Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas if it wasn’t about cooking enough food to feed a small army. However, knowing what to do with all the leftovers can be tricky. Especially if you don’t want to resort to the good old put in the pan and fry Again.
We recently turned to TikTok for inspiration and found a novel way to use up leftovers in the form of a festive leftover toast. Not only can this toast be cooked in one of the best deep fryers on the market, it even includes the famous Moist Maker (slice of bread soaked in sauce) from the TV show Friends.
In fact, the whole thing Christmas leftover sandwich from @emilyscooking (opens in a new tab) on TikTok seems to be inspired by a scene where a colleague eats a sandwich made for Ross by Monica, using leftovers from Thanksgiving.
Here’s our favorite take on this recipe that’s so quick, easy, and delicious you won’t even notice you’re eating leftovers.
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If you haven’t received your fryer this Christmas and want to try this recipe we found, check out our top-rated deep fryers now available to buy at the best prices.
Recipe for Christmas leftovers from the deep fryer
This toast recipe is perfect for holiday leftovers, but can also be used all year round for all kinds of food leftovers.
We’ve outlined our take on toast below, but given the nature of this recipe, you can substitute or remove any ingredient depending on what’s left and your personal taste.
@emilycooking_ (opens in a new tab)
♬ Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow! – Dean Martin (opens in a new tab)
Air fryer Christmas leftover toast ingredients
We haven’t listed set amounts for all of the ingredients below, as it will depend on how hungry you are, how big your bread is, and how much leftovers you have. These numbers should instead be used as a guide.
- 1 ball of stuffing, flattened
- 1 Piglet in a blanket (sausage wrapped in bacon), flattened
- Leftover meat
- Baked potatoes, puree
- Vegetables, puree
- 1 teaspoon of cranberry sauce
- 3 slices of bread – in our recipe we used two slices of Bloomer bread and a slice of wholemeal bread, but any bread will do
- Grated cheese for sprinkling
- Sauce
Fat-free method of toasting Christmas leftovers
We used a Tower T17099 Vortx Eco Dual Basket Air Fryer, set at 200°C (392°F) for five minutes. We have tried this recipe many times and it was the optimal combination of heat and time to create the best tasting toast.
However, timing may vary, so make sure your toast is hot all the time before eating reheated leftovers. This is to avoid food poisoning ruining your vacation.
Step 1: Cut the Bloomer bread into two large slices, dipping the third slice of bread in the sauce.
Step 2: Spread the cranberry sauce on each slice of Bloomer bread.
Step 3: Start by layering leftovers on one of these slices of bread. We prefer a layer of meat-based products on the bottom, but you can arrange the ingredients in any order.
Step 4: Put a slice of bread soaked in the sauce – Moist Maker – on top of this bottom layer. At each stage, you can add spices or seasonings to your liking.
Step 5: Top the Moist Maker with the rest of the ingredients and finish the toast by placing a second slice of Bloomer bread on top.
Step 6: Sprinkle the grated cheese on top of the roasting pan and place it in the fryer for five minutes at 200°C. This should be enough to warm the ingredients to a safe temperature and melt the cheese.
If the ingredients aren’t hot enough after five minutes, you can put the toast back in the fryer for as long as needed. However, we recommend removing the layer of cheese after cooking to avoid burning and bitter taste.
Step 7: Cut in half and serve.
Tip: We always keep some sauce to dip our toasties.
The verdict on Christmas leftover toast in the air fryer
Leftover Christmas Toast is a tasty and convenient way to use up leftover food with minimal effort. It’ll help you keep your Christmas feast a bit longer, and in the UK, it’ll make a delicious and filling Boxing Day lunch. The only limit to this toast is your imagination.
If you don’t have a deep fryer, you can grill toast in a standard oven. However, in our experience, it takes longer to bring the ingredients to the desired, safe temperature using this method, so more time may need to be included.
If you are still hesitating and wondering whether to buy a deep fryer, you may want to read our article to decide if deep fryers are worth it?
