Sliced New-York Strip steak in new year’s feast.
by Yuhan Du @unsplash

Steak is your go-to food for most occasions, from casual friend gatherings at home to family dinners, and obviously, barbecues. If you follow our cooking recipes and tips, you can show off your culinary mastery; especially that steak can come with various side meals like rice or simply a well-garnished salad. We have shared the 5 Best Ways to Reheat Steak.

However, the main problem with steak is not cooking it but rather reheating leftovers the next day. We here suggest several tips and tricks that will help you know what to do with leftover steak.

Instead of throwing away any left-overs or giving it all to your dog, you can reheat your steak properly and give it back its yesterday’s good taste. So, if you are a food maniac and looking for ways to re-enjoy your steak left-overs, keep reading and follow this step-by-step guideline to have a perfectly reheated steak without drying it out or over-cooking it.

5 Best Ways to Reheat Steak

1. Microwave your steak

The most evident and time-sparing method to reheat your steak is to put it in the microwave for a couple of minutes, especially if you have a short lunch break. It is one of the efficient ways if you don’t know what to do with leftover steak. “But it will dry out!” you may think. Do not worry! We would not have suggested this method to you if we did not have the life hack you need to get a reasonably juicy meat piece.

• First of all, take your steak out of the fridge and put it in a microwave-safe dish. The important part is to pour gravy or meat juices over your steak before reheating it. You can also place a damp paper on top that is unlikely to burn; it will keep all the moisture in.
• It is also crucial to set the microwave to medium heat since high heat will inevitably dry out your steak. Hence it loses its good taste. You need to reheat it in 30-second intervals and make sure to pause and flip it in between for both sides to be equally reheated. Easy, fast, and efficient!

2. Reheat steak in the oven

When you ask your friends about what to do with leftover steak, they will evidently say, “reheat the steak in the oven, obviously!”. So, if you have time to spare for lunch, this is the best way to reheat steak. It can take up to half an hour, depending on your cut thickness, so it is better to regularly check your steak once you put it in the oven.

• All you need are a baking tray and a solid wire rack. Set temperature to 250°F. A higher temperature will eventually dry it out, just like with the microwave. Before getting started, you need to put the baking tray at the bottom, put the wire rack on top of it, and turn on the oven.
• Once heated up, finally add your steak. This way, your steak leftovers will be heated evenly on both sides. You may also use a delicious sauce of your choice over your steak, which will make it even more delectable and juicy. Enjoy your brand new steak!

3. Sous-Vide Method

Also known as low-temperature-long time cooking or Bain Marie, Sous-Vide is a cooking method that takes more time than usual. It is mainly characterized by its low-temperature. Many experts consider this method also to be the best way to reheat a steak.

• Steak leftovers need to be taken out of the fridge and put in an airtight bag for it to cool off before starting the sous-vide reheating process.
• You should squeeze this airtight bag as much as possible to extract the air stuck inside.
• Fill your water container and set it at a temperature between 120° and 130°F.
• Once the water is sufficiently hot, place the tightly knot airtight bag in the container. This technique takes up to 8 minutes. It is preferable to watch over it as it reheats. This method of reheating will retains all the juice and reduce the risk of overcooking. The result is just delicious!

4. Using the Stovetop

This method is not recommended to reheat your steak leftovers since it won’t go back to its initial freshness and juiciness, but it is still a valid choice for reheating steak if you are in a rush.

• Get your steak leftovers out of the fridge before starting the reheating process.
• Once cooled off, put a teaspoon of oil in a pan and let it warm at a medium temperature, then add your leftovers. Watch out; a high temperature will dry the meat and eventually ruin it. We also recommend that you flip your steak at least once so both sides could be evenly warmed up: you don’t want to end up with a hot side and a colder one. Cover your pan with a glass lid, let the heat circulate only in the pan.
• Keep a close eye on your steak; if it is over-heated, you can add a sauce of your choice to get a better taste. The stovetop method is not the best, but it still works.

5. Adding Meat Broth

To reheat leftover steak in the oven or to microwave it, both are perfectly fine choices, but adding beef broth will help you preserve all the juiciness.

• Get your leftover steak out of the fridge, let it sit at room temperature.
• Put your beef broth on the pan and let it warm up before adding the meat. You do not need to add oil if the skillet you are using is neither sticky nor scratched. Just like the microwave method, it should not take too much time. The thing about beef broth is that not only it retains the juice, which is excellent, but it also adds extra moisture to the meat, which is even better. Sounds easy? Try this at home, and let us know what do you think!

Instead of just reheating steak, you can also use your leftovers to prepare lovely recipes. Here is what we suggest:

4 ultimate recipes to prepare with your reheated leftover steak

1. Romaine Caesar Salad:

A well-garnished romaine salad is a game-changer when it is gently prepared with your leftover steak. This is the list of ingredients you need:

• 1 fresh and large Romaine lettuce
• 1 teaspoon of black pepper
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 2 teaspoons of anchovy sauce
• 5 chopped cloves of garlic
• 1 teaspoon of strong mustard
• 2 teaspoons of Worcestershire paste
• 2/3 cup of olive oil
• 1 cup of home-made croutons
• A generous amount of fresh Parmigiano cheese
• Some juice of 1 lemon
• And of course, your reheated leftover beef

Rinse the lettuce leaves with water and let them dry out in a salad bowl. Cut the leaves into small pieces, and put the bowl aside. Meanwhile, choose your best way to reheat your leftover steak, and let’s move to the following step!
With the back of a spoon, mash the salt, pepper, anchovy paste, garlic, and mustard altogether. Cut your reheated beef into small pieces, which are to be added with the other ingredients. Proceed by adding lemon juice, Worcestershire paste, and olive oil.
Finally, sprinkle your delicious cheese all over the salad, and place the home-made croutons.

