The Best Thanksgiving Leftovers Sandwich Ever

For some, Thanksgiving is not about the big holiday dinner, it’s about the leftovers. The best way all of those turkey and trimmings the next day? Sandwiches.

I have done plenty of research on sandwiches. As the writer behind 300sandwiches.com and “300 Sandwiches: A Multilayered Love Story…With Recipes,” I have made hundreds of them. But deep into my sandwich-making journey, my world was completely rocked when a reader taught me the virtues of the Thanksgiving shooter sandwich.

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The Thanksgiving shooter sandwich I make the day after Thanksgiving is the greatest leftovers sandwich of all time. Photo by 300sandwiches.

The shooter, which originated in England and gained popularity on Reddit, is a pressed sandwiched with meat and cheese packed into a round loaf of bread. It’s eaten like a pie, and can be enjoyed hot or cold. A shooter can be packed with whatever fillings you want — veggies, meats, condiments, cheese.

For a hearty Thanksgiving version, pack your shooter with your leftover turkey and trimmings: turkey, gravy, cranberry sauce, stuffing, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes and greens. Layer on whatever ingredients you prefer, in any order you wish. One recommendation: place leafy greens on the bottom of the bread bowl to keep the bread from getting too soggy from the wetter ingredients.

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Layer on all of your Thanksgiving leftovers in the inside of a bread bowl to make this Thanksgiving leftover shooter sandwich. Photo by 300sandwiches.com

Press your sandwich down with household items like a heavy cutting board and canned goods, unwrap and slice like a pie. The sandwich is big enough to feed all of your family gathered for the holiday, and a great way to use all of those leftovers in one tasty meal.

The Thanksgiving Shooter Sandwich

1 round loaf of bread
1 cup leftover mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes
4 to 5 slices turkey
1 heaping tablespoon of gravy
½ cup stuffing
½ cup crispy shallots or crispy onions
½ cup cranberry sauce
4-5 leaves lettuce

Cut a “lid” out of your loaf. Hollow out the loaf enough so that your ingredients will fit, but leave a solid wall of bread along the sides to hold everything in. Layer in your leftovers. You can do it in any order you like, with any leftovers you like.

Put the “lid” back on top. Wrap the sandwich in wax paper and tie around it with twine to keep everything together. Wrap the whole package in foil. Place a sturdy cutting board on top of the sandwich. Top with a good 10 pounds of weight (cans of pumpkin, bags of flour, cans of condensed milk. Some people grab a dumbbell).

Let it rest under the weights for a few hours—you can even leave it overnight. Then, unwrap and cut into triangular wedges. Serve with a side of hot gravy or cranberry sauce.

For more on Thanksgiving leftovers, check out these stories:

The Definitive Guide to Reheating Leftovers

Turkey Potpie with Buttermilk Biscuits to Use Up Thanksgiving Leftovers

Thanksgiving Leftovers Pizza Recipe