3 to 4 days
Out of the bird, in shallow containers (USDA FSIS)
4 to 6 months
Cooked stuffing; best quality only (USDA FSIS)
9 to 12 months
Sealed box or bag in the pantry; do not refrigerate (USDA FoodKeeper)
The short version: scoop stuffing out of the turkey and refrigerate it within 2 hours, in shallow containers. Then eat it within 3 to 4 days, the time the USDA gives. For longer, freeze it for 4 to 6 months. Finally, reheat it to 165°F, and never refrigerate uncooked stuffing.
Handling rules and storage times here come from the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service's Stuffing and Food Safety, Turkey Basics: Handling Cooked Dinners and Leftovers and Food Safety pages, and the USDA's FoodKeeper data.
On this page
What to do before you store stuffing
Stuffing keeps best when it is handled quickly, because the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service calls it an excellent medium for bacterial growth. So the first few minutes after dinner count most.
Out of the bird and into a shallow container.
Firstly, take it out of the bird. FSIS says to let a stuffed bird stand 20 minutes after cooking, then remove the stuffing. Also, FSIS's turkey guidance says to remove all stuffing from the cavity right away and refrigerate it.
Secondly, watch the clock. FSIS says to refrigerate cooked poultry and stuffing within 2 hours, or within 1 hour above 90°F.
Then spread it into shallow containers. FSIS says to cool cooked stuffing in shallow containers, since large amounts of food cool slowly.
Finally, store the turkey separately. The leftover turkey guide covers the bird, and gravy has its own reheating rule.
How to store stuffing
To store stuffing, get it out of the bird, into shallow containers and into the fridge within 2 hours. After that, eat it within a few days or freeze it.
How long is leftover stuffing good in the fridge?
Leftover stuffing is good for 3 to 4 days in the fridge, according to the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service. Similarly, FSIS gives cooked dishes and gravy 3 to 4 days. So stuffing from Thursday dinner should be eaten or frozen by Monday.
Shallow containers, covered.
Can you leave stuffing inside the turkey?
No. Instead, the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service tells you to remove all stuffing from the turkey cavity and refrigerate it separately.
That is because, as FSIS explains, large amounts of food cool slowly. So scoop it into its own dish, then carve the turkey before chilling it too. The rest of the holiday table has its own guides: leftover turkey, ham, and pumpkin, apple and pecan pie.
Can stuffing sit out overnight?
No. Stuffing left out overnight should be thrown away, because the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service limits perishable food to 2 hours at room temperature. The food left out overnight guide covers the rest of the table.
Can you make stuffing ahead and refrigerate it?
Not uncooked. FSIS says not to refrigerate uncooked stuffing, and not to mix the wet and dry ingredients until just before cooking. Instead, you can chill the wet and dry parts separately, then combine them at the last minute. Alternatively, cook it fully, then refrigerate it.
How do you reheat stuffing safely?
Reheat stuffing to 165°F, as FSIS advises for all leftovers. However, FSIS also says not to stuff a whole bird with leftover cooked stuffing. So reheat it in a covered dish in the oven or microwave, and check it with a thermometer.
Can you freeze stuffing?
Yes. In particular, the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service gives cooked poultry dishes, stuffing and gravy 4 to 6 months in the freezer. In addition, FSIS says it is safe to freeze uncooked stuffing, as long as it goes into the freezer straight after mixing.
How do you freeze stuffing?
Freeze cooked stuffing once it is cold, in shallow containers or flattened freezer bags. For uncooked stuffing, FSIS says to combine the ingredients, put them into a shallow container and freeze them immediately. Then label each one with the date.
Cold stuffing in flattened bags, labelled.
How do you cook frozen uncooked stuffing?
Cook it straight from frozen instead. FSIS says not to thaw frozen uncooked stuffing before cooking. Instead, cook it until it reaches 165°F, as measured with a food thermometer.
How do you thaw frozen cooked stuffing?
Thaw it in the fridge, which FSIS calls the safest method. Alternatively, FSIS says side dishes can go from the freezer straight to the oven. Either way, reheat it to 165°F before serving.
How to tell if stuffing has gone bad
Stuffing can be unsafe before it looks bad, since the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service says the bacteria behind food poisoning do not generally change how food looks or smells. So the clock matters most. Then check the signs below.
