Do you have leftover turkey slices to reheat for a quick and easy meal? Sliced turkey breast leftovers are exciting to pair with mashed potatoes, stuffing or warm gravy, which makes a perfect follow up meal prep.
Sliced turkey can be reheated by using multiple methods, but microwaving is clearly the easiest and fastest.
How do you reheat sliced turkey in the microwave? Place sliced turkey on a microwave-safe plate, cover with a paper towel or microwave-safe lid and heat on medium power or reheat setting for 3 to 5 minutes. If needed, continue reheating in 30 second bursts until piping hot and the internal temperature reaches 74 degrees Celsius or 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Reheating turkey in a microwave is the quickest and easiest way of making a sliced turkey warm once again. Add a pad of butter to the slices of turkey to provide moisture and enhance the flavor.
In this article, we’ll discuss microwave tips for the best method to reheat sliced turkey without drying out. Answered below are frequently asked questions about reheating sliced turkey in the microwave to retain the original flavor as much as possible.
Can you reheat sliced turkey in the microwave?
Yes, you can reheat sliced turkey in the microwave. In fact, using the microwave to reheat turkey slices is the quickest and simplest method of reheating leftovers.
Microwaving works best if the amount of sliced turkey meat is reduced to a couple of portions. Where large quantities are involved, then a slower method like warming in an oven is recommended to ensure all the pieces get fully reheated.
Always cover the dish of sliced turkey with a paper towel or microwaveable lid to ensure the moisture is trapped to heat more evenly and prevent the sliced turkey from drying out.
If the sliced meat came from the fridge, allow it to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before starting the process so that the thermodynamic transition from cold to hot isn’t so extreme. Furthermore, simply drizzle with hot stock or gravy to keep it moist and tender.
Once the sliced turkey is placed in the microwave-safe dish and covered with a lid, start the reheating process. Use medium heat or reheat setting of 70% power for 3 to 5 minutes and it will be ready to be served.
Is it safe to reheat sliced turkey in the microwave?
Yes, it is safe to reheat sliced turkey in the microwave. As long as the sliced turkey was properly stored in the fridge or freezer, then reheat to an internal temperature of 74 degrees Celsius or 165 degrees Fahrenheit to prevent food borne illness.
When reheating a sliced turkey in a microwave, the sliced turkey meat should be placed in a microwave-safe bowl, and covered with a damp paper towel to trap steam, prevent damaging the texture, and preserve flavor.
Microwaving can lead to overcooking when not carefully tended to. To overcome this, additional butter, sauce, gravy or splash of water may be necessary to proved added moisture for reheating.
How do you reheat turkey slices without drying them out?
Due to lengthy fridge or freezer storage, leftover turkey slices tend to loose moisture content within that may cause it to dry out when reheated. However, this can be solved by using microwave with a couple of tricks to preserve moisture and juiciness when serving.
It is recommended to cut turkey slices into thin pieces and bring to room temperature before reheating. Additionally, smear the pieces with butter or gravy the top layer and transfer into a microwave bowl as a single layer.
Place the sliced turkey meat in a microwave-safe bowl and cover with a damped paper towel to preserve the moisture. Alternatively, drizzle with stock or water for extra moistness so they meat doesn’t dry out.
Adjust the microwave power to medium heat or 70% power, and use 1 minute intervals to reheat until the meat is piping hot and reaches the proper temperature. Always check the temperature with a meat thermometer to verify the internal temperature reaches 74℃ or 165℉ before serving.
Tips for reheating sliced turkey in the microwave
When reheating sliced turkey in the microwave, there are high chance of not having the same taste as original. However, it is possible to retain the moisture and flavor even though it has been frozen or in the fridge for a long time.
Here are expert microwave tips for reheating sliced turkey quickly:
- Cut sliced turkey into thin, uniform pieces to avoid inconsistent results.
- Leave the turkey slices at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes before the reheating process begins.
- If the turkey is frozen, defrost turkey in the microwave prior to reheating for even heat and to shorten the cooking time.
- Use a microwave-safe bowl.
- Top with a microwave cover, damp paper towel or microwave-safe plastic wrap to trap steam that preserves moisture when reheating.
- Set the microwave to medium power and do not use full power to reheat turkey slices. This can result in drying out or overcooking the meat quickly.
- Check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer to ensure the sliced turkey reaches an internal temperature of 74°C or 165°F for it to be safe to consume.
Best way to reheat sliced turkey in the microwave
There are many ways to reheat sliced turkey whether it is in the oven or stove, the result does not differ very much. However, the reheating time is significantly different and microwaving is the fastest and easiest.
The number of slices, total weight and microwave wattage will affect the total reheating time. As a result, it is recommended to reheat one portion at a time.
When heating up 2 or more portions of turkey slices, lay on a single layer and avoid overlapping for best results.
Consider cutting down turkey meat into small and even sized pieces. The small sliced pieces are then placed in the microwave-safe dish and covered with a wet paper towel to preserve the moisture.
Adding broth or smearing with butter on the sides can enhance the flavor even more, keeping a soft and tender texture.
Set to medium power mode or use the reheat setting for 3 to 5 minutes at most until the proper temperature is reached. Additional 30 seconds may be required if you want to warm the sliced turkey a bit extra.
Check with meat thermometer to ensure the meat is reached 165 degrees Fahrenheit or 74 degrees Celsius for it to be safe to consume. Once it is fully reheated, pair with mashed potato and drizzle warm gravy over the top to serve.
Reheating Sliced Turkey in Microwave: Conclusion
When reheating sliced turkey meat, the risk of losing significant moisture is very high. Therefore, sliced turkey is best reheated in the microwave with added moisture and a lid over the top to trap steam.
Whether the turkey is stored in the fridge or freezer, there is higher chance of loosing water content from the meat. To revive this issue, start by drizzle with a spoonful of water or broth for flavor and moistness. Also, cover the meat with a damp paper towel to preserve moisture to avoid drying out during the heating process.
Use medium heat or 70% reheat power level in microwave, and run for 3 to 5 minutes until the turkey slices are piping hot. At the halfway point, flip the slices on the other side for even heating and to speed up the process.
Check the temperature reaches 74℃ or 165℉ with a meat thermometer to verify it is ready to consume. If needed, add 30 second bursts of heat and repeat the process.
Reheating sliced turkey in the microwave is quick and easy to do. Within a couple minutes, the turkey slices will be moisture, tender, hot and ready to eat.