How to build a Thanksgiving leftovers sandwich

Thanksgiving leftovers sandwich, up close and personal.

(Apologies for being late with this post. If you’re out of Thanksgiving leftovers, bookmark this post for next year.) Our Thanksgiving leftovers sandwich follows a precise formula to get the ideal balance of textures and sweet/savory flavors. We verified this by improvising at a friend’s house the day after the holiday and, with key ingredients missing, it was a big disappointment. Here’s the best way to build a Thanksgiving leftovers sandwich.

The bread should be dense enough to hold up to the ingredients, yet with a soft crumb. Our bread machine basic white bread is just right. This year it was even better because we used some whey, left over from making yoghurt, as the liquid. Slice it thin; it should support the other ingredients, not overpower them. Toast it lightly if you wish.

With that sandwich you’ll want some dressing, of course, heated up with gravy. Add more cranberry sauce if you like.

The Durkee’s Famous Sauce goes on next. Generously slather it on both slices of bread, all the way to the edges. If you’re like us and only use Durkee’s at Thanksgiving, you can afford to be extravagant.

The turkey should be breast meat, sliced across the grain so it doesn’t resist when you bite into it. We love dark meat at the Thanksgiving table, but it’s too sinewy to be easy to eat on a sandwich. Slice it thin and build a double layer on one slice of bread, on top of the Durkee’s.

Leftover wilted salad goes on next. It’s not only thrifty but practical to find a way to save your leftover greens from the big meal. You want them to lie flat and not interfere with the other ingredients, rather than being crunchy and poking out. If you don’t have wilted salad, toss salad greens with a little vinaigrette for the same effect.

Cranberry sauce goes on last, spread on the other slice of bread. Create a smooth layer that goes all the way to the edges of the bread. Homemade sauce works better for this because it is softer than sauce out of the can so easier to spread.

And now… place the top slice over the bottom, press it a bit with your hands to stabilize the ingredients, and slice in half; this sandwich is way to big to eat without slicing. Take that first bite and you’ll be in turkey heaven,