What to do with all that leftover turkey

Keep reading to get answers to all your leftover turkey questions!

KSNF/KODE — Some might argue that the best part of the holiday season is Thanksgiving leftovers. A large Thanksgiving dinner can be the reason for the following dishes. You can make many dishes with leftover meat from just the main turkey dish. And a simple turkey sandwich or turkey soup isn’t the only option after Thanksgiving. You’ll find Thanksgiving leftovers, HERE to be anything but boring.

Why reuse leftover turkey?

Leftover turkey recipes save time by having pre-cooked turkey on hand, as well as other Thanksgiving leftovers like mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, green beans, and other casseroles. So let the hard work of preparing your Thanksgiving turkey and stuffing pay off easy recipes in the days following your holiday feast.

Using your turkey meat in a variety of leftover turkey recipes allows for better nutrition – because you’ll be using additional ingredients in your meals that provide vitamins and minerals to complement the benefits of leftover turkey. For example, recipes for turkey pot pie, turkey salad, turkey tetrazzini, and turkey casserole include a variety of vegetables like green beans, mushrooms, frozen peas, sweet potatoes, and more to turn leftover turkey into an easy-to-make meal .

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How long does leftover turkey last in the fridge?

It is best to keep the cooked turkey in the refrigerator for only three to four days. After that, you’ll need to freeze it or dispose of it—or turn it into something awesome leftover turkey casserole, turkey pie or other turkey recipe. Freezing leftovers is a great way to give the whole family easy access to comfort food. Just be sure to plan your baked goods — like turkey tetrazzini, turkey roast, and leftover turkey casserole — before the meat needs to be moved. Dicing the turkey meat before freezing is a good way to save time when you want to make a turkey casserole later.

Can I freeze leftover turkey?

Not only can you freeze leftover turkey meat, but you can also freeze it whole bird, bones and all, up to six months! It’s a great way to free up space in your fridge for leftovers that don’t freeze well, like mashed potatoes and gravy. Freezing a whole turkey is a good idea if you’re planning a post-holiday soup. Otherwise, you’ll thank yourself later if you slice, dice, or mince your meat now and freeze it in portions you need for the future turkey recipes.

Baking the turkey in a casserole first and then freezing it saves you even more time and energy because it’s ready to eat as soon as you reheat it, compared to freezing leftover turkey and still having to consider that you will eat with her.

What’s the best way to reheat leftover turkey?

The best way to reheat leftover turkey is whatever is most convenient for you. Turkey is good reheated during the day after Thanksgiving or year-round (compared to something like a potato dish, which tastes better fresh). For many, the main method is to reheat the turkey in the microwave.

If you still have leftover turkey in the pan, you can cover it with foil and roast it in the oven to reheat. Depending on how you use the leftovers, you can also reheat them in a large pot on the stove over medium-high heat.

Keep in mind that leftover turkey served cold is also a convenient and delicious way to enjoy it (like turkey salad or leftover turkey sandwiches).

How do you make leftover turkey moist?

No one wants to eat dry, bland meat. The best way to make sure your leftover turkey is flavorful and moist (besides the original cooking method) is to use it in an easy turkey casserole, pot pie, soup, or other recipe. This allows you to add other moisture, use additional flavorings, and combine leftover turkey with other tasty ingredients.

If you want to eat leftover turkey and still make sure it’s moist, seal it in an airtight container before refrigerating, then add a tablespoon of water to the meat before reheating in the microwave. You can also do this by reheating in the oven: Add about a tablespoon of water for every cup of turkey to rehydrate it.