How to Reheat Roast Beef [Oven, Skillet, Microwave]

Roast beef dinners are the highlight of any week, and the leftovers can continue for days. Here are the best ways to reheat leftover roast beef so it’s tender and juicy.

How to Reheat Roast Beef

The perfect roast beef is a delicious meal that can be enjoyed any time of the year. However, if you are left with some roasted beef after a large family dinner and need to know how to reheat it for tomorrow’s lunch, it might seem like an impossible task. Don’t worry! There are several ways to reheat your leftover roast beef so that it tastes just as good as when you first made it.

We’re looking at our five best methods for reheating leftover roast beef. From a simple stovetop to a sous vide machine, we look at each method, what you’ll need, and which is best for your needs. Let’s get into it.

Skillet & Stovetop

Perhaps you’ve made more roast beef than you can finish in a serving. The next logical thing would be to store it in the refrigerator. But this then leaves you with a lump of meat. The next time that you need to serve it, you will have to reheat it. There are different ways of going about this, and using a cast iron skillet or frying pan on your stovetop remains of the best and easiest to do.

The delicate balance is that you want to maintain your level of doneness but still heat it. The stovetop is great as you won’t need extra appliances aside from your stovetop. This method is better suited for well-done meat.

The best way to go about this is to slice the roast beef before it goes in the fridge, then heat the individual slices. This will help you get an equal amount of heat all around. Place the different slices in the skillet, and sear them for a couple of minutes on each side. Make sure the stove is on medium-high heat. A couple of minutes on each side should do the trick. 

If you want to reheat a whole roast without further cooking it, boil a pot filled halfway with water, wrap the meat in foil, and place it in a metal bowl. Once the water boils, place the bowl with the meat inside the pot of water. Cover with a lid for about 5 minutes if you didn’t freeze it. It was, you can leave it there for about 20minutes. This method works great for meat that doesn’t need to be cooked any further.

Oven

Another method that you can use is the oven. Make sure the oven is adequately preheated to about 250˚F. Wrap the roast beef in foil and then place it on a baking tray. Once the oven is properly preheated, switch it off and then place the roast inside the oven. The residual heat should bring the meat back up to speed. This process should take about 20 minutes or so. This works well for a medium-rare roast.

If you want to reheat medium roast, you will need an oven temperature of 350˚F for about 5minutes if it was only in the fridge. If it was in the freezer, then you will need about 8minutes. This method also applies when reheating medium to well-done roasts. For a well-done roast, the oven needs to be reheated to 390˚F.

Microwave

The microwave is one of the common ways because it is easy and convenient. Usually, roast beef will have some sort of juices that come with it. as such, you want to keep those as they have a lot of flavors. Put the roast beef in a microwave-safe pot along with the juices. Then make sure to cover with the right microwave cover.

Turn the microwave on to the reheat setting or on high. Make sure there is no foil in sight! Then reheat the roast for 30 seconds. Check on the roast after this time, if it’s not yet hot enough, then set it for a further 30 seconds. The intervals of 30 seconds each, help you check on the meat periodically. 

You can use a temperature probe to check whether the meat has reached the optimal temperature or not.  The method is the same for different levels of doneness, with the difference being in the amount of time. 

Crock-Pot Slow Cooker

You can also heat a roast using a crockpot or a slow cooker. The first thing to do is turn the slow cooker on, and set it to warm. Then pour the roast into the slow cooker. Use the juices from the roast, to pour into the slow cooker, alternatively, you can use water. you will need half a cup of whatever you choose to use. These liquids will help you maintain moisture.

Then allow the roast to heat up for about 2 to 4 hours. This is not the method for you if you are in a hurry.  

Sous Vide

Reheating roast beef means that you are risking overcooking it so care should be taken. The best way to do this is with a sous vide machine. This is a French term referring to a cooking method that encompasses vacuum sealing and allows cooking to the exact level of doneness. 

To use this method, heat water to the original cooking temperature. Pack your roast beef with a food vacuum sealer. Place your temperature probe inside the bag so that you know when it reaches the right temperature. Then connect the precision cooker to your pot filled with water. Attach the bag, to the side of the pot, preferably on the inside. Once it is fully warmed up, you can then sear the meat to give you the look that you want.

The amount of time that it will take to reheat your meat will largely depend on how big it is and the surface area that needs to be reheated. As such the heating times may vary. The main point of this method is to use vacuum-sealed bags, and this also helps to keep it from overcooking.  


FAQ

What’s the best way to store roast beef?

To store roast beef in the best possible way and give it more life, refrigeration is the best way. Make sure to wrap it tightly in foil or plastic wrap, sealing it from moisture and ais as well. You can also store it in the freezer, where it will last for much longer as long as it’s stored properly.  

How long will leftover roast beef last?

Leftover roast beef can last for about 3 to 4 days, when it is stored in the fridge, in airtight containers, or better yet vacuum-sealed bags. You can also store it in the freezer, at 0˚F, and it will last about 2 to 3 months. After thawing it, roast beef will be good for a further three or four days. 

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