Make Your Turkey Sandwiches Unforgettable With One Extra Ingredient

In the great club sandwich debate between turkey or chicken, both meats have their merits. But when you only have turkey on hand, you won't be disappointed. Turkey is a great lunch meat since it's super versatile and goes well with plenty of different condiments. This includes one underrated condiment that packs a flavor punch. We're talking pepper jelly; whether you get it in hot or sweet form, it's a match made in heaven for that turkey sandwich.

Much like in the way your peanut butter and jelly sandwich deserves savory jam, your turkey sandwich deserves a little pop of contrasting flavor, too. When adding sweet pepper or hot pepper jelly, just spread it on your bun or bread of choice in place of standard condiments like mayonnaise or mustard. You can adjust to your personal taste, finding the right amount for a satisfying bite, but we suggest that you start off with a thin layer since it's easier to add more than take it off. Whether you go for a sweet or spicy jelly depends on the other additions to your sandwich, too. Sweet pepper jelly pairs well with creamy cheeses and a milder sandwich, while hot pepper jelly pairs well with bold cheeses like aged cheddar that won't get drowned out.

You can buy pepper jellies at grocery stores, but you can also make your own. This is a great way to customize your ingredients and recipe to suit your palate. When creating a pepper jam, you want to use bell peppers for the base and add in peppers with actual heat (like jalapeños) if you want a hot pepper jelly rather than a sweet one. You can adjust the heat and sweetness to taste, adding more peppers or sweeteners depending on what you want out of your jam.

If you really want to take your sandwich to the next level, you can also take a look at an expert's advice on making any lunch meat sandwich better. Toasting your bread gives you some extra crunch to offset the soft ingredients inside, but spreading on some pepper jelly helps it retain some of its moisture and softness, too. Melting cheese onto the bread makes for an even richer and more decadent experience, bringing out the creaminess of the cheese and creating better contrast with sweet or hot pepper jam. You can even dice and add some fresh peppers for extra crunch and vegetal flavor. Whatever other additions you make, your turkey sandwich will thank you for the extra oomph that pepper jelly brings to the table, and you'll thank yourself, too.