Verdict: eat it
Fresh stuffing
Moist, savory and crisp on top, with a clean herb smell. In other words, this is stuffing that came out of the bird and into the fridge within 2 hours, and is inside its 3 to 4 days. So reheat it to 165°F and serve it.
Verdict: eat it or freeze it today
Stuffing on day 3 or 4
Stuffing that looks fine but has dried out a little after a few days covered in the fridge. Even so, it is at the end of the window FSIS gives. So eat it today, or freeze it now.
Verdict: throw it out
Stuffing left in the bird or out on the table
Stuffing that stayed inside the turkey, or on the table, for more than 2 hours. FSIS says to refrigerate stuffing within 2 hours. So throw it out, because reheating it now does not fix it.
Verdict: throw it out
Sour or slimy stuffing
A sour or off smell, a slimy or sticky texture, or a grey tinge. These are signs of spoilage, so stop there. In fact, Clemson Cooperative Extension says to discard stored food with an off odor, so do not taste it.
Verdict: throw it out
Moldy stuffing
Fuzzy spots of white, green or black on the bread. The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service says to discard moldy bread and cooked casseroles, because porous, moist foods can be contaminated below the surface. So throw out the whole container.
Does store-bought stuffing keep differently?
Dry boxed stuffing mix keeps 9 to 12 months in the pantry, according to the USDA's FoodKeeper data, which also says not to refrigerate it. However, once you add liquid and cook it, it is leftover stuffing, with the same 3 to 4 days. Also, FSIS says not to buy premixed stuffing that is uncooked.
How long stuffing keeps, by type
The clock depends on whether the stuffing is cooked, and where it is. So here is each case.
Substitute
Works best in
What changes
Cooked, in the fridge
3 to 4 days
Shallow containers (USDA FSIS).
Cooked, frozen
4 to 6 months
Best quality (USDA FSIS).
Uncooked, frozen
Freeze at once
Cook from frozen to 165°F (USDA FSIS).
Uncooked, in the fridge
Never
Freeze or cook it instead (USDA FSIS).
Mistakes people make with leftover stuffing
These are the ways leftover stuffing goes wrong most often, and each one is easy to fix.
Leaving it in the turkey. Scoop it out and refrigerate it separately.
Leaving it on the table all evening. Two hours, then into the fridge.
Refrigerating uncooked stuffing. FSIS says to cook it or freeze it instead.
Restuffing a bird with leftovers. FSIS says not to; reheat it in a dish.
Warming it only until it is warm. Reheat it to 165°F.
Keeping it a week. Eat it within 3 to 4 days, or freeze it.
Thawing frozen raw stuffing first. FSIS says to cook it straight from frozen.
Sources
Stuffing and Food Safety, Food Safety and Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, on stuffing as an excellent medium for bacterial growth, cooking to 165°F, letting a stuffed bird stand 20 minutes before removing the stuffing, refrigerating within 2 hours, cooling in shallow containers, using it within 3 to 4 days, never refrigerating uncooked stuffing, freezing uncooked stuffing and cooking it from frozen, not restuffing poultry with leftovers, and not buying uncooked premixed stuffing.
Turkey Basics: Handling Cooked Dinners, Food Safety and Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, on removing all stuffing from the cavity, cooked dishes at 3 to 4 days, side dishes going from the freezer to the oven, and cooked poultry dishes, stuffing and gravy at 4 to 6 months frozen.
Leftovers and Food Safety, Food Safety and Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, on the 2-hour and 1-hour rules and thawing in the refrigerator.
FoodKeeper App, Food Safety and Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, whose published FoodKeeper data lists commercially packaged dry stuffing mix at 9 to 12 months in the pantry, not refrigerated.
Refrigeration and Food Safety, Food Safety and Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, on pathogenic bacteria not generally affecting the taste, smell or appearance of food.
Molds on Food: Are They Dangerous?, Food Safety and Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, on discarding moldy bread and cooked casseroles.
Safety of Stored Foods, Clemson Cooperative Extension Home & Garden Information Center fact sheet HGIC 3520, revised April 2020, on discarding stored food with an off odor.
Storage times and safety advice on this page come from the sources above. Food safety depends on conditions I cannot see, so read the Disclaimer, and if in doubt, throw it out.
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