Day-After Thanksgiving Turkey Pozole Verde
This bright, herby pozole turns leftover Thanksgiving turkey into something new — simmered with tomatillos, poblanos, and cilantro until the broth turns a luminous green. A drizzle of cranberry hot honey brings a sweet-spicy sparkle that ties the flavors together and reminds you where the meal began. Easy, restorative, and downright beautiful in the bowl.
PREP TIME: 25 minutes
COOK TIME: 1.5 hours
LEVEL: Intermediate
YIELD: 4 servings
Ingredients
Broth (If you’re short on time, store-bought chicken stock works beautifully as a base.)
- 1 turkey carcass or bones (about 2–3 lbs)
- 8 cups water
- ½ large onion, quartered
- 5 garlic cloves, smashed
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
- Handful cilantro stems (optional)
Green Base
- 1 lb tomatillos, husked
- 2 poblano chiles (or 1 poblano + 1 jalapeño for heat)
- ½ white onion, roughly chopped
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 1 cup baby spinach
- Juice of 1 lime or 2 Tbsp of juice
- 1 Tsp ground cumin
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
Pozole
- 2 cups cooked hominy, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups shredded cooked turkey
- Salt to taste
Garnishes
- Shredded green cabbage
- Sliced radishes
- Diced avocado
- Lime wedges
Cranberry Hot Honey
- ½ cup leftover cranberry sauce
- ¼ cup honey
- 1–2 tsp hot sauce or ½ tsp chili flakes (to taste)
- 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- Pinch of salt
Method of Preparation
- Broth: Combine turkey carcass, water, onion, garlic, bay leaf, salt, and cilantro stems in a large pot. Bring to a boil, then simmer gently (Wolf Induction or Gas “Simmer”) 1½–2 hours. Strain, reserving 6 cups broth.
- Green Sauce: Roast tomatillos + chiles in Wolf oven at 400 °F for 15 min. Blend with onion, garlic, cilantro, spinach, lime juice, and olive oil until smooth.
- Combine: In a clean pot, cook green sauce 5 min to deepen flavor. Stir in reserved broth and hominy. Simmer 20 min.
- Add Turkey: Fold in shredded turkey; warm 5 min. Season heavily with salt and lime to taste.
- Cranberry Hot Honey: Warm cranberry sauce, honey, vinegar, chili flakes, and salt in a small saucepan over low heat until smooth and pourable (2–3 min). Cool slightly; drizzle should be syrupy, not sticky.
- Serve: Ladle pozole into bowls. Top with cabbage, radish, avocado, and a glossy swirl of cranberry hot honey. Finish with a squeeze of lime.
Serving Note
Set the pot in the center of the table with toppings all around. The cranberry hot honey brings a touch of holiday color and makes every bowl shine — proof that leftovers can be as special as the feast itself.
