Smoked Turkey Dip (aka Turkey Crack) – The BEST Way to Use Leftover Turkey

There is a restaurant in Arkansas called Burge’s that specializes in smoked ham and turkey. They also sell things like hamburgers and catfish, but what they are really famous for is a delectable smoked turkey dip that locals lovingly call, “turkey crack.”

It is so good! You can buy it in pints and quarts at the restaurant or get a smoked turkey dip sandwich.

This sandwich is, in my opinion, one of the best sandwiches in Little Rock. Honestly, probably one of the best sandwiches in the state.

As you might imagine, I simply had to start making my own homemade version using our leftover smoked turkey – which is what we always make for the extended family at Thanksgiving.

A photo of smoked turkey dip in a blue bowl. It is on a wooden charger with a white tea towel in the upper left corner. A cracker in the dip and several crackers in front of the bowl.

I realize that not everybody smokes their holiday bird, which begs the question…

What if you only have leftover roast turkey?

Make the dip anyway!

It’ll have a different flavor but it will still be delicious!

Homemade Smoked Turkey Dip Recipe: (aka Turkey Crack)

Here is how I make a homemade version of this amazing smoked turkey dip.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound smoked turkey breast (chopped in a food processor)
  • 3/4 cup mayonnaise (preferably Duke’s), plus more if needed
  • 4–5 tablespoons finely chopped pickles (see note about types of pickles)
  • 2 hard-boiled eggs, finely chopped
  • salt and pepper
A shot taken from above of a bowl of finely chopped turkey. You can see mayonnaise, chopped boiled eggs, and chopped pickle which will be stirred into the turkey.

Instructions:

  1. Chop the turkey in a food processor. Pulse gently. You don’t want it to be mush, but you do want small pieces. If you don’t have a food processor then just chop the turkey very finely. You want this smoked turkey dip to have the texture of a ham salad.
  2. Add mayonnaise and stir until well combined.
  3. Mix in chopped pickles and eggs.
  4. Stir and adjust:
    • Add more mayonnaise for a creamier texture
    • Add more pickles for tang and crunch
  5. Add salt and pepper to taste
  6. Chill for at least 1 hour before serving for best flavor.
Chunks of smoked turkey in a food processor about to be processed.

Recipe Notes

What if you roast your turkey:
Don’t worry! Just make the dip with your leftover turkey. It will still be delicious!

Processed but not over-processed:
You want the turkey chopped small but definitely not over-processed. There is a fine line when using a food processor so be careful! You don’t want the turkey to turn to mush.

A bowl of smoked turkey processed in a food processor. You can see that although the turkey is finely chopped it still has texture and its not mushy.

Pickles:
I use good Kosher dill pickles that I chop up finely. However, you can use sweet pickles and I also think that a hot pickle would be perfection in this smoked turkey dip. Hmmmm. I might try that next time. I’ll let you know how it turns out.

Texture:
The dip should be spreadable on a sandwich or thin enough to scoop on a cracker (but not loose). The key is chopping everything fine.

A blue bowl of smoked turkey dip on a wooden charger with a tea towel in the upper left corner. Club Crackers in the bottom of the photo and one cracker in the dip.

Optional add-ins

  • Onion:
    I don’t typically add onion to my smoked turkey dip. But I do think it would be a good option. My suggestion is to chop it fine and only use 2 or 3 tablespoons. You don’t want the onion to overpower the turkey.
  • Celery:
    Finely chopped celery would add a lightness and a little extra crunch.

Serving Suggestions

  • Spread on white bread for sandwiches: The sandwich from the restaurant that I mentioned above is super simple. It is smoked turkey dip on white bread with shredded lettuce. That’s it. Although it might look like nothing special, it tastes like something really special.
A simple sandwich sliced in half with the cut side showing. It is on a pale blue plate. You can see shredded lettuce on the salad with smoked turkey dip.
  • Serve with crackers as a dip. Club crackers are perfect here with their buttery flavor, but really any kind of basic cracker will work. My son in law tried it with jalapeno flavored crackers the other day and said it was delicious.
A bowl of dip with crackers.
  • On a croissant. Yum! This dip on a flaky, buttery croissant with some lettuce and tomato would be perfect. You could even make this more special by serving it on mini-croissants at a brunch or tea or even a shower.

I mentioned that people around here call the restaurant version of this smoked turkey dip, “turkey crack.”

Give this homemade version a try and you will soon find out why! It’s downright addicting!

Smoked Turkey Dip

A delicious dip or sandwich spread made with leftover smoked turkey.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Lunch, sandwich

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound smoked turkey, finely chopped
  • 3/4 cup mayonnaise, preferably Dukes
  • 4 – 5 tbsp pickles, finely chopped
  • 2 – 3 hardboiled eggs, finely chopped

Instructions
 

  • Chop the turkey. Add the turkey to a food processor and pulse gently. You want small pieces, not a paste. If you don’t have a food processor, just chop it very finely by hand. The texture should be similar to ham salad.
  • Transfer the chopped turkey to a bowl and stir in the mayonnaise until well combined.
  • Stir in chopped pickles and eggs.Adjust to tasteAdd more mayonnaise for a creamier textureAdd more pickles for tang and crunchSeason with salt and pepperChillRefrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving for the best flavor.
  • Adjust to taste: You can add more mayonnaise for a creamier texture or add more pickles for more tank. Season with salt and pepper
  • For the best flavor refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
Keyword Sandwich, Smoked Turkey, Turkey