NEWS... BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT

Christmas Day is done and dusted for another year, and that can only mean one thing – that you’ve been left with an awful lot of leftover turkey.

If you tucked into a big bird on the big day, you might have already exhausted some of the tried and tested leftover recipes – from putting it in a curry to simply dishing up turkey sandwiches.

But just how long can you keep the leftovers for – and if you’re all out of ideas for turkey-based fare and just want to stick it in the freezer, how long will it last?

We’ve got all the information you need to know.

Cold, cooked turkey meat will generally keep in the fridge for up to four days, but always use your best judgement.

You need to be extra careful if you plan on warming your turkey up – never reheat the leftovers more than once, as this can provide the perfect environment for bacteria to grow and produce toxins.

Although heating the meat above 75°C for a second or third time will kill the bacteria, it won’t destroy the toxins.

If you are eating the leftovers cold, you should take only what you need from the fridge – as leaving the turkey at room temperature for prolonged periods of time can also encourage bacteria to grow.

There’s no limit on how long you can freeze turkey for, although the Food Standards Agency recommends you use it within 3-6 months. After this time, it will still be safe to eat, but there may be a deterioration in quality.

If you previously defrosted the turkey and then cooked it, it’s fine to refreeze the cooked leftovers once – although the NHS advises that raw meat which has been defrosted should never be refrozen.

You should freeze cooked turkey leftovers as soon as possible after eating – as the fresher the meat is when it goes into the freezer, the fresher it will be when you take it out.

First, however, the turkey has to be completely cool. It is vital when refrigerating cooked meats that they have cooled to 21°C within two hours of cooking to prevent bacteria growth.

You can cool it down in the fridge before freezing it, but the meat should be cooled before doing this, so the fridge temperature doesn’t rise and compromise the safety of other food. 

Make sure if you do freeze leftovers that they are wrapped well – as food that is badly wrapped can lose moisture.

This can lead to what is known as ‘freezer burn’ which causes the food to become dry and tough – while it will still be safe to eat, it might not taste as good.

You should also bear in mind that once you have defrosted cooked leftovers, you should use them within 24 hours and they should not be refrozen.

If you are freezing turkey leftovers, on that basis it makes sense to freeze it in portion sizes – so when you come to use it you only defrost what you need.

MORE : How to deal with post-Christmas blues

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