Can you freeze cooked turkey?

It’s perfectly okay to freeze cooked turkey, you just need to know how to do it properly.

Cooking a whole turkey is a bit of a task. The large size of even the smallest birds typically means a long cooking time and often lots of preparation in advance if you’re brining the turkey wet or dry. Even if you choose to roast a turkey leg or just the breast, it can result in more meat than your family can consume at one time. You’re not going to let your hard work (and perfectly good food) go to waste, but cooked turkey only lasts three to four days in the fridge.

So what to do with leftover cooked turkey? Southern Living consulted two reputable chefs to get to the bottom of this important cooking conundrum, Grant Carnes, executive chef at the Waldorf Astoria Washington DC, and Victoria Shore, executive chef at Thompson Savannah, both of whom agree that freezing cooked turkey is fine.

Read on for their insights and best practices for freezing cooked turkey.

Can you freeze cooked turkey?

Cooked turkey can be frozen, but Carnes warns: “the texture will be a bit grainy with use.”

Shore also advises that: “However, you should always let it cool to at least room temperature before freezing—for food safety and the safety of your freezer.” Putting hot food in a freezer full of cold, frozen items will affect the temperature of the freezer and the other items in it, so it is crucial to wait until any leftovers have cooled before putting them away.

How long does cooked turkey last in the freezer?

Shore says she’s kept turkey in the freezer for as long as six months, but admits it’s best consumed within three, “to make sure it’s not too dry or compromised in texture.” The US Department of Agriculture reiterates that cooked turkey can be frozen for three to four months, but notes that the meat is technically safe indefinitely, as the time range is merely a guide for best quality.

Best practices for freezing cooked turkey

• Vacuum packing: Carnes says vacuum-packing cooked turkey before putting it in the freezer is the way to go, as this pro move will “adequately reduce any chance of freezer burn.” He also suggests packing the meat in small quantities so it can be used as needed, “as opposed to having to pull out a half-eaten bird.” This method will also reduce thawing time, something we’ll get into a little later.
• Freezer bag: Shore agrees that vacuum sealing is the best method for freezing cooked turkey, but she understands that not all home cooks have this special equipment. The Thompson Savannah chef says you can place pieces of turkey in a thin layer in a freezer bag instead, pushing out as much air as possible before sealing.

“Thin layers are key as they make thawing time much faster,” Shore explains, adding that she prefers this method because, “I can just pull out the pieces I need for quick thawing instead of dealing with an unwieldy part of frozen together pieces.”

How to defrost cooked turkey

The best method for thawing cooked turkey involves time. “Let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight,” advises Shore. But Shore says if you’re looking for something quicker, you can broil or roast white meat slices from their frozen state, while dark cuts of meat can be broken up into pieces before adding to a stew or pie filling.

What to do with frozen cooked turkey

Like Shore, Chef Carnes likes to use leftover turkey for pot pies, as the addition of vegetables and the sauce keeps the turkey moist.

• Dark meat: Chef Shore says you can also put leftover dark meat turkey to work in any casserole where you’d use pork (like pozole), or in a Cajun gumbo. “The texture is robust enough to hold up to a bit more cooking, and the flavor is neutral enough to let your other ingredients take center stage,” explains Shore.
• White meat: Her white meat advice might make you hungry for lunch: Chop leftover white meat slices and combine with mayonnaise, curry powder, diced green apples, golden raisins and diced celery for a new take on chicken salad. Shore likes to serve this turkey salad in a wrap with lots of crisp lettuce for added texture.