Helping you prepare healthy food in a hurry!
Alice Henneman, MS, RD

How to Cook a Turkey the Day Before Serving It

Alice Henneman, MS, RD Extension Educator & Dietitian University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension in Lancaster County

Joyce Jensen, REHS Environmental Health Specialist Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department

Sometimes it may be easier to prepare your turkey the day before you plan to serve it. If you do, follow these guidelines:

1. Wait about 20 minutes after removing turkey from the oven to allow the juices to distribute. For directions on how to safely cook a turkey, click HERE.

2. Slice breast meat; legs and wings may be left whole. Place turkey in metal containers; limit depth to less than 2 inches. Metal containers cool faster than glass-type pans. NOTE: Wash your hands with soap and warm water for about 20 seconds before you begin slicing your turkey.

3. Pour broth over turkey to prevent drying. Then refrigerate, loosely covered. You can place loosely covered foods in the refrigerator while still warm; cover tightly when food is completely cooled.

4. On the day of your meal, cover pan with an oven-proof lid or foil and reheat thoroughly in a 350 F oven until hot and steaming throughout (165 F). NOTE: If you're planning to travel and bring the turkey, it's safest and easiest to travel with it pre-cooked and cold. Carry it in an insulated cooler with lots of ice or frozen gel-packs to keep the cooler temperature under 40 F.Then reheat the turkey at your final destination.

5. Either freeze leftover turkey or plan to eat cooked turkey within 3 to 4 days of the day it was originally prepared. Once removed from the oven, turkey shouldn't set at room temperature longer than 2 hours TOTAL time. For best safety and quality, avoid reheating and cooling turkey multiple times.

If you make your gravy the day before, refrigerate it in a shallow container. Bring gravy to a rolling boil when reheating it. Eat gravy within 1 to 2 days of original preparation date.

TIP #1: If using a DIAL instant-read thermometer, insert it at an angle 2 to 2-1/2 inches deep through several slices of turkey. If using a DIGITAL instant-read thermometer, insert it at least 1 inch deep so it measures the center of a layer of slices.

TIP #2: If heating your turkey in a glass-type container, it's safest to transfer the turkey to the container just before heating. For some glass-type baking dishes, you run the risk of the glass breaking if you put the cold dish from the refrigerator directly into the oven. It's not safe to let your turkey warm at room temperature before reheating it.

TIP #3: It's recommended that dressing be made as a separate dish and not stuffed in your turkey. Heat dressing until the center reaches 165 F. Eat dressing within 1 to 2 days of preparation.