One of the treats that comes from enjoying a turkey dinner is eating the leftovers the next day. If you also make turkey soup with the bones, youre getting another gastronomic delight. Its distinct flavor, which only homemade soup can, warms the soul and provides the body with essential vitamins and protein. You can enjoy every last bit of your turkey soup and keep yourself safe once you know the facts about freezing and storing it.
The U. S. The Food and Drug Administration, which oversees food safety, offers guidelines for keeping cooked turkey refrigerated. It is safe to keep cooked foods, including turkey, outside of the refrigerator for no more than two hours. The safe window shortens to one hour if the temperature where the meal is being served rises above ninety degrees Fahrenheit, whether it’s outside or indoors without air conditioning.
After that, it should go into the refrigerator pronto. Like other soups and stews, turkey soup can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three or four days. After that, it may harbor high enough levels of bacteria to make you sick. Bacteria is present everywhere, including in the air and in food. In small amounts, its harmless. However, with each passing day, bacteria can multiply and reach a dangerous level.
The FDA no longer advises cooling hot food on the counter before putting it in the refrigerator. Formerly, putting very hot food in the cold refrigerator affected the temperature of all the other refrigerated food. Food can be refrigerated while it’s still hot because modern refrigerators can safely cool hot food without affecting the nearby food.
If youve cooked a large pot of soup, though, transfer it into smaller containers before refrigerating it. Small containers cool more quickly than large ones, so your soup will cool faster. You also dont have to deal with the big, unwieldy soup pot taking up space.
Making a large pot of flavorful turkey soup has only one drawback: you feel compelled to eat it every day for the rest of your life to ensure that it isn’t wasted. Soon, your family is wailing about eating turkey soup again. You can experiment by serving artisan bread one day and a crisp green salad the next, but you and they both know that the turkey soup is still the best. Thats a sad fate to befall such a wondrous, wholesome food.
Luckily, freezing turkey soup is a cinch. You can store your soup for a longer period of time by freezing one or two of the smaller containers you made. Frozen soup will keep in the freezer for two or three months. Give it a month and see how everyone is doing. At that point, they should be more inclined to say, “Mmmmm! It’s your yummy turkey soup!”
It’s likely that you will have cooked turkey leftover if you have roasted a turkey and are preparing turkey soup. Cooked turkey will keep safely refrigerated for three to four days; ditto for other cooked poultry like chicken.
The catch is, though, if you also have leftover gravy, it can spoil within two days. So, eat your turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy meal the second day just to be safe. When you serve any cooked turkey that you haven’t yet refrigerated from the freezer, you should expect praise. This will happen in a few months or so. Cooked turkey will keep in the freezer for four to six months.
Turkey soup is a delicious and hearty meal that can be enjoyed for days after it’s made. But how long does turkey soup actually last in the fridge?
According to the US. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), cooked turkey soup can safely be refrigerated for 3 to 4 days After that, the soup may harbor high enough levels of bacteria to make you sick.
Here are some tips for storing turkey soup in the fridge:
- Cool the soup quickly. After cooking the soup, transfer it to a shallow container and place it in the refrigerator. This will help the soup cool down more quickly and prevent bacteria from growing.
- Store the soup in an airtight container. This will help to prevent the soup from absorbing flavors from other foods in the refrigerator.
- Label the container with the date. This will help you keep track of how long the soup has been in the fridge.
If you’re not sure whether the turkey soup is still good, it’s always best to err on the side of caution and throw it out
How Long Can I Keep Cooked Turkey in the Fridge Before I Make Soup?
Cooked turkey can also be safely refrigerated for 3 to 4 days. After that, the turkey may start to dry out and become less flavorful.
Here are some tips for storing cooked turkey in the fridge:
- Remove the skin and bones. This will help the turkey to cool down more quickly and prevent bacteria from growing.
- Store the turkey in an airtight container. This will help to prevent the turkey from drying out.
- Label the container with the date. This will help you keep track of how long the turkey has been in the fridge.
If you’re not sure whether the cooked turkey is still good, it’s always best to err on the side of caution and throw it out.
Additional Tips for Storing Turkey Soup and Cooked Turkey
- Freeze the soup or turkey. If you’re not going to eat the soup or turkey within 3 to 4 days, you can freeze it for up to 2 to 3 months.
- Thaw the soup or turkey in the refrigerator. This will help to prevent the soup or turkey from becoming contaminated with bacteria.
- Reheat the soup or turkey thoroughly before eating. This will help to kill any bacteria that may be present.
Turkey soup and cooked turkey are both delicious and nutritious meals that can be enjoyed for days after they’re made. However, it’s important to store them properly in the fridge to prevent them from spoiling. By following the tips above, you can keep your turkey soup and cooked turkey safe and delicious for days to come.
A Note About Raw Turkey
Turkey thats uncooked is in its most vulnerable state. Raw turkey should be refrigerated only one or two days before cooking it. If youre not going to use it within that time, freeze it to be safe.
How long raw turkey keeps when frozen:
- Whole turkey: one year
- Turkey pieces: nine months
- Giblets: three to four months
How long is leftover turkey good for in the fridge?
FAQ
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