Using Leftovers From The Holidays- Grilled Leftover Panini Sandwich

Coming from a large family, we always make sure to have extras at the dinner table, which leaves us year after year with an abundant amount of leftovers. 

There are many creative things you can do with your leftovers to make another delicious meal.  One of my favorites that I will be talking about today is the leftover grilled panini.  Using leftover bread or rolls, turkey or ham, and whatever sides and veggies your heart desires you can create a great grilled panini on your Weber. 

Steps to create your Leftover Panini Sandwich:

1. Preheat your grill on high for 15 minutes.

2. Turn the grill down to a medium heat of 350-400 degrees Fahrenheit and clean off grates with a stainless steel Weber Grill Brush.

3. Your bread: I recommend using Italian bread as I have had the best results with this type in the past.  Use stale bread or bread that’s a couple days old because it holds up better on the grates. The problem with fresh bread is that it tends to rip apart easier and be more fragile in general.  If you only have fresh bread then throw it in the freezer for about a 30 minutes before grilling- this will allow it to harden up and hold up better on the hot grates.  So remember, never toss that bread that has been sitting out over the holidays!  Always make sure to oil the side of the bread that will be placed directly on the grates.  

4. Ingredients: Some common leftover ingredients from the holidays include turkey, ham, beef tenderloin, variety of cheese’s, apples, pears, stuffing, potatoes, gravy, and cranberry sauce to name a few.

5. Building your panini:  Have fun building a sandwich based on what you love, what you’re in the mood for, and what you have leftover in your fridge.  I recommend building your sandwich with the cheese down first on the bread because it melts and holds the panini together nicely.   An example that I have done in the past was a Thanksgiving themed panini.  I used Italian bread, Gruyere cheese, cranberry sauce, grilled apples, grilled onions, and turkey.

6. Grill your assembled panini directly over the heat source for a total of 5 minutes, flipping once.  It is important to always remember to set a timer so you know when to flip and to eliminate overcooking.  You can also use a Weber Grill Press to apply pressure to the panini to get great sear marks!If you plan on stacking your panini with extra meat allow for a couple additional minutes of indirect grilling, this ensures that the meat gets heated all the way through the sandwich. 

7.  Take off, let cool, and enjoy.

Grill On!