Love this Leftover Thanksgiving Rice Porridge? Check out our other excellent Korean Food Recipes! Here because you have leftover smoked turkey? This is a GREAT recipe for what remains!
I love Thanksgiving. I plan for weeks and prepare food for days leading up to the big meal. By the end of the day I’m always a little “cooked out,” but the leftovers and a family tradition make it worth every minute: savory Leftover Thanksgiving Rice Porridge, also called juk or congee.
This recipe feels like magic. We tuck the picked-over turkey carcass into a slow cooker with uncooked rice, a couple of ginger pieces, a splash of low-sodium soy sauce, and water. Cover and set to low before bed.
By morning the remaining meat has fallen from the bones, and the rice becomes a thick, comforting porridge that keeps you full for hours. A little rice and a carcass that looked nearly spent turn into a potful of soul-warming food with almost no hands-on time.
Rice porridge is a common breakfast across many parts of Asia for good reason. It’s economical, but more importantly it’s incredibly comforting and delicious. This leftover turkey congee brings a touch of Asian comfort to our Thanksgiving tradition, honoring my family’s connection to Asia.
You can enjoy the porridge simply—just drizzle with soy sauce for a soothing, restorative bowl. To dress it up, add any combination of thinly sliced green onions, soft-boiled eggs, toasted sesame oil, spicy chili oil, and fresh cilantro. I often top mine with leftover roasted sweet potatoes and pomegranate arils for color and texture.
The secret is not to overthink it. Leftover Thanksgiving Rice Porridge is meant to be simple and flexible: use what you have on hand and it will reward you with warmth and comfort. Unlike the big day itself, this meal is perfect in pajamas with a good book and a comfy chair.
Cook’s Notes
- You can make this in a slow cooker overnight or in a deep, covered pot on the stovetop. Both methods work well; the slow cooker is convenient if you want to wake up to finished porridge.
- Use long-grain uncooked white rice (not instant). Jasmine or basmati work nicely. Brown rice tends not to yield the same creamy texture because of the bran.
- Eggs are optional but lovely. For soft-boiled eggs: bring about 3 inches of water to a boil in a small saucepan, reduce to a simmer, gently lower in eggs, and cook for 6 minutes. Transfer to an ice bath, crack, and peel.
- For seasoning and a finishing drizzle, a low-sodium soy sauce gives savory umami without overwhelming saltiness.
- Roasted sweet potatoes are not required but make a great garnish. They add color, texture, and a hint of sweetness.
- Use whatever leftover turkey you have. If the carcass has excess fat or skin, trim a bit so the porridge isn’t overly greasy—unless you prefer it that way. Any remaining oil can be added later as chili oil or sesame oil.
- Be mindful that small bones can be present in homemade stocks. Serve carefully, as you would any homemade chicken or turkey soup.
Use this to make Turkey Congee
- Slow cooker
Leftover Thanksgiving Rice Porridge
Ingredients
- 1 leftover turkey carcass, trimmed of excess fat and skin
- 1 1/2 cups uncooked long-grain white rice
- 2 pieces fresh ginger root, about 2 inches each, peeled
- 16 cups water
- 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- Optional garnishes: soft-boiled egg, thinly sliced green onions, chopped cilantro, toasted sesame oil, spicy chili oil, leftover roasted sweet potatoes, pomegranate arils
Instructions
- Slow Cooker: Place the turkey carcass in the slow cooker. Scatter the rice around the edges, tuck ginger pieces beside the carcass, pour in the water and soy sauce, and sprinkle the salt. Cover and cook on low for 8–10 hours. Remove the carcass with tongs and a slotted spoon, pull off any remaining meat, discard the bones, and return the meat to the porridge. Stir well.
- Stovetop: Put the carcass in a deep pot. Add rice around the edges and ginger on either side. Pour in water and soy sauce, add salt, and cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a low simmer and cook for about 3 hours, stirring occasionally. Remove the carcass, pick off any meat, discard bones, and stir the meat back into the porridge.
- To Serve: Ladle into bowls and top with desired garnishes. Store leftovers tightly covered in the refrigerator.
This post originally published November 1, 2016. Updated November 22, 2018.
