Storing Turkey Leftovers

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Leftovers are a big part of every holiday meal. New Mexico State University's Anna María Pérez-Wright has tips on storing leftovers safely.

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If you're cooking turkey for the holidays, leftovers are inevitable. Doña Ana County home economist Jennifer Hopper with New Mexico State University's Cooperative Extension Service says it's important to keep food safety in mind when storing leftovers. Start by putting them away within two hours after cooking.

"You don't want to store the stuffing and the turkey together. Get a bunch of shallow containers and divide your meal. It will help it cool faster and will help with reheating."

Hopper says refrigerated turkey and stuffing should be eaten within three days of cooking.

"If you want to keep the cut surface of your turkey breast from drying out, you can press a piece of plastic wrap or a damp paper towel next to it before you cover it and refrigerate it. When you do reheat your leftovers, you need to make sure that the internal temperature reaches about 165 degrees."

Hopper says it's also safe to re-freeze your leftover turkey and trimmings. For N-M-S-U's College of Agriculture and Home Economics, I'm Anna María Pérez-Wright.