Notable Sandwiches: Post-Thanksgiving Special
Ten vintage leftover turkey recipes for the day after
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In lieu of our regularly scheduled sandwich content, Talia and I decided to honor America’s post-Thanksgiving eating traditions—and satisfy our own fascination with culinary history—by dipping into a handful of vintage cookbooks. And don’t worry: if you came for sandwiches, we’ve got those too. Next week we’ll be returning with one of the the most iconic of turkey treats: the club sandwich.
1823
Turkey Pie
Break the bones, and beat the turkey flat on the breast. Lard it with bacon, lay it into a raised crust with some slices of bacon under it, and well seasoned with salt, pepper, nutmeg, whole cloves, and bay leaves. Lay a slice of bacon over it, cover it with a crust, and bake it. When baked, put a clove of garlic or shalot into the whole in the middle of the crust, and let it stand till cold. The turkey may be boned if preferred. Duck or goose pie may be made in the same manner.
— The Cook and Housekeeper's Complete and Universal Dictionary; including a system of modern cookery, in all its various branches, adapted to the use of private families: also a variety of original and valuable information, relative to baking, brewing, carving ... and every other subject connected with domestic economy
1870
Turkey Sandwiches
To a cupful of chopped turkey meat add a half cupful of chopped almonds, one-fourth cupful of stuffed olives also chopped fine. Add enough mayonnaise dressing to make of the right consistency. Spread thin slices of bread with butter, and then place crisp lettuce leaves on top. Place the turkey filling between the lettuce and form into sandwiches.
— Salads and Sandwiches by Mary M. Wright
1892
Turkey Hash
After Thanksgiving dinner, a most excellent hash may be made thus: Pick meat off turkey bones, shred it into small bits, add dressing and pieces of light biscuit cut up fine, mix together and put into dripping-pan, pour over any gravy that was left, add water to thoroughly moisten, but not enough to make it sloppy; place in a hot oven for twenty minutes, and, when eaten, all will agree that the turkey is better this time than it was at first; or warm the remnants of the turkey over after the style of escaloped oysters (first a layer of bread-crumbs, then minced turkey, and so on); or add an egg or two and make nice breakfast croquettes. The common error in heating over meats of all kinds, is putting into a cold skillet, and cooking a long time. This second cooking is more properly only heating, and should be quickly done. All such dishes should be served hot with some sort of tart jelly. Always save a can of currant juice (after filling jelly cups and glasses), from which to make jelly in the winter, and it will taste as fresh and delicious as when made in its season
—Buckeye Cookery: With Hints on Practical Housekeeping
1903
Turkey Warmed Over
Pieces of cold turkey or chicken may be warmed up with a little butter in a frying-pan; place it on a warm platter, surround it with pieces of small thick slices of bread or biscuit halved, first dipping them in hot salted water; then place the platter in a warm oven with the door open. Have already made the following gravy to pour over all: Into the frying-pan put a large spoonful of butter, one or two cupfuls of milk, and any gravy that may be left over. Bring it to a boil; then add sufficient flour, wet in a little cold milk or water, to make it the consistency of cream. Season with salt, pepper a little of the dark meat chopped very fine. Let the sauce sook a few moments; then pour over the bisquit and fowl. This will be found a really nice dish.
— The White House Cookbook: A Comprehensive Cyclopedia of Information for the Home; Containing Cooking, Toilet, and Household Recipes, Menus, Dinner-giving, Table Etiquette, Care of the Sick, Health Suggestions, Facts Worth Knowing, etc.
1903
Turkey Jumballaya, a Spanish Creole Dish
Wash one pound of rice and soak it an hour. Cut up the remnants of a turkey, and a slice of ham, and fry them in a tablespoonful of lard. Stir in the rice, and add slowly while stirring in, a pint of hot water. Cover your pot, and set where it can cook slowly, until the rice is nearly dry. One or two spoonfuls of cooked tomatoes give it a very good taste. Jumballaya is very nice made with oysters, shrimps or sausages.
— Cooking in old Créole days. La cuisine créole à l'usage des petits ménages
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1909
Hot Turkey Sandwich
Between thin slices of lightly buttered toast, place slices of warm turkey breast; over same pour a hot gravy made of slightly thickened turkey stock. Garnish with a pickle.— The Up-to-Date Sandwich Book: Four Hundred Ways to Make a Sandwich
1909
Turkey Soup
Take the bones and scraps left from roast turkey or chicken, or any kind of game. Scrape the meat from the bones, and lay aside any nice pieces, no matter how small. Remove all the stuffing, and keep that by itself. Break the bones, and pack them closely in a kettle. Cover with cold water. Add one small onion, sliced, one teaspoonful of salt, and a little pepper. Simmer two or three hours, or until the bones are clean. Strain, and remove the fat. Put the liquor on to boil again, and add for every quart of liquor, one cup of cold meat, cut into small pieces, and half a cup of the stuffing. Or omit the stuffing and thicken the soup with flour. Simmer till the meat is tender, and serve at once. If there be a much larger proportion of meat and stuffing left, use it in making scalloped turkey or croquettes. This is much better than to boil meat, bones, and stuffing together. In that case the stuffing absorbs the oil, and gives a very strong, disagreeable flavor to the soup.
— Mrs. Lincoln's Boston Cook Book: What to Do and What Not to Do in Cooking by Mary J. Lincoln
1914
Turkey Club Sandwich
Two slices of Pullman bread toasted, butterd on one side; upon one slice of the buttered side place some sliced white meat of turkey; upon this place two or three slices of fried crisp bacon; upon this a crisp lettuce leaf spread with some mayonnaise; place the other slice of the buttered toast evenly on top and set into the oven for two minutes, then trim the crust from all four side and cut through diagonally; place on a warm plate or a small platter, upon which has been placed a small napkin or doily.
— The Neighborhood Cook Book
1915
Turkey and Tongue Sandwiches
Cut the white meat of turkey very thin, also slices of tongue, arrange slice of both between mustard buttered bread and cut in a diamond shape.
— Recipes for Salads, Dressings, Sauces and Sandwiches
1919
Turkeys' Livers en Brochette
Take three turkey livers and cut each in four slices. Broil three slices of bacon, and cut in four pieces also. Now stick a piece of liver on a skewer, then a piece of bacon, then another piece of liver, then another piece of bacon, and so continue until the skewer is full. Season with salt and pepper, roll in fresh bread crumbs, sprinkle with olive oil, and broil. When done on all sides place on a piece of toast, put some maitre d'hotel sauce over it, and garnish with quarters of lemon and water-cress.
— The Hotel St. Francis Cook Book
