A great steak always makes a really sumptuous dinner of heavenly taste. The challenge always comes is what to do with leftovers the next day as cold steak is not only not healthy but also hard to reheat.
The most persistent thought in your mind is usually how you are going to warm your meat and still maintain the taste, tenderness and juices.
Here are some neat tricks to get great results when reheating your steaks.
Reheating Steak In The Oven
Whenever you want to maintain the moist and juicy appeal of you steak this is the way to go.
It is the most suitable choice to go for mostly when you have enough time on your hands for preparing your meal since it takes longer than the stove or microwave.
For this method;
- Preheat your oven to 250˚F
- Get a backing dish or baking tray and set a wire rack inside it, the wire rack allows free flow of warm air around the steak, and the rimmed baking tray catches any juices that drip
- Place your leftover steaks on top of the wire rack and place the baking dish in the preheated oven
- You should leave the steaks to cook for around 20-30 minutes, checking them regularly since steaks cook according to its thickness at this range of time the temperature range will be around 100-110˚F
- Heat a cast-iron skillet or nonstick pan over high heat and add a bit of oil to the pan, and swirl to coat. When the oil is starting to smoke, place each steak in the pan. Sear about 60 seconds on each side, or until they turn brown.
- Remove the steak from the pan and let rest for about five minutes
Reheating Steak In The Microwave
If you are short of time this is probably the best method to go by.
The imperative thing to note is that you should do is save the juices from your cooked steak from the night before and store them in a freezer bag or airtight container with your leftover steaks in the fridge.
Doing so will keep the meat moist and mean it’s tastier than ever.
Steps
- Place the cold steak in a deep, microwave-safe dish.
- Drizzle your meat with some leftover steak juices (or whatever your preferred steak sauce of choice may be).
- Cover the steak with a microwave-safe lid or plastic wrap.
- Microwave the steak on low to medium power in 30-second increments until your steak reaches desired temperature making sure you turn it efficiently to ensure it cooks just right.
Reheating Steak In The Stove
This is presumably the best method of reheating steak especially since it maintains the outside sear of the steak. This method is used best with the sous vide style of cooking in which food is placed in a plastic cooking bag and steamed in a pot of water on the stove.
Sous vide cooking can get your leftover steaks heated while cooking them evenly and is the best way to ensure that your medium rare steak retains its moisture and juices.
Find a brand name plastic bag made especially for withstanding heat from cooking and make sure it doesn’t contain harmful chemicals
The steps are as follows:
- Allow enough time for your meat to come to room temperature.
- Bring a pot of water to a low heat (about 130 degrees Fahrenheit).
- Place your leftover steak in an airtight freezer bag.
- Immerse your freezer bag (with the steak in it) in the warmed pot. Make sure the steak is not leaning up against the edge of the pot.
- Cook the steak until the meat is warmed through. This should take about five minutes.
- Sear the steak on a warmed skillet with a small amount of butter or oil. This gives your steak the perfect charred exterior.
Add Your Steak To Some Beef Broth
This is by far the easiest way to reheat your steak, all you need are a non-stick skillet some beef broth and your leftover steaks.
It is advisable to use a non-stick skillet so you won’t need any oil to keep the steak from sticking later in the process.
The steps are as follows:
- Place your skillet on the stove and add some beef broth.
- Leave the broth to heat until you see it slowly starting to simmer.
- Add steaks into the skillet and let them cook for about a minute or two.
The main secret is that the broth gives the steak some extra moisture, so you can be sure your steak won’t go dry or taste rubbery.
- You can add vegetables of your liking, we chose carrots and cilantro
- You can have it plain or serve with noodles
Reheat Steak Using An Air Fryer
An air fryer is also a key player in the reheating game and this is why, it is a multipurpose tool which allows you to cook the steak
The step are as follows:
- At first, you need to set the temperature at 250˚ F and apply the oil all over the steak.
- When the air fryer ready then put the streak in it and leaves it for at least 20-30 minutes or until internal temp reaches 110°F and doesn’t forget to check it after the regular interval to make sure that the steak does not get fried.
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Reheating Steak By Steaming
In this method you also retain the juices and flavors of the original steak
The steps are as follows:
- Place your leftover steak or prime rib in a piece of foil
- Using the au jus your steak came with or a beef broth use cover your steak in 2-3 tbsp worth
- Fold the foil around the steak so it is fully sealed and covered
- Then place in the steamer basket and steam on high for 3-6 minutes with the steamer covered with a lid
- Once it has been steamed unwrap and place on your plate and enjoy.
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Hybrid method
You can also do a cross between the baking and stove-top method.
The steps are as follows:
- Begin with the oven preheating it to 100-125 degrees.
- With the steaks on a wire rack the heat from the oven can freely circulate over and under the steak which quickly and evenly warms it up
- After 25-30 minutes check closely for the steam the moment you see a light mist turn off the oven and remove the steak
- Now head over to the oven phase
- While waiting for the steak to bake heat a pan with some oil and butter
- Sear both sides of the steak on medium-high heat for a minute or so you will notice a nice brown crust develop
- Place the steak on a plate and allow it to rest five minutes this will allow the juices to settle and gradually heat the steak’s inner core
- Serve it up with some garnishes and a glass of wine
Bonus tip:
The way you store your steak in the fridge can affect the results you get when you reheat it. A perfect steak can lose its texture and flavor if you fail to store it properly in the fridge.
Using the right wrapping techniques can help you keep the integrity of your meat intact.
If you don’t have a vacuum sealer you can wrap the steak leftovers in freezer paper which is a thick coated plastic paper that can lock moisture and keep air away from the steaks
How you properly store steak in the fridge:
Wrap each piece of meat individually and tightly. Then place them in a heavy-duty freezer bag in one layer. Lay the bag on a flat surface and zip the bag until only a small opening remains. Use your hands to squeeze out as much air as possible before zipping it closed.
The meat should lay flat in one layer on a refrigerator shelf with plenty of room around them for air to circulate and keep them cold. also keep your steaks on the bottom shelf to prevent any juices from potentially seeping out and contaminating other foods.
Generally leftover steaks are safe in the fridge for about three days given that you use the right techniques to store them.
It is also worth noting that steak should only be reheated once, cooling meat and reheating a second time increases the number of bacteria on the steak
The method you choose will basically be based on the particular situation you will be in be it to save time or when you can take your time. However, for the sake of restoring your steak to its former glory and deliciousness I would personally recommend either the hybrid method or the oven method, thank us later.
