75+ Leftover Turkey Recipes to use up your Thanksgiving leftover food in a yummy way - Hike n Dip (2024)

FAQs

How long is leftover turkey good for in the fridge? ›

USDA recommends using cooked turkey within 3 to 4 days, kept refrigerated (40°F or less). Refrigeration slows but does not stop bacterial growth. Turkey can be frozen for 3 to 4 months. Although safe indefinitely, frozen leftovers can lose moisture and flavor when stored for longer times in the freezer.

Instead, try turning your leftovers into a casserole, like our turkey divan, our chicken stuffing casserole, or our turkey pot pie; a soup, like our turkey noodle soup, our leftover turkey & wild rice soup, or our homemade turkey stock (made from your turkey carcass); or something lighter or more flavorful than before, ...

The answer is simple: leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator for three to four days. This means you have until the Monday after Thanksgiving to eat all those delicious leftovers or place them in the freezer to enjoy later. If you store leftovers in the freezer, they will be of best quality within 2-6 months.

Like other leftovers, leftover cooked turkey can—and will—go bad. “The texture and smell of turkey will indicate when it has gone bad,” Edwards says. “Generally it will smell bad and get a slimy texture. It's best to throw it away after four days in the fridge or move it to the freezer at that point.”

Frozen Turkey

Turkeys can be kept in the freezer indefinitely. However, cook turkeys within 1 year for the best quality.

Turkey typically lasts up to four days in the fridge before it goes bad. It can be stored in the freezer for up to four months before it starts to lose its flavor and texture.

Black Friday, the day following Thanksgiving, has evolved into one of the busiest shopping days in the United States. Contrary to popular belief that the term originated from businesses going from "in the red" to "in the black" in profits after Thanksgiving, it actually traces back to 1960s Philadelphia.

Cornish game hen, goose, duck, ham, beef, salmon, and mushroom recipes make worthy centerpieces for holiday meals.

It is also worth noting what was not present at the first Thanksgiving feast. There were no cloudlike heaps of mashed potatoes, since white potatoes had not yet crossed over from South America. There was no gravy either, since the colonists didn't yet have mills to produce flour.

Apparently I'm in the minority, as this poll reported that 80 percent of Americans prefer the leftover version.

Can you eat cooked turkey after 5 days? ›

Snyder points to the USDA FoodKeeper app for best guidance: The tool notes that refrigerated, cooked turkey should be eaten within 4 days. Eat frozen turkey leftovers within 6 months for premier quality.

Symptoms of food poisoning often include diarrhea, vomiting, upset stomach, or nausea. Call your healthcare provider if you have severe symptoms such as: Diarrhea and a fever higher than 102°F. Diarrhea for more than three days that is not improving.

Leaving cooked turkey out for a few hours can be cause for concern. Bacteria thrive at temperatures between 41 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit, which is exactly where room temperature falls. Bacteria can be introduced onto your turkey if it is not cooked properly, by other raw foods through cross-contamination, or by humans.

If your turkey has been properly handled, you can refrigerate and eat it for up to four days. If you are planning to freeze it, it's best to freeze it within one day of cooking for optimal texture and taste. However, leftover turkey can be frozen after three days and it will be fine.

Raw turkey meat should be light pink or beige, depending on the type of meat and its fat content. The meat color becomes dull as time passes, which is normal. However, if the meat has a brown, gray or yellow or green hue, you will want to part ways with it.

As a general guideline, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services recommends eating or freezing turkey and other leftovers within three to four days. For Thanksgiving, that means you should eat or freeze by Monday.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service recommends throwing out refrigerated leftovers after three to four days. If foods are kept in the freezer, they can usually still be consumed for three to four months.

If properly stored, raw turkey can last in the fridge for 1–2 days, while cold cuts last up to 5 days. How long does cooked turkey last in the fridge? If you have leftovers that include cooked turkey, you can expect those to last in the refrigerator for 3–4 days.

Information. It takes approximately 24 hours for every four to five pounds of whole turkey to thaw in the refrigerator. Once the turkey is thawed, you can keep it in the refrigerator for one to two additional days before cooking.