3 to 4 days
Carved, in shallow covered containers (USDA FSIS)
4 to 6 months
4 months plain, 6 months covered in gravy; best quality only (USDA FSIS)
2 hours
1 hour above 90°F, then throw it out (USDA FSIS)
The short version: get leftover turkey into the fridge within 2 hours of serving. Carve the meat off the bone first, and pack it in shallow containers. Then eat it within 3 to 4 days, or freeze it. Frozen turkey keeps its best quality for about 4 months plain, or 6 months covered in gravy. Finally, reheat every portion to 165°F.
Storage times and handling rules here come from the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, including its Turkey Basics: Handling Cooked Dinners and Leftovers and Food Safety pages, and from the USDA's FoodKeeper data.
On this page
What to do before you store leftover turkey
How to store leftover turkey
Can you freeze leftover turkey?
How to tell if leftover turkey has gone bad
How long leftover turkey keeps, by type
Mistakes people make with leftover turkey
What to do before you store leftover turkey
Leftover turkey keeps longest when it gets cold fast, because the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service says bacteria grow rapidly between 40°F and 140°F. So a few minutes of work after the meal pays off all week.
Carve it off the bone first, so it cools quickly.
Firstly, watch the clock. FSIS says perishable food left out for more than 2 hours should be thrown away. However, above 90°F the limit drops to 1 hour.
Secondly, take the meat off the bone. A whole bird cools too slowly, so FSIS says to cut turkey into smaller pieces. In fact, it suggests slicing the breast meat, while legs and wings may be left whole.
Then empty the cavity. Also, FSIS tells you to remove all stuffing from the turkey right away and refrigerate it separately. The stuffing guide covers that side.
Finally, use shallow containers. FSIS explains that dividing food into smaller containers lets it cool quickly. The same rule applies to gravy and mashed potatoes.
How to store leftover turkey
To store leftover turkey, carve it, cover it and get it into the fridge within 2 hours. After that, the fridge holds it for only a few days. So decide early what you will eat and what you will freeze.
How long is leftover turkey good in the fridge?
Leftover turkey is good for 3 to 4 days in the fridge, according to the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service. Meanwhile, keep the fridge at 40°F or below. So turkey from Thursday dinner should be eaten or frozen by Monday.
Shallow covered containers, at 40 degrees or below.
How should you wrap leftover turkey?
Wrap leftover turkey airtight, or seal it in a covered container. That is because, as FSIS says, this keeps bacteria out, holds in moisture, and stops the meat picking up other smells.
Also, slice the breast and keep the legs and wings whole, as FSIS suggests. Then label each container with the day, so the 3 to 4 days are easy to track. Raw ground meat runs on a shorter clock, 1 to 2 days in the fridge, as the ground beef guide explains.
Can you put hot turkey straight into the fridge?
Yes. The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service says hot food can go directly into the refrigerator. However, it should be cut into smaller portions first. So there is no need to leave the turkey out to cool.
Can you leave turkey out overnight?
No. FSIS says to throw away perishable food left at room temperature for more than 2 hours. A turkey left out overnight has passed that by hours, so it should go in the bin. The food left out overnight guide covers the rest of the table.
How do you reheat leftover turkey safely?
Reheat leftover turkey to 165°F, or until hot and steaming, as FSIS advises. However, it does not recommend reheating a whole turkey. So cut the meat first, cover it to keep it moist, and check it with a food thermometer.
Can you freeze leftover turkey?
Yes. FSIS says it is safe to freeze leftover turkey and trimmings, even if you bought them frozen. As plain slices or pieces, though, frozen turkey keeps its best quality for about 4 months. Covered in broth or gravy, however, it lasts about 6 months.
How do you freeze leftover turkey?
Freeze leftover turkey in meal-sized portions, wrapped tightly, as FSIS recommends for best quality. A splash of gravy or broth over the slices helps, since FSIS gives turkey in gravy 6 months against 4 plain. Then date each bag before it goes in.
Meal-sized portions, wrapped tight; gravy buys extra months.
How do you thaw frozen leftover turkey?
