Wednesday, December 26, 2007 10:43 AM
How long is it safe to keep leftovers?
Whether you hosted the holiday dinner or were lucky enough to make off with a haul of leftovers from the party (like I did, thanks to my brother, Doug!), all of your goodies should be stashed in the refrigerator within two hours of serving. If the food sat on the counter for hours while you recovered from a food coma, be very selective about what you choose to save and toss. Bacteria thrives at room temperature.
Turkey should be removed from the bone, and sliced or shredded—depending on how you’ll use it, in sandwiches or soups. Pack the meat in a small zip-top packages or plastic containers. Turkey and other meats should be eaten within three or four days, so refrigerate the amount you’ll use in that time and freeze the rest. (If you have one, this is the time to bust out the FoodSaver to vacuum-seal the leftovers—they’ll last up to five times longer.) Properly sealed frozen turkey should last up to four months, but if you freeze the turkey in broth, it can last as long as six months.
Stuffings, salads, veggies and casserole-y sides should be used within one or two days, or frozen.
To reheat, make sure all meat reaches an internal temperature of 165*F; gravy should be heated to a boil.
Me? We banned turkey from the table this year, so I’ll be making some kind of hearty, spicy meat-and-potatoes shepherd’s pie with beef tenderloin and the bounty of other tasty leftovers I scavenged from the buffet. (My version is loosely based on this recipe from Paula Deen, but I’ll skip the biscuit topping—my feeble attempt at “lite” cooking.)
What are you making with your leftovers?