If you live for Thanksgiving leftovers, you’ll want to know how to reheat turkey so it’s not as dry and tough as shoe leather. Perhaps you overestimated how much turkey you need per person and you have loads of leftovers or you only have a few slices and want to do them justice. Whatever the reason, our tried-and-true tips and methods from the Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen will ensure that your leftover turkey recipes are as juicy and tender as day one.
Once you’ve nailed your protein, give some warming love to your Thanksgiving sides: Find out how to reheat stuffing and even leftover mashed potatoes.
How do you reheat turkey without drying it out?
The best way to make succulent, delicious leftover turkey is to create some steam and let the turkey warm up gently in the oven. This low and slow method is also great for feeding a crowd, because you can heat up many slices at once. Just need a single serving, maybe for a glorious turkey sandwich? You might be better off trying one of two other methods, the microwave and the stove, which we'll explain below.
How to reheat turkey in the oven
Our oven directions come straight from Chief Food Director Kate Merker's grandfather, who owned a restaurant in Queens, New York, for decades and reheated countless turkeys in his lifetime. Here's his go-to method:
- Heat the oven to 300°F. After roasting the turkey and carving it, slice the thigh and breast meat as evenly as possible.
- Arrange the slices in a single layer in a shallow pan or baking dish and drape a clean kitchen towel over the top.
- Pour gently simmering chicken broth (we love stirring a spoonful of Better Than Bouillon into water for a quick broth) over the towel just until it’s damp.
- Wrap the entire dish in foil and bake until the turkey is steaming (the USDA recommends taking the turkey to 165°F). Don’t be tempted to crank up the oven temp — keep it low or the turkey will become tough.
How to reheat turkey in the microwave or on the stovetop
- In the microwave: Slice the turkey into similar sized pieces and arrange in a shallow baking dish (the sides help it steam). Drizzle with a bit of chicken broth, then cover the dish. Microwave on medium until heated through.
- On the stovetop: Add ¼-inch broth to a large skillet and arrange the turkey in a single layer. Cover the skillet, bring the broth to a simmer and cook gently until heated through.
Can you cook a turkey the day before and reheat it?
If you're like us, your T-Day to-do list is longer than a table runner. While you can cook an entire turkey the day before and then reheat it, we suggest getting a jump start on your Thanksgiving side dishes and Thanksgiving desserts instead. Make and freeze flaky pie crust, cook up a better-as-it-sits cranberry sauce or bank some make-ahead Thanksgiving appetizers.
If you must make your bird ahead of time, follow these steps:
- Roast the turkey as you normally would (pssst! try one of our best Thanksgiving turkey recipes).
- Let it rest for 20 to 30 minutes (tip out any juices for the best make-ahead turkey gravy).
- Carve the turkey, separating the legs from the rest of the bird (keeping the legs separate is the best way to reheat breasts and wings). Separate the drumstick from the thighs, then remove the bones from the thighs (it is easier to do this when the turkey is still slightly warm).
- Refrigerate the turkey in airtight containers overnight.
- The morning of, heat the oven to 300°F to 325°F. Remove the turkey from the refrigerator, then evenly slice the thigh and breast meat (try and make them as even in size and thickness as possible).
- Arrange the slices in a single layer in shallow pans or baking dishes and drape a clean kitchen towel over the top of each.
- Bring some chicken broth to a simmer, then gently pour it over the towel just until it is wet.
- Wrap each entire dish in foil and bake until the turkey reaches 165°F.
Note: When breaking down the bird, keep each piece as intact as possible. The smaller the piece of turkey, the more likely it is to dry out.
How do you store turkey properly?
Let the cooked turkey cool to room temperature, up to two hours. Slice it into as large portions as possible to fit into resealable bags or airtight containers. Leave any bones attached to minimize exposing the meat to the air. Exposure to air is the enemy of leftovers — you don't want a crust to form on the tender meat — so wrap each piece tightly before placing in the bags and containers then refrigerate. Once stored safely, the turkey will remain safe for three to four days, according to the USDA.
Samantha (she/her) is the Senior Editor at Delish, where she edits the most-talked-about food news and features on the internet. In her previous role as Assistant Editor in the Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen, she taste-tested hundreds of products and recipes (tough job!). A graduate of Fordham University, she considers the kitchen to be her happiest place.
Susan (she/her) is the recipe editor at Good Housekeeping, where she pitches ideas, parses words, and produces food content. In the Test Kitchen, she cooks (and samples!) recipes, working with developers to deliver the best written versions possible. A graduate of Brown University and a collaborator on several cookbooks, her previous experience includes stints at Food & Wine, Food Network, three meal kit companies, a wine shop in Brooklyn and Chez Panisse, the pioneering restaurant in Berkeley, California. She enjoys playing tennis, natural wines and reality competition shows.
