Home POULTRY Leftover Turkey Jook (Congee)

Leftover Turkey Jook (Congee)

by Yejiskitchenstories

I can honestly say that the Thanksgiving turkey this year was so much better than I expected. It was our first time making turkey and let’s just say that I had very low expectations. I was so nervous that it was going to turn out dry, but it was actually AMAZING.

Eddie and I researched for days on how to smoke a whole turkey the right way, I can’t tell you how many youtube videos we watched. But guys, we did it and all of our family members loved it!

We brined the turkey twice, using a wet brine and a dry brine. We used a cajun blend seasoning for the dry brine, which added way more flavor to the turkey meat. Overall, the turkey was super flavorful and moist!

We had quite a bit of turkey leftover because it was a 15-pound turkey ha! We all ended up with a take-home bag of turkey. I know there are so many ways to use leftover turkey, I’ve seen people make Pho, turnovers, turkey soup, casseroles, etc. I decided to make jook/congee (rice porridge) because nothing is more comforting for the soul than a warm bowl of jook!

What is jook congee?

Jook is a type of rice porridge that’s popular in many parts of Asia. I’ve grown up eating a Korean-style jook, usually consists of leftover rice slow-cooked, then topped with a drizzle of sesame oil and soy sauce.


What you need for this leftover turkey jook (congee)

  • leftover turkey
  • diced carrots
  • chicken stock
  • uncooked rice
  • diced onion
  • minced ginger
  • cooking oil

How to make leftover turkey jook (congee)

  1. Sautè carrots and onion. In a heavy-bottomed pot, sautè the diced onions on medium-high just until it becomes translucent. Add the diced carrots and minced ginger and sautè for 3 minutes.
  2. Toast the rice. Add the rinsed uncooked rice to the pot and sautè for 4-5 minutes.
  3. Cook the rice. Add the chicken stock to the pot and reduce heat to low. Let this simmer for 15-20 minutes. Make sure to stir occasionally, to prevent any rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
  4. Add the turkey. Chop half the amount of turkey and add it to the jook. Reserve some turkey for garnishing. Continue to simmer for another 5 minutes.
  5. The jook is done when the rice is fully cooked and the jook has thickened.
  6. Garnish. I like to add some sliced green onion, additional turkey, jammy eggs, sesame oil, and chili oil!

Leftover Turkey Jook (Congee)

Makes 2-3 servings

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups leftover turkey
2 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup onion, diced
1/4 cup carrots, diced
1 cup short-grain rice, uncooked and rinsed
1 tablespoon ginger, minced
2 tablespoons cooking oil of choice

DIRECTIONS
1. In a heavy-bottomed pot, add cooking oil and onion. Sautè on medium heat until the onion is translucent. Add the carrots and ginger, continue to sautè for about 3-5 minutes.

2. Add the rice to the pot and sautè the rice for about 5 minutes.

3. Pour the chicken stock into the pot and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to low and let this simmer for 15-20 minutes.

4. Chop 1/2 the amount of turkey and add it to the pot, stir to combine. Reserve 1/2 the turkey for garnishing later on.

5. The jook is done when the rice is fully cooked and is a thick consistency. Optional: top with some sliced green onion, extra turkey, jammy eggs, a drizzle of sesame oil, and/or chili oil!

I’d love to see if you try this recipe out!
Tag me on Instagram @__Yejiskitchenstories!

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