My mom would frequently make creamed turkey after the holidays as a way of using up leftover turkey, but I remember it most from the massive amounts she made for our Girl Scout troop’s fundraising dinners.
She was one of the leaders when we spent two years raising money for a trip to England. As part of that effort, we would host fundraising dinners. Because it was a low-cost, simplistic, hearty and comforting, the main dish at many of these dinners was Mom’s “creamed turkey over biscuits.”
When she would make it in large quantities, she would usually use a different technique and not start with a roux. Instead, she would thicken the mixture when it was almost done by slowly stirring in a slurry made of equal parts of cornstarch and water. I also add a slurry to thicken the creamed turkey more if I have used a roux and it is not as thick as I want OR as the primary thickener if I am making a large batch. If you want a thick creamed turkey, you will want to use 2 Tbsp. cornstarch/potato starch per cup of liquid in the recipe (3 cups of liquid per single batch).
Today, I like to make it with post-holiday turkey over leftover mashed potatoes with a thinner gravy than I make when serving it over biscuits or toast like my mom. I take the remaining pieces of turkey that I manage to pick from the bones and freeze them to make my mom’s thicker version later in the winter. It is wonderful comfort food…full of memories and carbs.
Creamed Turkey
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter* (See Notes for Gluten Free Option)
- 3 Tbsp. all-purpose or Wondra flour*
- 2 c. chicken stock or broth
- 1 c. milk
- 1 1/2 c. turkey, smaller pieces (1 inch or less)
- 1 1/2 c. frozen peas
- salt, to taste
- white or black pepper, to taste
- 3 - 6 Tbsp. cornstarch, arrowroot, or potato starch*
- 3 - 6 Tbsp. water*
Instructions
- Melt butter in large skillet over medium to med.-high heat.
- Whisk in flour and cook for at least 30 seconds while stirring constantly.
- SLOWLY whisk in chicken broth and milk.
- Add turkey then add some salt and pepper to taste.
- Stir frequently until the mixture is boiling.
- Add peas and cook until they are heated through.
- If mixture is not as thick as you would like, make a slurry made by mixing 3 Tbsp. of
- water into 3 Tbsp. of cornstarch or arrowroot or 6 Tbsp. water into 3 Tbsp. of potato starch in a small bowl . Then, slowly stir the slurry into the creamed turkey mixture. Bring to a boil for at least a minute while stirring constantly.
- When desired consistency is reached, taste again for seasoning and adjust as needed.
- Serve warm over biscuits, toast, or mashed potatoes.
Notes
If making this recipe gluten-free or for a large crowd, skip the step about making the roux. Thicken the mixture with cornstarch, arrow root, or potato starch slurry instead. You will need to double the amount of starch or arrow root and water that you use. If desired consistency is not reached when mixture boils for 1 minute. Repeat the slurry steps as written (using only 1 Tbsp. of the starch or root).
**Chicken can be used instead of turkey