How To Store And Reheat Turkey Without It Drying Out

Thanksgiving leftovers may be even better than the main meal itself, but not when the turkey gets dry and flavorless. Make sure your tender turkey sandwich dreams live on with a helpful tip from Bryan Ogden, Executive Chef at Bourbon Steak New York. "Store leftover turkey submerged in the gravy," he told Food Republic. "It will be more flavorful and will not dry out."

Simply separate the turkey from the bones and skin, and stir the meat together with any leftover gravy you have. The liquid reintroduces moisture to the meat that may have been lost, and keeps that juiciness locked in. And since gravy is packed with all those deep savory notes we know and love, your leftover turkey dishes will be a lot tastier, too.

Along with the gravy, consider pouring in any drippings from the bottom of the turkey platter before taking the whole thing to the fridge. On the other hand, if you do not have enough gravy left over, supplement it with a bit of broth, stock, or creamy condensed soup that you may have laying around from other Thanksgiving dishes. Both turkey and gravy will last in the refrigerator for three to four days.

Bryan Ogden also recommends reheating turkey meat in gravy, which will create a moist and tender result that is perfect for incorporating into all sorts of recipes. If your turkey a bit too saucy for certain applications — like in a sandwich or slider — simply lift it out of the gravy with a slotted spoon and use the extra for dipping. However, all that gravy goodness is best left intact for a melty Thanksgiving leftover turkey cheesesteak.

You can use this turkey in gravy as an easy base for soups and stews, or make a shortcut turkey pot pie. Simply mix in some leftover veggies or a bag of frozen vegetables, and place the mixture in a baking dish. For the crust, you can top it off with uncooked pie dough or that tube of leftover biscuit dough that you didn't end up using. Or, put those day-old dinner rolls, cornbread muffins, crescent rolls, or croissants to good use by tearing them up and using those as an easy one-ingredient pot pie topping.

Turkey and gravy also pair perfectly with leftover mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes for delicious and hearty one-bowl meals. Use the potatoes as a base, scoop on the saucy turkey, and dress it up with thinly-sliced scallions or fresh parsley for a little brightness. No matter how you decide to use it, when you store turkey this way, it will definitely be tender for the days to come.