Thanksgiving leftover sliders turn Thursday's leftovers into the weekend's tailgate: turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce and Swiss on sweet rolls, brushed with sage butter. With NFL games on Thursday and college rivals on Friday and Saturday, the leftovers have three games to feed, and one pan does it.
At the lot: Build the pans the night before and bake them on the cool side of the grill. Homegating: Bake them in the oven while the Thursday games are on.
Home gear: 2 foil pans (9 × 13 in.) with foil to cover, a long serrated knife and a pastry brush
15 MIN
At home, build
30 MIN
Homegating
12
Serves
Ingredients
Sliders
- 2 packs (12 count each) sweet dinner rolls, still joined
- 1½ lb leftover roast turkey, thinly sliced or shredded (about 5 cups)
- 3 cups leftover stuffing
- 1½ cups cranberry sauce
- 12 slices Swiss cheese
Butter
- ½ cup (1 stick) butter, melted
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp poultry seasoning or dried sage
- ½ tsp garlic powder
Serve
- 2 cups leftover gravy, for dipping (optional)
Steps
At home
- Check the clock on the leftovers. Cooked turkey and stuffing keep 3 to 4 days in the fridge, so Thursday's turkey is good through Sunday or Monday. Gravy keeps only 1 to 2 days, so use it by Saturday or make a fresh batch. Anything that sat out more than 2 hours on Thursday gets tossed, not used here.
- Without pulling the rolls apart, slice each slab in half horizontally with the serrated knife. Set the bottoms in the foil pans.
- Lay 3 slices of Swiss over each bottom, then the turkey. Spread the stuffing over the turkey in an even layer, then spoon the cranberry sauce over the stuffing. Top with the last 3 slices of Swiss in each pan, then the roll tops.
- Whisk the melted butter, Dijon, poultry seasoning and garlic powder together and brush it over the tops. Cover the pans tightly with foil. Bake now, or refrigerate for up to 1 day (as long as the leftovers are still inside their 3 to 4 days).
Homegating
- Heat the oven to 350°F. Bake the covered pans for 20 to 25 minutes, then uncover and bake 5 to 10 minutes more, until the tops are golden and the center of the middle slider reads 165°F.
- If you're serving gravy, bring it to a boil in a small pot, stirring, then pour it into a warm bowl for dipping. Cut along the roll lines and serve.
At the lot instead
- Carry the built, covered pans in the cooler. Set up the grill for indirect heat at about 350°F, set the pans on the cool side and close the lid. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, then uncover for the last 5, until the center reads 165°F.
Pack for the lot
Lot notes
- Watch the bottoms: foil pans are thin and the rolls are sweet, so they scorch fast over direct heat. Keep them on the cool side, and nest each in a second pan if the bottoms start to darken.
- One reheat: leftovers are already cooked once, so they get one reheat and then get eaten. Don't send them home a second time. The holding rules are in how to keep food hot at a tailgate.
Can you make Thanksgiving leftover sliders ahead?
Yes. Build them, cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day, as long as the turkey and stuffing are still inside their 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Bake them straight from the fridge until the center reaches 165°F.
How long are Thanksgiving leftovers good for?
Cooked turkey and stuffing keep 3 to 4 days in the fridge, so Thursday's leftovers are good for the Friday, Saturday and Sunday games. Gravy keeps only 1 to 2 days, so use it by Saturday. Freeze anything you won't use by then.
How do you keep sliders hot at a tailgate?
Bake them on the cool side of the grill with the lid down and leave them there while people eat.
How many sliders do you need for 20 people?
Plan on 2 each, or 40 sliders. Multiply everything by 1⅔: about 3½ packs of rolls (round up to 4), 2½ lb of turkey, 5 cups of stuffing, 2½ cups of cranberry sauce and 20 slices of Swiss, across 4 pans.
Gear for this cook
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