Turkey is delicious on Thanksgiving, but it’s not always the easiest thing to cook. Once you’ve cooked your turkey and carved it, you’ll need to store it in the refrigerator.
Storing turkey in the fridge can be a little tricky. If you put it in too soon, it will get soggy before the big holiday feast. If you wait too long, however, your food could spoil before anyone gets to enjoy it.
So, how long can turkey stay in the fridge? Turkey should stay in the refrigerator for about two days after cooking. After that time period, it’s best to throw out any leftovers or freeze them for later use (if they aren’t already frozen).
How To Store Turkey In The Fridge
Storing Cooked Turkey
Once you’ve cooked your turkey, it’s time to store it properly. While it’s tempting to eat all of the leftovers right away, that’s not the best way to keep them from going bad. You want to make sure that your turkey is still fresh and delicious when you go back for seconds or thirds.
To make sure your turkey lasts as long as possible in the fridge, follow these simple steps:
Make sure that you store your turkey in a covered container. This will help prevent it from drying out or getting freezer burn. If you don’t have an extra container that you can use for this purpose, just use a plastic bag with a sealable top.
Put the turkey in the fridge immediately after you’ve cooked it so that bacteria doesn’t have time to grow on it while it sits out on the countertop.
Keep the turkey refrigerated at all times until you’re ready to use it again — don’t leave it out at room temperature for more than two hours at most!
Storing Raw Turkey
If you’re planning on storing raw turkey in the refrigerator for a few days, it’s important that you take some precautions to prevent food-borne illness.
First and foremost, make sure that you store raw turkey in the fridge immediately once you get home. This will help keep bacteria from growing in your food.
When storing raw turkey in the refrigerator, keep it cold at all times. Make sure other food in the fridge isn’t touching the turkey. This will prevent bacterial growth.
Raw turkey should be stored at temperatures below 41 degrees Fahrenheit (5 Celsius).
If your raw turkey isn’t going to be cooked within 2 days, it’s recommended to freeze them instead.
Storing Stuffed Turkey
Storing a stuffed turkey in the refrigerator is fairly easy, but it’s important to remember that you can’t store it at room temperature. You need to put it in the fridge as soon as possible after you cook it. Here are some tips for storing your turkey in the fridge:
Make sure to take out your stuffing and wrap it separately. The stuffing can be stored for up to two days on its own. If you want to keep the turkey warm for a couple of hours, place it on an oven-proof dish and cover it tightly with aluminum foil before putting it in the refrigerator.
Do not store your turkey near other foods that have strong odors or flavors, such as onions or garlic. The smells will transfer onto your meat and make it taste bad.
Why Turkey Needs To Be Wrapped When Stored In The Fridge
Turkey is a great way to feed a lot of people quickly and easily, but it can be a bit tricky to store. A whole turkey can take up a lot of room in your fridge, but if you wrap it up in aluminum foil, you can keep it fresh for days. Aluminum foil also helps to keep the meat moist as it cooks.
The best thing about wrapping your turkey is that it’s easy to do and keeps the meat safe from bacteria.
Here are some tips for wrapping your turkey:
• Wrap the bird in plastic wrap first. This will help keep moisture inside while keeping other food out. Make sure all of the parts are completely covered with plastic wrap. Then put it on top of the foil, overlapping where needed so that each piece of plastic wraps around at least two edges of the bird.
• Use heavy-duty foil if possible; regular foil is not strong enough to hold up when wrapped around the entire bird (it will tear). The heavy-duty foil should be big enough for your turkey and then some — use as much as you need until there are no gaps between pieces of foil touching each other or with uncovered parts of the bird showing through. This will help keep moisture inside while keeping air from entering the foil.
How Long Can Stuffed Turkey Stay In The Fridge?
If you are using a pre-cooked turkey, then you can keep it in the fridge for up to 5 days after you buy it. This is because the stuffing is already cooked, so no bacteria will grow throughout this time period. You just need to make sure that you don’t leave it out for more than 2 hours at room temperature before cooking it.
If you are cooking your own turkey and stuffing, then this can only be kept for 2 days in the fridge before being cooked because bacteria can begin to grow during this time period. However, if you cook your stuffed turkey immediately after making it then there shouldn’t be any problems with storing it in your refrigerator until then.
Conclusion
Turkey can be refrigerated for up to two days.
Turkey that has been cooked and then cooled can be refrigerated for up to three days. Cooked turkey may be frozen for up to one year and still taste good.
If you want to freeze your turkey, make sure it is completely cooked by using a meat thermometer, which should read 165 degrees F in the thickest part of the thigh. You do not have to thaw the frozen turkey before cooking it, but defrosting times vary according to the size of the bird and the way it was frozen (flat or upright). Plan on at least 24 hours for every 5 pounds of turkey.