Turkey Slop: A School Lunch Favorite Turned Comfort Food

Turkey in gravy that is juicy and moist, made with a slow cooker, is the easiest and most reliable way to make turkey that never dries out.

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What is Turkey Slop?

Turkey Slop is a dish consisting of shredded turkey in a homemade pan gravy served over creamy mashed potatoes, It’s a delicious and simple way to use up leftover Thanksgiving turkey

Origin and History:

This dish originated as a popular lunch item in schools, particularly during the author’s high school days. It was a favorite among students, including the author’s husband, who would often get triple servings.

Recipe Highlights:

  • Ingredients: Leftover cooked turkey, yellow onion, garlic, kosher salt, unsalted butter, poultry seasoning, unbleached all-purpose flour, turkey stock, milk, freshly ground black pepper, and mashed potatoes.
  • Instructions: Shred the turkey, finely chop the onion and garlic, and cook them in butter until softened. Add poultry seasoning and cook for a minute. Whisk in flour and cook for 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in turkey stock and milk, bring to a simmer, and thicken. Add shredded turkey and season with salt and pepper. Serve over mashed potatoes.
  • Tips: Use both light and dark meat for the turkey. If you don’t have leftover turkey, you can use turkey breasts or tenderloins. Shred the turkey using a hand mixer for easy and quick results.
  • Variations: You can serve Turkey Slop with various side dishes like brussels sprouts, buttered sweet corn, garlic butter roasted carrots, green bean casserole, and homemade dinner rolls.

Additional Information:

  • Author: Laurie McNamara
  • Cuisine: American
  • Course: Mains & Entrees
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Additional Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings

Reviews and Ratings:

Turkey Slop has received positive reviews from readers, with many praising its deliciousness and ease of preparation. It has an average rating of 4.86 out of 5 stars based on 21 ratings.

Turkey Slop is a comforting and flavorful dish perfect for using up leftover Thanksgiving turkey. It’s easy to make and can be enjoyed by people of all ages.

Slow Cooker Turkey In Gravy Recipe Tips and FAQs

This turkey in gravy recipe is great if you don’t have many guests over because it’s easy to make, delicious, and foolproof! This slow cooker turkey is great because it’s so simple – not much work for a delicious dinner!

Plus you don’t need any previous cooking experience for a delicious homemade Thanksgiving dinner. We adore the taste of shredded turkey; it goes so well with mashed potatoes, soft dinner rolls, cranberry salad, and sprouts!

This recipe uses a simple trick to shred turkey – a stand mixer!

To shred a turkey breast, we suggest putting it in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment while it’s still steaming hot. Start on a low speed to begin tearing the meat apart, then increase it to a medium speed. It will only take about 30-40 seconds to shred turkey in stand mixer. If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can shred the meat by pulling it with forks.

This trick also works with pulled pork, shredded chicken, and other pulled meats.

Turkey is fully cooked when a thermometer reads 180 degrees in the thigh and 170 in the breast.

Our favorite way to cook turkey is in a slow cooker with gravy; the turkey comes out delicious, juicy, and moist with no dry turkey breast meat!

For a family of four, get a turkey breast of around 2-3 pounds, uncooked. We use the weight of the uncooked turkey to determine how much meat to serve each person at Thanksgiving dinner, so you know how much to buy. For a bone-in turkey breast, plan on 1 pound of uncooked turkey breast meat per person. For boneless turkey breasts, plan on 1/2 pound of uncooked turkey breast per person. You’ll want an extra pound, uncooked, for seconds or leftovers, depending on your guests.

If the gravy is too thin, you can thin it out by slurrying up some cornstarch with cold water and then whisking it into the heated gravy. Simmer for a few minutes until it thickens.

Yes, you can substitute chicken breasts or even pork loin for the turkey. Adjust the cooking time accordingly based on the type and size of the meat.

turkey and gravy over mashed potatoes school lunch

Shredded Turkey in Gravy

If you’re not comfortable cooking a large bird for the holidays, there’s no need to settle for tough, dry, boring turkey when you have this insanely delicious, never dry, and ridiculously simple Slow Cooker Turkey in Gravy recipe!

I can’t take credit for this genius; my kids’ preschool teacher, who may be one of my favorite people on the planet, unabashedly gave me the idea. Every year, she makes shredded turkey in a large crockpot with gravy for the Preschool Thanksgiving. Every year, I eagerly await her turkey and have considered slinking back in, even though my children have outgrown her class.

Because it’s all in one package, my slow cooker turkey in gravy is a little different from the others. It’s ideal for serving over rice, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and in incredibly juicy and moist sandwiches!

This is also perfect for big potluck holiday dinners, because it won’t dry out. The leftovers freeze really well; just reheat in a slow cooker until very hot!

turkey and gravy over mashed potatoes school lunch

Turkey Mash aka: “Turkey Slop” | 15 Minute Meal

FAQ

What are school mashed potatoes made of?

USDA Recipe for Schools. This is a traditional mashed potato recipe. Ingredients include potatoes, milk, salt, and pepper.

Do people eat mashed potatoes on Thanksgiving?

Mashed potatoes, the most common way to enjoy potatoes at Thanksgiving, became an American staple in the 1700s. As far back as 1747, Americans were mashing up potatoes with butter, milk, salt, & cream.

How many calories are in turkey gravy and mashed potatoes?

Even if you love exercise, you’d need an hours-long workout to burn such a giant amount of food. Here’s the breakdown: 8 ounces of turkey – 480 calories. 1 cup serving mashed potatoes and gravy – 257 calories.

How many calories in a hot turkey sandwich with gravy?

Turkey Sandwich, With Gravy (1 sandwich) contains 32.3g total carbs, 30.6g net carbs, 9.8g fat, 40.2g protein, and 389 calories.

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