This recipe for Instant Pot Turkey Congee is easy to prepare and full of flavor. It's a comforting dish to whip up using leftover turkey or turkey bones.
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by the Turkey Farmers of Canada. All images and opinions expressed are solely my own.
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It's getting dark, rainy, and chilly over here. November is our rainy season and with the rain comes the cold.
Lately, I've been resorting to my Instant Pot to make easy one-pot meals, because getting dinner ready on weeknights can be crazy.
Especially when I'm chauffeuring my kids to TKD practice halfway across the city.
I've once again partnered with the Turkey Farmers of Canada to share my easiest congee recipe yet: Instant Pot Turkey Congee.
What is congee?
Congee is known as "jook" in Cantonese, and is rice cooked down with water until it reaches a porridge-like consistency.
Traditionally, congee is savory and paired with some type of meat.
Growing up, congee was my go-to whenever I felt sick or unwell.
There's something comforting about the hot, soupy, savory dish that would perk me up, even when I don't feel good.
Why you'll love this recipe
It's easy to eat and digest, making it suitable for kids and the elderly.
I love that turkey is such a lean protein, but in this congee, the meat is smooth, moist and tender. The resulting dish is rich, flavourful and heart-warming.
But what I like about this recipe is that it comes all together in 1 hour.
Using an Instant Pot or pressure cooker to cook the turkey/bones along with the rice -- is simple, efficient and saves time.
I tried it two ways:
1) using leftover cooked turkey meat and bones (eg. leftovers from Thanksgiving -- I freeze the extra turkey meat for later)
2) using raw turkey leg quarters
They are both straightforward and easy to make, depending on what type of turkey you have on hand.
Ingredients you'll need
- long-grained jasmine rice: don't use instant rice; you can use short-grain rice if you like for an even creamier, starchier congee
- turkey carcass/bones: or leftover turkey (from Thanksgiving)
- water: or turkey broth or turkey stock; for cooking the rice and turkey meat/bones
- fresh ginger: sliced
- fresh garlic: minced
- sea salt: for seasoning; you can also use soy sauce to flavor
- white pepper: or black pepper
How to make it
Place the turkey meat/bones into the Instant Pot.
Add 1 cup of rinsed rice and cover with water or vegetable broth.
Next, add in the sliced ginger and garlic.
Season with salt and pepper.
Place the lid on and set the sealing valve to SEAL.
Set the PORRIDGE function and HIGH PRESSURE for 20 minutes, letting the pressure manually release.
Carefully remove the turkey bones and meat from the Instant Pot.
Using tongs or two forks, remove the turkey meat from the bones, shred the meat and return shredded turkey meat to the pot.
How to serve & store
Serve turkey congee steaming hot.
Add a drizzle of sesame oil for aroma, and garnish with chopped green onions, and sliced Chinese donut.
Store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 1 week.
You can freeze congee in an airtight freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
Defrost the congee overnight in the fridge before reheating in a pot.
Variations
You can use a similar method to make Instant Pot chicken congee.
Expert tips
Bones from the turkey give lots of depth of flavor, so my tip is to save those turkey bones (especially after Thanksgiving)!
What I like to do is freeze the bones in a freezer-safe bag, and when I need to make a soup or congee, I've got them on hand.
Other delicious recipes you may like
Be sure to check out these recipes:
Grilled Lemongrass Turkey Banh Mi
Five-Spice Turkey Green Onion Pancake Rolls
Preserved Century Egg Pork Congee
Try out this easy recipe for Instant Pot Turkey Congee -- tag me on Instagram @siftandsimmer and leave me a comment/rating below -- I'd love to see your creations!
Instant Pot Turkey Congee
For accuracy and precision in baking recipes, use weight (metric) measurements when available.
Ingredients
- leftover turkey meat/carcass/bones use whatever you have on hand, whether it be 1 or 2 drumsticks, etc
OR:
- 1 raw turkey leg quarter about 2 lbs seasoned lightly with salt
- 1 C long-grained white Jasmine rice rinsed
- 6-8 C water or poultry broth depending on your desired consistency
- 1 inch fresh ginger peeled and sliced
- ½ tablespoon sea salt or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
For serving:
- toasted sesame oil
- additional ground white pepper
- green onions chopped
- fried Chinese long donut sliced
Instructions
Make the turkey congee:
- Place the cooked turkey carcass with the meat and bones (or raw turkey leg quarter) into the Instant Pot.
- Add in 1 cup of rice and cover with 6-8 cups water or poultry broth.
- Add in ginger slices and give it a stir.
- Cover with the lid and ensure the steam valve is set to SEAL.
- Press the PORRIDGE function (or manually set to HIGH PRESSURE for 20 minutes). Allow the Instant Pot to naturally release pressure without releasing the steam valve.
- When the steam float valve has dropped, you can open the lid.
- Carefully remove the turkey bones and meat from the Instant Pot. Using tongs or two forks, remove the turkey meat from the bones, shred the meat and return to the pot.
- Stir the congee and season with salt and white pepper. Adjust seasoning to your taste.
- Tip: If the consistency is too thick, add more water to thin it out. If the consistency is too thin, press the SAUTE function and let the congee boil for a few minutes, until to your desired consistency. Turn the Instant Pot off.
Serve:
- Ladle congee into bowls and serve with extra turkey meat, a drizzle of sesame oil, white pepper, chopped green onions and fried Chinese long donut, if desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided should be considered as approximate and is not guaranteed. Please use your best judgment to ensure food is safely prepared and/or a good fit for your diet.
Jerica
This is my favorite recipe for turkey congee, make it every year with Thanksgiving leftovers. Easy and straightforward, good flavor.
Michelle
Hi Jerica, thanks so much for your comment and feedback! Happy to hear that you make it every year! 🙂