Christmas dinner gets all the fuss, but what we’re really looking forward to is cramming all the leftovers between two pieces of bread the next day. We look at how to achieve Boxing Day sandwich greatness.
BREAD
What sort of bread you go for is up to you — we find the nostalgia of bog standard, stick-to-the-roof-of-your-mouth white bread tough to beat, but if you’re a sourdough or nothing person then don’t feel obliged to betray your morals. Just bear in mind that it needs to be
pretty robust, as you’re going to want to cram as many different fillings inside as possible without it disintegrating. Why not try a flatbread or pitta for a Middle Eastern twist?
FILLINGS
The savage operation needed for a good sandwich always brings a sense of satisfaction. Unwrapping the leftovers you hastily put in the fridge the night before and surveying what remains is a once a year treat. Everything you serve with the turkey can be reused, so hopefully you were extra vigilant the day before and had plenty of fridge space. The main task at hand here is cutting up all the ingredients in a way that allows you to get an entire meal between
two slices of bread without making it so tall you can’t fit it in your mouth. There’s an optimal technique for preparing each element of the sandwich…
TURKEY
If you haven’t got this, then you’re in the minority,
but that’s OK, you do you! Breast meat sliced as wide as your bread, cut as thinly as possible works perfectly. Any leg or dark meat should be shredded, mixed with mayo and added as an extra layer.
STUFFING
Adds bags of flavour to the sandwich but can be a little overpowering. It’s best to get whatever you have left and squish it flat, so you’ve got a nice mix of crispy bits and the more doughy interior. If you have a particularly pliable version though, try flattening it into a big pancake with a rolling pin. You’ll be left with a nice, thin layer which you can then cut to size perfectly.
PIGS IN BLANKETS/HAM
That large piece of gammon can be carved thinly and included for a double meat show-stopper, or you can take those last few pigs in blankets, slice them lengthways and lay them snugly in the
sandwich like little nuggets of salty goodness.
GRAVY
By Boxing Day, the last little bit of gravy should have thickened up nicely, turning it into one of the most delicious spreads known to man. It will also add a much needed moistness to your Boxing Day sandwich.
CRANBERRY SAUCE
A sharp, sweet element to counter all that rich, salty goodness. There’s always lots of this left, but you’ll only want a small amount, otherwise it’ll take over all the other flavours.
ADDITIONS
Your workspace is now adorned with perfectly prepared leftovers like a particularly festive masterpiece— now it’s time to get a few staple ingredients to help bring them together in perfect harmony.
PICKLE
Such piccalilli and classic Branston will bring the sandwich to life.
ICEBERG LETTUCE
It’s fine, but can be a little lacklustre. Try spinach, seasonal kale or thinly sliced winter slaw with apple and cabbage to liven your lunch up.
SPICES
These need to be used liberally. Take your bog standard turkey sandwich to new realms with chipotle sauce for a Mexican twist, or mix cumin, coriander, turmeric and chilli flakes for a curried flavour.
