Our Top Guide & Tips For Reheating Fried Turkey

Fried turkey can make an easy quick mid-week dinner or Christmas dinner, it's crispier than normal oven-cooked turkey and is quicker to cook too. 

To reheat a fried turkey is easy, you can simply use the microwave or oven and heat it uncovered until its internal temperature reads 165F again to make sure it's safe to eat and warmed through.

We've made an informative guide below which will take you through a step by step of how to reheat your turkey, how to store your fried turkey for reheating later as well as how to deep fry your turkey for a quick and easy meal!

How To Reheat Fried Turkey 

To reheat fried turkey you need to let it thaw first to room temperature, if we are talking about an entire turkey here then you will probably need to thaw this for at least three days in the fridge to be on the safe side, you can work out how many minutes per pound.

Alternatively, you can cut the turkey into slices for easier reheating until it reaches the right temperature, we will list both methods down below. 

Reheating a Whole Turkey 

1. Remove your deep-fried turkey from the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature. 
2. Preheat your oven to gas mark 2 or 3, the heat should be low as we want a juicy turkey, not dry from overcooking. 
3. Keep your turkey in foil and heat uncovered in the oven for around 30-40 minutes until the internal temperature reads 165F. 
4. Remove and serve!

Reheating Leftover Turkey Slices 

1. Let your turkey slices come to room temperature from the fridge. 
2. Lay them out one by one on a microwave-safe plate. 
3. Set your microwave to a low heat setting and set it to heat for 5 minutes, check the turkey at 2-minute intervals to make sure it is warming through and not overcooking. 
4. Keep reheating the turkey until the internal temperature reads 165F then serve and enjoy!

How To Store Fried Turkey 

If you want to keep your fried turkey tasty for reheating then you should make sure are storing it correctly to keep it fresh. 

We've listed a few tips for storing your fried turkey down below. 

• Use an airtight container - For your turkey not to turn rancid you need to make sure you are sealing it well in a container for later use, you should either use a container or a zip lock bag for maintaining freshness.
• Store within two hours after cooking - If you leave your turkey in aluminium foil for a while after cooking you need to make sure it is packed up and in the fridge within two hours, if not it can start to harbour bacteria. As well as making sure you get your leftover turkey in the fridge soon enough, you should additionally make sure it is completely cool before storing.
• Do not store with other food - It's best if you keep your leftover turkey separate from other foods in the fridge, for example, do not store turkey and stuffing together, this stops food contamination if one item goes bad as doesn't change the flavour of the stored food. 
• Transfer it to another bowl after cooking - For a faster cooling time try moving your turkey over to the container or another dish straight away, this will stop the turkey from cooking in aluminium foil while you try to cool it as it retains heat.

How To Make a Deep Fried Turkey 

If you want to make a turkey quickly for dinner you can simply deep fry it, we've listed out a recipe below for frying your turkey with some simple steps. 

Ingredients 

• Three gallons of peanut oil.
• One turkey with the giblets removed.
• 1/4 cup of Cajun seasoning.
• One onion.

Method 

1. In a large stockpot or turkey fryer, heat oil to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Be sure to leave room for the turkey, or the oil will spill over. Layer a large platter with food-safe paper bags.
2. Rub your turkey with seasoning all over and place the onion as well as the turkey into your deep frying pan basket.
3. Lower the turkey into your oil until it is entirely covered and cook for around 45 minutes or 3 minutes per pound.
4. Remove turkey from oil and drain, check it is cooked with your meat thermometer and to 180 degrees on the drumsticks.

Frequently Asked Questions About Reheating a Fried Turkey 

Can I store fried turkey in aluminium foil? 

We would not suggest storing turkey in aluminium foil, it's better to be cooked in aluminium foil than stored in a plastic container.

Which oil should I use for deep frying my turkey? 

For deep frying your turkey you should use an oil that has a high smoking point, a great one to use is peanut oil or olive oil.

What should the internal temperature of my turkey be? 

Your turkey should be a temperature of 165F for the breast and 185F for thighs and drumsticks.

How do I store leftover turkey? 

You should store leftover turkey in a plastic container or a plastic sealed bag, make sure it is cooled first and store it before it is left out for too long.

Is deep-fried turkey healthy? 

Deep-fried turkey has a lot of oil and is much more unhealthy than oven cooked turkey or grilled turkey.

Can I cook a turkey in an air fryer?

You can cook turkey pieces in an air fryer but not a whole turkey as it wouldn't fit, this is a much healthier way than deep-frying it.

Last Words 

To conclude, you can reheat deep-fried chicken easily uncovered in either a microwave or an oven, this will take anything from 20 minutes in the microwave to an hour in the oven. Make sure your turkey is reheated all the way through for food safety.