Thaw it in the fridge, in cold water or in the microwave, the three ways the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service lists. Then, after thawing in the fridge, use it within 3 to 4 days. Alternatively, reheat it straight from frozen, which FSIS says is safe but slower.
Can you refreeze leftover turkey?
Yes, in two cases. Firstly, FSIS says turkey thawed in the fridge can be refrozen. It also says leftovers reheated to 165°F can be frozen again. However, turkey thawed in cold water should be cooked before it is refrozen.
How to tell if leftover turkey has gone bad
Leftover turkey can be unsafe before it looks or smells bad. The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service explains that the bacteria behind food poisoning do not generally affect the taste, smell or appearance of food. So the calendar matters more than your nose here. Here is what each stage means.
Verdict: eat it
Fresh leftover turkey
Moist, pale breast meat and darker leg meat, with a mild roast smell. In other words, this is turkey that went into the fridge within 2 hours and is inside its 3 to 4 days. So reheat it to 165°F or eat it cold.
Verdict: eat it or freeze it today
Turkey on day 3 or 4
Turkey that looks and smells fine but has been in the fridge 3 to 4 days. In other words, that is the end of the window FSIS gives. So eat it today, or move it to the freezer now.
Verdict: throw it out
Turkey left out more than 2 hours
Turkey that sat on the table or counter through the afternoon, or overnight, even if it looks perfect. FSIS says to discard perishable food left out more than 2 hours. Reheating does not make up for it, so throw it out.
Verdict: throw it out
Slimy or sour-smelling turkey
A sticky or slimy surface, a sour or off smell, or grey-green patches. All of 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 to check.
Verdict: throw it out
Moldy leftover turkey
Fuzzy spots of white, green or black on the meat or the container. The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service says to discard cooked leftover meat and poultry with mold, because moist foods can be contaminated below the surface. So throw out the whole container.
Can you eat leftover turkey after 5 days?
FSIS gives cooked turkey 3 to 4 days in the fridge, so day 5 is past that window. Also, FSIS says you cannot tell by looking or smelling whether the bacteria that cause illness are present. So the safe move is to freeze turkey by day 4. Then you never face the day-5 question.
How long leftover turkey keeps, by type
The clock depends on where the turkey is and how it is packed. So here is each case.
Substitute
Works best in
What changes
Carved, in the fridge
3 to 4 days
At 40°F or below (USDA FSIS).
Plain slices, frozen
About 4 months
Best quality; safe indefinitely (USDA FSIS).
In broth or gravy, frozen
About 6 months
Best quality (USDA FSIS).
Left on the table
2 hours
1 hour above 90°F (USDA FSIS).
Mistakes people make with leftover turkey
These are the ways leftover turkey goes wrong most often, and each one is easy to fix.
Leaving the bird out to cool. FSIS says hot food can go straight into the fridge once it is cut up.
Refrigerating the whole carcass. Carve it first, so the meat cools quickly.
Leaving stuffing inside the bird. Take it out and store it separately.
Forgetting the 4-day limit. Freeze what you will not eat by Monday.
Reheating a whole turkey. FSIS does not recommend it, so cut the meat first.
Judging by smell alone. Spoilage can be invisible, so go by the days.
Warming gravy gently. FSIS says to bring gravy to a rolling boil when you reheat it.
Sources
Turkey Basics: Handling Cooked Dinners, Food Safety and Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, updated September 2024, on removing stuffing, cutting turkey into smaller pieces, reheating to 165°F, bringing gravy to a rolling boil, not reheating a whole turkey, cooked turkey at 3 to 4 days in the fridge, and plain turkey at 4 months and turkey in broth or gravy at 6 months frozen.
Leftovers and Food Safety, Food Safety and Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, on the 40°F to 140°F danger zone, the 2-hour and 1-hour rules, cooling in shallow containers, putting hot food straight into the fridge, wrapping leftovers, safe thawing, reheating without thawing, and refreezing.
FoodKeeper App, Food Safety and Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, whose published FoodKeeper data lists cooked poultry dishes at 3 to 4 days refrigerated and 4 to 6 months frozen.
Molds on Food: Are They Dangerous?, Food Safety and Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, on discarding cooked leftover meat and poultry with mold.
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.
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.
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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