5 creative ways to use leftover meat after festivities

After big celebrations—Christmas, Eid, weddings, birthdays—it is not uncommon to have bowls of leftover meat tucked in the fridge: fried beef, grilled chicken, or some spicy goat meat.

Instead of letting it sit or eventually go to waste, here are five creative, practical ways to repurpose leftover meat into fresh, satisfying meals.

Read also: Exploring the world of meat

Meat Wrap with suya sauce

Ingredients:

Leftover meat (beef, chicken, or goat)

1 wrap or flatbread

1 small onion (sliced)

1 tomato (sliced)

Cabbage or lettuce (shredded)

1 tbsp suya pepper

2 tbsp mayonnaise

1 tbsp ketchup

Oil for heating

How to prepare:

1. Chop or shred the meat.

2. Heat a little oil and toss in meat with suya pepper until warm.

3. Spread mayo-ketchup mix on wrap.

4. Layer with cabbage, onions, tomatoes, and meat.

5. Fold, then toast in a dry pan for 1–2 minutes on each side.

Meat egg muffins

Ingredients:

3 eggs

½ cup shredded meat

¼ cup green pepper

¼ cup onions

¼ tsp thyme

Salt and seasoning to taste

Muffin tray

How to prepare:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.

2. Beat eggs and mix in meat, veggies, and seasoning.

3. Pour into greased muffin tray.

4. Bake for 15–20 minutes or until firm.

Read also: Lagos unveils butchers’ academy to sanitise red meat value chain

Spicy meat porridge (with potatoes or yam)

Ingredients:

Leftover meat (cubed or shredded)

3 medium potatoes or yam cubes

Palm oil

Scotch bonnet (blended)

Onion

Seasoning cube

Salt

Optional: crayfish, scent leaves

How to prepare:

1. Cook yam or potatoes with pepper, onion, salt, and seasoning.

2. When soft, mash lightly.

3. Add palm oil and mix well.

4. Toss in meat and simmer for 5 minutes.

5. Add scent leaves at the end if desired.

Gizdodo

Ingredients:

Leftover meat (cubed)

2 ripe plantains (diced)

1 green pepper (chopped)

1 red bell pepper (chopped)

Onion (sliced)

1–2 tbsp oil

Blended pepper mix (tomato, tatashe, onion)

Seasoning cube, salt, curry, thyme

How to prepare:

1. Fry diced plantain and set aside.

2. Stir-fry onion in oil, add blended pepper, seasoning, curry, thyme.

3. Let sauce reduce, then add meat and simmer.

4. Add fried plantain and bell peppers, stir gently.

5. Simmer for 2–3 minutes, serve hot.

Read also: The rarest and most expensive meat in the world to eat

Meat toastie

Ingredients:

Shredded leftover meat

2 slices of bread

1 tbsp butter

1 egg (optional)

Cheese (optional)

Mayo or leftover stew/sauce

How to prepare:

1. Mix meat with sauce or mayo.

2. Spread on bread, layer with egg or cheese.

3. Cover with a second bread slice and butter the outside.

4. Toast till golden.