The holidays often involve cooking a big turkey dinner for family and friends. After everyone has eaten their fill you’re left with plenty of delicious leftovers. At this point the question arises – can you leave the cooked turkey in the oven overnight to keep it warm until the next day?
Many people think keeping the oven on at a low temperature is a convenient way to store the cooked turkey. However food safety experts warn against leaving turkey in the oven overnight due to bacteria growth risks.
Read on to find out why you should never leave a cooked turkey in the oven overnight and how to properly store and reheat leftovers.
Is It Safe to Leave Turkey in the Oven Overnight?
According to the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, you should never leave cooked turkey or any leftovers out at room temperature overnight.
This is because bacteria can quickly multiply on perishable foods left out for more than two hours at temperatures between 40°F and 140°F. This range is known as the “danger zone” for bacterial growth.
Some of the dangerous bacteria that can grow rapidly on food left overnight in the oven include:
- Salmonella – Can cause stomach cramps, fever, vomiting, and diarrhea
- Clostridium perfringens – Causes abdominal cramps and diarrhea
- Bacillus cereus – Leads to nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea
Consuming turkey contaminated with these bacteria can lead to severe food poisoning. Even if you reheat the turkey thoroughly before eating, toxins produced by the bacteria can still cause illness.
Why You Shouldn’t Keep Turkey Warm Overnight in the Oven
You may think keeping the oven on at the lowest temperature setting overnight will keep the turkey warm enough to prevent bacterial growth. However, this is unsafe for a few reasons:
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Fluctuating temperatures – Oven temperatures vary and may dip below 140°F, entering the danger zone for too long.
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Drying out – Prolonged heat exposure leads to dry, overcooked turkey.
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Forgetting turkey – There’s a risk you may forget the turkey is in the oven overnight.
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Energy waste – Keeping the oven on all night wastes a lot of electricity.
To prevent foodborne illness, the safest practice is to refrigerate or freeze leftovers right away in shallow containers.
Proper Leftover Turkey Storage
According to food safety guidelines, you should refrigerate or freeze leftover turkey within 2 hours after cooking. Here are some proper storage methods:
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Refrigerating – Store turkey in shallow airtight containers or resealable plastic bags. Use leftovers within 3-4 days.
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Freezing – Place turkey in freezer bags or airtight containers, with as much air pressed out as possible. Label with date and use within 2-6 months for best quality.
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Carving – Carve turkey from the bone before storing. This allows for faster cooling.
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Small portions – Divide turkey into smaller containers for quick cooling in the fridge.
Always use clean utensils and containers when handling cooked turkey to prevent cross-contamination.
How to Safely Reheat Leftover Turkey
When reheating leftover turkey, follow these food safety tips:
- Defrost frozen turkey thoroughly in the fridge before reheating. Don’t thaw at room temperature.
- Use a food thermometer to reheat turkey to an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Bring gravy, soups, and sauces to a full boil before serving again.
- Reheat thoroughly on stovetop, in oven, or in microwave until hot throughout.
- Slice turkey into smaller pieces so it reheats evenly.
- Only reheat once for food safety. Do not store leftovers after reheating.
Reheating until the turkey reaches 165°F kills any bacteria that may be present. This prevents foodborne illness.
Signs Turkey Has Spoiled
While stored properly in the fridge, leftover turkey can last 3-4 days. However, there are signs turkey has gone bad and is unsafe to eat:
- Mold growth
- Slimy texture or flaky discoloration
- Strong, unpleasant sulfur odor
- Belly is abnormally puffy, with ruptured skin
Discard any turkey with these signs of spoilage right away. Don’t taste questionable turkey to check if it’s gone bad.
When stored and handled properly, leftover turkey will stay delicious for several days without the risk of food poisoning. Avoid leaving it in the oven overnight where bacteria can multiply rapidly.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long can cooked turkey sit out at room temperature?
