until turkey is fall-off-the-bone tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Discard orange, onion, and bay leaves and drain turkey well. Shred turkey and discard bones.

  2. Heat oil or fat in a cast iron or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add turkey and spread into an even layer. Cook, without moving, until meat is well browned and crisp on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Stir turkey to incorporate the crisp bits and introduce new soft bits to the bottom. Continue this process until the turkey is as crisp as you like it (I like mine quite crisp). Season with salt.

    Leftover Turkey "Carnitas" Recipe (4)

Notes

You can make this recipe from scratch by roasting turkey legs in a 400°F (200°C) oven until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) (45 minutes to 1 hour), then proceeding as directed. Meat picked from the scraps of turkey used to make stock can also be crisped in a skillet and deliver delicious results. After making turkey stock or soup, remove some dark meat, shred it, and proceed as directed in step 2. Sour oranges can be purchased in a Latin market or well-stocked supermarket.

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Leftover Turkey "Carnitas" Recipe (2025)

FAQs

Are turkey carnitas healthy? ›

4 ounces of turkey carnitas (Sprouts Market Corner) contains 120 Calories. The macronutrient breakdown is 7% carbs, 46% fat, and 47% protein. This is a good source of protein (25% of your Daily Value).

What is turkey carnitas made of? ›

Combine turkey meat (with bones if available), orange, onion, and bay leaf in a pot that fits them snugly. Add enough water to cover halfway. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce to a bare simmer and cook until turkey is fall-off-the-bone tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Are carnitas better the next day? ›

Store leftover carnitas in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Drizzle with a couple extra tablespoons of the cooking liquid to help keep them moist before storing. Reheat in the microwave. Second-day carnitas are fantastic in quesadillas, burritos, and burrito bowls.

How do you save carnitas? ›

TO STORE: Refrigerate leftover carnitas in an airtight storage container for up to 3 days. TO REHEAT: Rewarm carnitas on a baking sheet in the oven at 350 degrees F or in the microwave. TO FREEZE: Freeze carnitas in an airtight, freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months.

Why do Mexicans eat carnitas? ›

In short, more than a food, carnitas was a form of community bonding until not so long ago. Mexicans love their carnitas so much, that it has become an important part of other dishes, particularly tortas ahogadas, or drowned tortas, a typical delicacy in the state of Jalisco.

Is turkey healthier than beef or pork? ›

For the most part, turkey is one of the healthiest meat options available. It's very similar to skinless chicken in terms of its healthy nutritional properties. Both are sources of low-fat, heart-healthy meats. Lean options — like turkey — are always a healthier choice than red meats.

What to do with dry turkey leftovers? ›

Use Turkey Stock

Keep some homemade turkey stock, a container from a specialty butcher, or a store-bought box of turkey stock or broth on hand. If your turkey is too dry, heat the broth in a wide, shallow pan and add the turkey slices to rehydrate them.

Why is it called carnitas? ›

Carnitas — which means "little meats" in Spanish — is a Mexican pork dish. An inexpensive, heavily marbled cut of pork, such as boneless Boston butt, pork shoulder or picnic ham, is braised or simmered for several hours with seasonings and lard until it is so tender that is can be shredded.

Why do you put orange juice in carnitas? ›

Why do you put orange juice in carnitas? The acidity of orange juice helps to break down the meat so it's meltingly tender and shreddable and adds flavor depth to the cooking liquid.

What oil is best for carnitas? ›

Oil: I use a high-heat cooking oil for recipe (usually avocado oil), but lard is also an option. Aromatics: Inspired by authentic carnitas from central Mexico, we use fresh orange, onion, garlic, a bay leaf, and a cinnamon stick. The combination is delicious and doesn't take over the pork's natural flavor.

Can I freeze leftover carnitas? ›

A) Package some of your carnitas for the freezer? If so, portion cooled shredded meat into freezer bags, along with a small container filled with a proportional amount of glaze. From a 4-lb roast, I can make two freezer meals and have one portion to eat right away.

Why do you add milk to carnitas? ›

In other regions of Mexico, people add their own special seasoning to this dish, such as condensed milk, garlic, chicken broth, Coke, orange juice, and/or beer. Not only do these ingredients give the carnitas their distinctive golden-brownish color, but they also help tenderize the meat.

How to add more flavor to carnitas? ›

Pork Carnitas Seasoning

Pork shoulder is extra flavorful thanks to kosher salt, a chopped onion, fresh garlic, lime juice, chili powder, dried oregano, and ground cumin.

What do you put on top of carnitas? ›

Fresh dips: Put a spoonful of homemade guacamole, pico de gallo, red salsa, salsa verde, or creamy lime crema. Cheeses: My favorite is cotija cheese, but you can also sprinkle on queso fresco for an authentic Mexican flair.

Are carnitas healthy for you? ›

Skip the chorizo, fried fish, and carnitas (fried pork or beef), which are higher in unhealthy saturated fat.

Is carnitas or chicken healthier? ›

Chicken is a nutritious alternative, containing nearly half the amount of fat found in carnitas and a whopping 32 grams of protein per serving (1). If you're trying to lose weight, limit high-calorie toppings like cheese, sour cream, queso, and guacamole.

Is turkey sausage more healthy than pork? ›

Teri Wassel, MS, RD, #HHSMontcoPA Registered Dietitian says: Yes. Turkey sausage has fewer calories, less saturated fat and sodium and it is worth substituting for pork.

Are turkey tacos healthier than beef? ›

Ground beef and turkey are both nutritious meats that provide protein, fat, and a variety of vitamins and minerals. Turkey is generally lower in saturated fat than beef. As such, it may be a better choice for heart health. Fat-free turkey is also the lowest calorie option if you're interested in weight loss.

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