Smoked turkey is an amazing Thanksgiving delight. You can do so much with smoked turkey.
You can make smoked turkey sandwiches, whole Cajun smoked turkey, smoked turkey and bean soup, smoked turkey and sweet potato hash, etc.
With that said, there is one tricky element involved in reheating smoked turkey and that’s is to ensure that the reheated meat doesn’t become dry and rubbery.
However, if you make sure to reheat turkey in the right manner, then it will turn out to be deliciously juicy.
Read on to find out how to reheat smoked turkey.
Is Smoked Turkey Fully Cooked?
Yes, a smoked turkey comes fully cooked! It’s perfectly safe to open the package, slice the turkey, and serve it as is.
However, if you prefer to eat it hot, then you’ll have to learn how to heat up smoked turkey.
How to Reheat a Smoked Turkey
Yes, a smoked turkey comes fully cooked! It’s perfectly safe to open the package, slice the turkey, and serve it as is.
There are three ways in which you can reheat a turkey – in an oven, countertop roaster, and microwave.
Whichever way you choose depends on your convenience and preference.
So, let’s examine all three methods in detail:
Reheating in an Oven
The most conventional and perhaps the best way to reheat smoked turkey is reheating it in an oven.
It results in a juicy and crispy smoked turkey.
So, here’s how you can reheat smoked turkey in your oven:
- If you’ve bought a frozen turkey, make sure to thaw it in your fridge for a day before reheating it.
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Put the smoked turkey in a pan by placing its breast against the bottom of the pan.
- Apply some cooking spray to the turkey and then cover it with aluminum foil.
- Put the pan inside the preheated oven and reheat the turkey. The time it takes to reheat the turkey varies greatly based on the size of the whole turkey.
- Use a probe thermometer to check the internal temperature of the turkey by sticking it in its thigh. If the temperature is 160 degrees Fahrenheit, then you can take the turkey out of the oven.
- Let the turkey rest for 10 to 15 minutes before serving it. This will ensure that the turkey evenly absorbs the juices.
Reheating In a Countertop Oven
When it comes to learning how to heat whole smoked turkey so that it retains its moisture, the best way to reheat it is in a countertop oven.
So, here’s how to heat whole smoked turkey in a countertop roaster oven:
- Preheat your roaster and put the whole turkey on the rack.
- Heat the turkey until its internal temperature reaches anywhere from 155 to 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Let the turkey rest for about 10 minutes before serving it so that the meat absorbs the heat evenly.
Reheating in a Microwave
When it comes to reheating smoked turkey pieces such as wings, sliced breast, or drumsticks, then your microwave will be your best friend. It’s a much quicker way to reheat smoked turkey.
For whole pieces such as wings, drumsticks, etc., here’s what you need to do:
- Place the smoked turkey pieces on a microwave-safe plate or shallow dish and use a parchment paper to loosely cover them.
- Put the plate in the microwave and heat the pieces in increments of 2 minutes. Make sure to check the temperature of the turkey so that you don’t overheat it.
- Let the turkey pieces rest for 5 minutes before serving them, this gives them the chance to heat evenly.
Here’s how you can reheat sliced turkey breast:
- Put the slices in a microwave-safe dish and add a spoonful or two of broth into the dish.
- Cover the dish with a lid or a plastic wrap. Don’t forget to poke some small holes in the wrap with a toothpick.
- Heat the slices for about 1 to 3 minutes, depending on the number of slices.
How to Reheat Smoked Turkey Without Drying It Out
Wondering how to reheat smoked turkey without drying it out? Just make sure to add some broth to the turkey before reheating it.
Additionally, cover it with aluminum foil so that the moisture doesn’t escape and the reheated turkey becomes juicy, not dry.
How Long Will Smoked Turkey Last in the Fridge
Leftover smoked turkey can easily last in your fridge for up to 4 days. Just make sure to store it properly in a plastic food container.
What Internal Temperature Should a Smoked Turkey Be?
Make sure to reheat your store-bought smoked turkey to at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit. This ensures that your cooked turkey meat doesn’t have any harmful bacteria growing on it.
However, some people like to reheat it to 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
However, that can result in dry turkey meat. Either way, you can reheat smoked turkey till it reaches an internal temperature of anywhere between 160 to 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
How Long Does It Take to Reheat a Smoked Turkey?
The reheating time for smoked turkey depends on a large variety of things, such as the reheating method, the size of the whole turkey, the temperature of your oven, and more.
If you choose a low temperature to reheat the turkey, then it might take somewhere about 4 hours to cook.
However, if you reheat it at 325 degrees Fahrenheit, then it might take somewhere around 2 1/2 hours.
With that said, make sure to start earlier so that the turkey is fully reheated when it’s time to serve it. If it’s prepared earlier than expected, then you can always keep it warm in the oven.
Furthermore, you’ll need to give it a 10 to 30-minute rest before carving it. This will allow the juices in the meat to distribute evenly.
Tips and Tricks
Wondering how to heat up smoked turkey perfectly? Here are some tips to help you out:
- Spray some cooking spray on the turkey before putting it in the oven. The spray will provide additional moisture to the bird and prevent it from drying out.
- The color of your reheated smoked turkey will look pinkish. That’s perfectly natural with smoked turkey, so don’t worry, it’s not undercooked.
- To keep the smoked turkey from drying out in your oven, make sure to cover it with aluminum foil. You can even remove the foil toward the end of reheating to get crispy skin.
- If you want your turkey meat to be tender, then add some chicken broth to it before reheating it.
- To quicken the reheating process, make sure to remove the turkey from the fridge an hour before reheating it. This will ensure that it’s near room temperature when you reheat it.
- Check the internal temperature of the turkey before serving it, it should be at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
The bottom line
If you enjoyed reading this guide on how to reheat smoked turkey, then do try the various reheating methods that I’ve mentioned above.
Make sure to follow the tips and tricks that I’ve detailed and devour the turkey within 4 days of refrigerating it.
How to Reheat Smoked Turkey in 3 Different Ways
How to reheat smoked turkey. Our preferred method for reheating smoked turkey and keeping it juicy is in the oven.
Ingredients
- Smoked turkey
- Roasting pan
- Cooking spray
- Aluminum foil
- Meat thermometer
Instructions
- If you’ve bought a frozen turkey, make sure to thaw it in your fridge for a day before reheating it.
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Put the smoked turkey in a pan by placing its breast against the bottom of the pan.
- Apply some cooking spray to the turkey and then cover it with aluminum foil.
- Put the pan inside the preheated oven and reheat the turkey. The time it takes to reheat the turkey varies greatly based on the size of the whole turkey.
- Use a probe thermometer to check the internal temperature of the turkey by sticking it in its thigh. If the temperature is 160 degrees Fahrenheit, then you can take the turkey out of the oven.
- Let the turkey rest for 10 to 15 minutes before serving it. This will ensure that the turkey evenly absorbs the juices.
Notes
Cook times will vary based upon the size of the turkey.
Amanda Reis
Sunday 26th of July 2020
Smoked turkey has a wonderful flavor, but all turkey tends to dry out in the fridge. The tip about chicken broth was helpful. I just added it to my turkey on the stove top to keep it moist.