Here’s how to turn that mountain of leftover Thanksgiving turkey into smoky, juicy, absolutely addictive gourmet tacos grilled over charcoal — something so good your family will fight over the leftovers instead of sneaking them into soup.
Charcoal-Grilled Turkey Tacos al Carbón (with a Thanksgiving Twist)
Key Idea
We’re treating the turkey like al pastor or carnitas: shred it, crisp it hard over live fire, then hit it with bright, punchy toppings that cut through the richness.
Ingredients (for ~12 tacos)
- 4–6 cups shredded leftover turkey (dark meat + skin = gold)
- 2 tbsp neutral oil or reserved turkey fat
- 1 large white onion, half sliced thin, half diced small
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1–2 chipotle peppers in adobo (from the can) + 1 tbsp sauce
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp Mexican oregano
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- Zest + juice of 1 orange
- Zest + juice of 1 lime
- 1 cup turkey or chicken stock (or drippings!)
- Salt & pepper
Toppings (the gourmet part)
- Pickled cranberry red onions (recipe below)
- Fresh cilantro
- Queso fresco or cotija, crumbled
- Charred pineapple chunks (fresh or canned, skewer and grill)
- Avocado crema (½ avocado + ¼ cup sour cream + lime juice + salt, blended)
- Hot sauce or salsa macha
- Warm corn tortillas (double-stack them)
Pickled Cranberry Red Onions (make while the grill heats)
- 1 red onion, very thinly sliced
- ½ cup leftover whole-berry cranberry sauce
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- A few black peppercorns
Bring everything except onions to a simmer, pour over onions in a jar. Ready in 30 minutes, better in 2 hours.
Method – Over Charcoal
- Fire up a chimney of charcoal. When glowing, bank it to one side for direct/indirect zones. Put a cast-iron skillet or plancha on the hot side.
- Crisp the turkey: Toss shredded turkey with a little oil/fat. Spread in a single layer in the screaming-hot skillet directly over coals. Do NOT stir for 3–4 minutes — let it get legit crunchy edges and smoky char. Flip once, char the second side. Total 8–10 minutes. Push to the cooler side.
- Build the sauce in the same pan: Add onion slices + garlic to the fat, let them pick up color. Stir in chipotle, adobo, spices, citrus zest/juice. When fragrant (30 seconds), deglaze with stock. Simmer 2–3 minutes until slightly thickened. Fold the crisped turkey back in, coat everything, taste — it should be smoky, tangy, lightly spicy, a little sweet from the orange.
- Char the pineapple chunks on a skewer over the coals until caramelized.
- Warm tortillas directly on the grill grate for 10–15 seconds per side (they’ll pick up charcoal flavor).
Assembly
- Double tortillas
- Pile in the smoky turkey
- Top with pickled cranberry onions (the sweet-tart pop is insane)
- Crumbled cheese
- Charred pineapple
- Cilantro
- Drizzle of avocado crema
- One more squeeze of lime
These tacos taste like Thanksgiving and a Tijuana street cart had a love child — smoky, crispy, bright, rich, and completely addictive. The charcoal is non-negotiable; it turns boring leftover turkey into something people will request next year on purpose.
Pro move: Reserve the turkey skin, render it crisp separately over the coals, crumble it on top like turkey chicharrón. You’re welcome.
