How to reheat smoked turkey
For many people, the favorite part of a turkey meal is the next day’s leftovers. Turkey sandwiches, ground turkey, soup turkey, and sliced turkey with hot sauce are crowd-pleasers. Smoked turkeys are cooked by smoking a whole turkey or turkey slowly and indirectly over a smoky fire. Whether you need to reheat an entire smoked turkey or any leftover pieces, doing it right ensures a moist and flavorful meal.
Instructions
Oven
- Preheat the oven to at least 325 degrees F.
- Slice any remaining breast meat off the bone with a sharp knife. Cut off the wings, thighs, and legs with the bone intact or removed. The United States Department of Agriculture reports that smoked or cooked turkey can be eaten cold or hot.
- Arrange the pieces of smoked turkey in a shallow dish or in a pan. To keep the turkey moist, pour ¼ to ½ cup of turkey broth, chicken broth, or water over the meat and cover the dish with aluminum foil.
- Place the pan into the oven and heat the turkey until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F when a food thermometer is inserted into the thickest part of the meat. Depending on the oven and the amount of turkey in the pan, reheating may take 15 to 20 minutes or more.
Microwave
- Select a glass baking dish or microwave container, as neither metal nor aluminum can be used in a microwave oven. Pour ¼ to ½ cup of broth or water over turkey to maintain moistness.
- Cover the baking dish with a paper towel or plastic wrap if the microwave-safe dish does not have a lid. Covering the turkey will prevent any splatters against the walls or microwave oven door and keep moisture in the pan.
- Microwave the turkey until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees when the food thermometer is inserted into the thicker piece of turkey. Microwave ovens vary widely in cooking time, and if the owner’s manual is not available. In the microwave, the turkey on a medium setting in one-minute increments until the desired temperature is reached.