Cooked turkey should not sit out at room temperature for more than 2 hours. After this time, it must be refrigerated or frozen. Leaving it out too long risks foodborne illness.
Is it safe to eat turkey that’s been left out overnight?
No, turkey that has been left out of the fridge overnight should not be eaten. Even if thoroughly reheated, toxins from bacterial growth may persist. Leftovers should always be refrigerated or frozen within 2 hours.
Can you get food poisoning from reheated turkey?
You can get food poisoning from reheated turkey if it wasn’t properly stored after initially cooking. Reheating does not necessarily kill toxins from bacteria. Always refrigerate leftovers immediately and practice food safety when reheating.
What happens if you leave turkey out overnight?
Leaving cooked turkey out overnight allows dangerous bacteria like salmonella, staphylococcus, and listeria to grow rapidly. Consuming turkey left out too long can cause severe foodborne illness.
Can you store an uncovered turkey in the fridge?
It’s best to cover leftover turkey tightly before refrigerating. Uncovered, it’s more prone to drying out and picking up odors or bugs from other fridge items. Place turkey in a sealed storage container or wrap tightly in foil.
Storing leftovers safely is key after cooking turkey. While it may seem convenient, never leave turkey or any cooked foods in the oven overnight. Refrigerate as soon as possible and reheat thoroughly before serving again. Follow these turkey safety tips to avoid foodborne illness when enjoying delicious leftovers.
Share Your Thoughts…Lastly, if you make Overnight Turkey, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, donât forget to tag me onÂ
Makes: 8-10 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 hours
Total Time: 10 hours & 20 minutes
- 14-16 pound turkey (see Chef’s Note)
- extra-virgin olive oil
- salt & freshly ground pepper
- poultry spice
- paprika
- garlic powder
- 2 heads of garlic, peeled
- 2 yellow onions, cut in thick slices
- 4 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
- 3 parsnips, peeled and coarsely chopped
- Heavy duty aluminum foil
Preheat oven to 180°F. If oven won’t go that low, set it to its coolest setting; anything up to 200°F is fine. Thoroughly wash turkey inside and out. Pat dry. Rub turkey with olive oil and then sprinkle spices all over it. Season inside as well as outside. Place turkey in a large roasting pan on a rack.
Place garlic, celery, parsnips and onions under the rack. Add enough water to come to the bottom of the rack and not touch the turkey itself. Add the turkey neck, liver and gizzard to the water in the pan.
Cover the pan completely by making a tent of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Because you want the moisture to stay in the pan, you need to cover all of its edges. This is the only tricky part to cooking a turkey like this.
Cook the turkey for 9 hours. Use a meat thermometer to find out how hot the turkey is inside. The thickest part of the thigh should be 155°F. The turkey will continue to cook so don’t worry that it’s too low.  See notes below if the turkey isn’t at 155°F.
Remove the foil tent and raise the oven temperature to 450°F. Cook for another 15 to 20 minutes, until the skin is browned and crispy and the breast is 160°F and the thigh is 170°F to 175°F.
Take the turkey out of the oven and carefully cover it with foil for 20 to 30 minutes. This will give it time to rest. Save the drippings for the Delicious Turkey Gravy.
Carve the turkey and serve!
Chef’s Note:
If you are making a larger turkey, just increase the temperature to 200°F and follow the same instructions. To make sure the turkey is cooked all the way through, take it out of the oven when the thigh reaches 155°F. I tried a 22-pound turkey and it took 10 hours at 200°F.
If the turkey hasn’t reached 155°F after 10 hours and you need the oven space, raise the temperature to 300°F and check on it every 15 minutes.
You can leave the turkey in the pan to cool. If you need to leave it for a while, cover it with foil and then heavy towels.
Strain the drippings and refrigerate them. Take off the layer of fat and use the juices as a base for your gravy (see Yum Turkey Gravy recipe).
See additional tips in blog post.
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