Bon appétit!

2. Steak Sandwich:

If you don’t know what to do with your leftover steak, preparing a delicious sandwich is a winning idea. All you need is:

• 4 gently split crusty hard rolls
• ½ cup of home-made mayonnaise
• 3 minced cloves garlic
• 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese, or to taste
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large sliced onion
• 1 pinch of salt
• ½ teaspoon Worcestershire paste
• ⅛ teaspoon of liquid smoke
• ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
• Your thinly sliced leftover beef

First, mix the mayonnaise, garlic, and Parmesan cheese in a bowl, and let them refrigerate until you use them later. Then, place the rolls in the oven at a temperature set to 260°F, and toast to desired level
Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Carefully place your onions, and add the salt, Worcestershire sauce, and liquid smoke. Let it cook for about 10 minutes. You will know it’s ready when the onion is tender, so keep a close eye on it. Meanwhile, how to heat steak is up to you. You can microwave steak, in this case, since the rolls are already in the oven. Once heated, add that steak to the pan and mix.
Then, open the toasted rolls and spread the home-made mayonnaise on both halves. It is better to add the steak and onion mixture first. Then, top it with the cheese and sprinkle with the 1/2 teaspoon of Italian seasoning. Finally, generously place the tops on the sandwiches. This meal is better eaten when it’s hot, so you can replace it in the oven for a couple of minutes. Enjoy your hot-from-the-oven steak sandwich!

3. Meatball Pizza:

Meatball pizza sounds like a meal to have only in restaurants, but you can bake it on your own at home, and here is what you need:

• Pizza dough
• 1 can of tomato sauce, which can be home-made
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 halved and thinly sliced onion
• 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup of chopped Kalamata olives
• Leftover grilled meatballs

Once you prepare your pizza dough, this 20-minute recipe is very easy and straightforward. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Meanwhile, roll out pizza dough to the ovals of your choice, according to the size of your oven. You need to sprinkle a handful of flour or a teaspoon of olive oil over the bench before rolling the dough to prevent it from sticking.
Once the crust is ready, transfer it to a pizza pan. Start by spreading the home-made tomato sauce over that crust with a ladle, and sprinkle with garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and Parmesan cheese. Then, add the onion, your leftover meatballs, and the remaining Mozzarella and Cheddar cheeses. Lightly brush your crust with olive oil and place your pizza in the oven. The baking takes 15min on average. If you notice that the cheese is fairly melted, know that it is ready. Once out of the oven, top it with chopped Kalamata olives.

Check out meatballs with cheese recipe.

4. Chilli Beef Noodles:

This is one of the best ways to enjoy your leftover beef instead of throwing it away or ordering Chinese food. We know that Chill beef noodles are an ultimate craving for most of us, so it is always good to have a stock of these ingredients at home, just in case:

• 4 large baking potatoes
• 1 or more cup of sour cream
• 5 teaspoons of unsalted butter
• 2 green chopped onions
• 2 teaspoons of refined olive oil
• 1 cup of shredded Cheddar cheese
• Leftover pork

Start by preheating the oven at 420°F.
Rinsing your potatoes with cool water, use a fork to pierce each potato. To prevent it from sticking, pour some olive oil on a baking pan, place the potatoes on it, and sprinkle them with salt. Put that pan in the oven and bake for about 60 minutes or until the potatoes are soft and squeezy, so you need to check them regularly.
Let them cool for a few minutes after taking them out of the oven. Slice all the potatoes lengthwise but not thoroughly so you can have enough skin to cover it later on.
Now, evenly stuff the potato with the ingredients that you prepared. Place the sour cream, the chopped onions, the Cheddar cheese, and the leftover pork in no particular order. Smash everything with the back of a spoon to have a clean and well-stuffed potato.
Continue staffing all of the remaining potatoes, and place them back in the oven. This time, increase its temperature to 450°F for the cheese to melt well. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the outside is fairly browned. This meal is to be served immediately hot from the oven.

Let us know what you think!
No one is judging you for having meat leftovers; Do not worry! Many people don’t realize that reheating steak is possible, and they don’t know what to do with the leftovers. Just make sure to enjoy it while it is still good. Do not let it exceed four days in the fridge, or else it will be hopelessly ruined.
We sought to provide you with five of the most recommended reheating methods that will give you a warm and newly-fresh piece of meat. It would be best if you always remembered that it is absolutely fine to reheat your leftover meat from last night’s dinner party instead of throwing it out in the garbage. These five best ways of reheating it does not ruin it. It is a money-saving measure. It spares you the trouble of cooking a new meal. No matter which reheating method you opt for, yesterday’s beef will be as intact as ever with the efficient tips, the right temperature, and maybe some sauce on top.

Good read: Blue Steak – How to Cook Rare Blue Steak and Recipes?