Leftover Turkey "Carnitas" Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Can you freeze cooked carnitas? ›

Freezing Instructions: Allow the pork to cool completely, then store in a freezer safe container or bag for up to 4 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. To rewarm, spread the meat on a baking sheet with a little of the juice and reheat at 400 degrees F until warm, about 10-15 minutes.

Up to 3 Days Ahead: Braise the Double-Pork Carnitas; cover and chill in the braising liquid and rendered fat. The flavor gets better with time.

Serve your juicy turkey legs with all your favorite side dishes: Mashed potatoes, green beans, roasted vegetables, stuffing, candied yams, mac and cheese. Also, don't forget the cranberry sauce! What's your favorite Thanksgiving dish to serve with turkey?

Refrigerate meat and poultry within 2 hours of removing it from a smoker. Cut the meat or poultry into smaller portions or slices, place it in shallow containers, cover, and refrigerate. Use it within 4 days or freeze for later use.

Preparation: Place carnitas in a single layer on a baking sheet that's lined with foil. Moisture Preservation: To prevent dryness, add a splash of liquid (water or stock) and cover with another foil layer. Reheating Time: Heat until the meat is warmed through (approximately 10-15 minutes, depending on quantity).

Leftovers. Leftover pork carnitas are the best. Store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. They make the best lunches!

Your carnitas may have come out dry by using the wrong cut of pork or overcooking. Follow these tips to ensure moist and tender carnitas: Use **pork butt instead of pork shoulder. Pork butt has more fat marbling throughout the meat so it stays juicier during cooking, whereas leaner cuts easily become dry.

Reheat on the stovetop in a skillet over medium heat, adding a little reserved cooking liquid to keep them moist. Or reheat in a 350°F oven in a baking dish with a splash of cooking liquid.

Can you eat it with cold pork? If you make the carnitas ahead of time and keep them refrigerated, you can totally eat this salad without heating up the pork.

But if you are roasting the turkey, be it whole turkey, breast, or leg on a regular roasting pan, foil is a good option. Basically the foil works in the same way a lid works—by trapping steam so the turkey stays moist throughout the roasting process.

Why does turkey legs taste like ham? ›

Despite all the similarities, though, the turkey leg is just that — turkey. However, there is a scientific reason behind the two meats' resemblance: Both smoked turkey and ham are cured in the same way, yielding their corresponding flavors.

To summarize, turkey meat has low total lipid, cholesterol, and polyunsaturated fatty acid levels, making it a desirable option for diets aiming at lowering blood cholesterol levels.

USDA recommends using cooked turkey within 3 to 4 days, kept refrigerated (40°F or less). Refrigeration slows but does not stop bacterial growth. Turkey can be frozen for 3 to 4 months. Although safe indefinitely, frozen leftovers can lose moisture and flavor when stored for longer times in the freezer.

High supply costs from feed, fuel, fertilizer and labor make raising turkeys even more expensive. USDA's most recent Farm Sector Income Forecast predicts record high total production costs, increasing by 17.8% from 2021 to $437.4 billion in 2022.

Temperature and Timing

Our advice is to set the oven to 325°F. This temperature is high enough to heat the turkey thoroughly without drying out the meat. Now, similar to how long to dehydrate beef jerky, you need to make sure to pull your turkey out at the ideal time.

Freezing pork

Raw and cooked pork can be frozen for between 3- 6 months (check packaging for any specific details).

Freshly cooked pork must not be left out for more than 2 hours at room temperature, as harmful bacteria can begin to grow to dangerous levels. Food safety guidelines recommend you cook pork once, freeze it once, defrost it once and reheat it once.

The first step is to allow the cooked pulled pork to cool to room temperature after shredding. The next step is to transfer desired portion sizes to an airtight container or heavy duty freezer bags (remove as much air as possible first).

Depending on how long you plan to store your cooked taco meat, you can use freezer bags or glass containers. Make sure to label them with the date so you can rotate through your food for best quality and prevent freezer burn. If using Ziploc bags, I recommend storing for no more than 3-4 months.