How to Cook a Turkey the Day before Serving It (2024)

FAQs

How to Cook a Turkey the Day before Serving It? ›

It's easy: Simply cook it a day or two in advance, let it cool completely, then carve the bird into large pieces—breasts, wings, thighs and drumsticks. Store in a container in the refrigerator until the big day. This method actually result in juicier meat—and an infinitely more relaxed host.

When serving your turkey the next day, the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline advises that cooked turkey may be eaten cold or reheated.

If you're pressed for time (or oven space), Make Ahead Roasted Turkey is just what you need. With this technique, cooking turkey the day before, the week before, or even the month before, still tastes delicious and freshly carved.

Simply heat your oven to 300 degrees, put the carved meat in a baking dish, and add some chicken broth or turkey stock to the pan. The meat will absorb some of the liquid as it heats, making it nice and juicy. Cover the pan tightly with foil and place it in the oven until the meat is hot, 20 to 30 minutes.

Information. Never brown or partially cook meat or poultry to refrigerate and finish later because any bacteria present would not have been destroyed. It is safe to partially cook meat and poultry in the microwave or on the stove only if the food is transferred immediately to the hot grill to finish cooking.

You don't want the meat to dry out while it sits overnight, so you will need to cover it with a liquid. Spoon some chicken broth or the drippings from the roasting pan (and the cutting board) over the turkey so it stays moist. Cover snugly and refrigerate overnight.

Place the turkey pieces in a baking dish and drizzle with a few tablespoons of stock and/or butter. Cover the dish with foil and heat in the oven at 350°F for about 30 minutes. Alternatively, you can microwave the sliced turkey (cover with a damp paper towel) in a microwave-safe dish at 50% power in 1-minute intervals.

To achieve a perfectly golden, juicy turkey, let the bird spend time both covered and uncovered in the oven. We recommend covering your bird for most of the cooking time to prevent it from drying out; then, during the last 30 minutes or so of cooking, remove the cover so the skin crisps in the hot oven.

The most Perfect Roast Turkey recipe relies on dry-brining and butter-basting for the juiciest, most delicious turkey you've ever had. Save your pan drippings too for an easy classic gravy recipe.

How to keep turkey moist in the oven? ›

While the oven is preheating, bring your bird to room temperature. This ensures even cooking. Use a roasting rack. Though you don't technically need one, a roasting rack allows the air to circulate around the bottom of your turkey in the oven, which means that soggy skin is way less of a risk.

Information. After the turkey has reached an internal temperature of 165 °F, as measured with a food thermometer, you can keep it warm covered with foil in an oven.

Yes! You can season, stuffed and butter up the turkey the night before and place it onto a roasting pan, then into the refrigerator. Can I make the garlic butter ahead of time? Yes, I recommend making the garlic butter ahead of time to save time the day of, especially if you have lots of other dishes to prepare.

The color of cooked meat and poultry is not always a sign of its degree of doneness. Only by using a meat thermometer can one accurately determine that a meat has reached a safe temperature. Turkey, fresh pork, ground beef or veal can remain pink even after cooking to temperatures of 160°F. and higher.

Rinse the inside and outside of the turkey in cool water. Pat it dry with paper towels and sprinkle the inside and outside with a bit of salt. Put the turkey in a pan, and return it to the fridge unwrapped. Letting the turkey dry out in the fridge overnight will make the skin crispier.

Cold, cooked turkey meat will keep in the fridge for up to four days, but always use your best judgement. Always reheat cold turkey until it's piping hot, not just warmed through. Only reheat cooked turkey once.

Safety First. Although it might be tempting to roast your turkey early and display it on the table for a few hours until it's time to eat, the USDA advises otherwise. In fact, you shouldn't leave any perishable food out at room temperature for more than two hours.

Don't stuff a turkey the night before cooking it. Bacteria can multiply in the stuffing and cause foodborne illness when a stuffed bird is refrigerated. The wet and dry ingredients for the stuffing should be prepared separately and refrigerated until ready to use.