Cooking SchoolYOUR GUIDE TO THANKSGIVING LEFTOVERS —HEATING THEM,
FREEZING THEM, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, EATING THEM
By Adina SteimanROAST TURKEY
Cut meat off bones, wrap in foil, and
place in freezer bags. Use bones for
stock; for an Instant Pot version,
add them with onions, carrots, celery,
and herbs. Cover with water by 1 inch
and cook on high pressure for 30
minutes with natural release. Strain
and use for soup, risotto, or gumbo.BAKED SIDE DISHES
To maintain the texture of dishes
like sweet potato casserole, gratin,
and stuffing, avoid microwaving.
Reheat in a wide, ovenproof container,
covered with foil, at 300°F until
warm in the middle. Then uncover
and broil briefly (or, if using a toaster
oven, toast) to crisp up the top.MASHED POTATOES
Always reheat with a bit more milk
and a pat of butter. Or use straight
from the fridge as a topping for a
quick shepherd’s pie. For an easy fall
soup, thin out with chicken broth
and simmer with sautéed leeks,
thyme, and a splash of white wine.ROLLS, BREADS & BISCUITS
Cube rolls and freeze to use in strata,
bread pudding, or more (yes, more)
stuffing. Toast cornbread and bis-
cuits to eat with jam the next day, or
crumble and mix with butter and
brown sugar to make a quick-baking
cobbler topping for cooked fruit.ALL THE PIES
Store fruit pies, loosely wrapped in
plastic, at room temperature to
maintain the crust’s texture. Stash
pumpkin, pecan, and icebox pies in the
fridge. Eat with yogurt for breakfast,
or layer with ice cream and maple
syrup for a next-day dessert.ROOM TEMP
FRIDGE
FROZEN
Turkey Gravy StuffingMashed
PotatoesS we e t
PotatoesCranberry
Sauce BreadsFruit
PiesOther
Pies—
3 to 4 days
3 months—
2 days
2 months—
3 days
3 months—
3 to 4 days
2 months—
3 days
——
2 weeks
2 months1 to 2 days
—
1 month2 days
—
——
2 days
—How Long Will It Keep?
Illustrations by Adam Cruft