How to Reheat Steak The Proper Way?

So you had a sumptuous dinner made posh by wine and steak. Now you have a slab of meat as leftover which you wouldn’t want to toss in the bin because they’re pretty expensive. But you know very well it’s going to be flat and dry the morning after. Every meat lover’s nightmare. Luckily, there are ways to get back its glory. We’ll show you how to reheat steak using three equipment: the conventional oven, the microwave oven, and a stovetop. We’ve also included some non-traditional methods of reheating which you may want to try.

How to Reheat Using The Conventional Oven?

Let’s start with a technique that is supreme among everything else, one that is practically the instant response of chefs when you pop them a question of how to reheat steak. I wouldn’t give full credit to the conventional oven as we make use of a skillet here as well. Thus, the name bake-and-sear method. This allows the highest probability of juice and flavour retention because it involves slow reheating. Here’s how it’s done:

1. Preheat the oven to 250 ֯F. We don’t want it higher or risk losing moisture.
2. Meanwhile, prepare a baking dish with wire rack placed on top of it.
3. Place the meat on top of the wire rack and pop it into the oven.
4. Cook for about 20 to 30 minutes. Time varies depending on the size of your steak. If you have a meat thermometer, if the internal heat of the steak reaches 110 ֯F, that means it’s done cooking.
5. Next, heat olive oil on a skillet.
6. Sear the steak on the skillet. Cook each side for 60 seconds or until browned.

I know this method can be tedious. Just the thought of having a piled-up sink takes the energy out of you. But, you know what they say: nothing worth having comes easy. You’ll get another round of that mouth-watering steak you had from last night.

How to Reheat Using The Microwave Oven?

If you are chasing after time, the microwave oven method is your friendly resort. Take note though that this dries out the juice out of your steak fast so be prepared to not have the best eating experience. Luckily, there are hacks which may somehow resurrect the steak’s glory. We have incorporated them here on the following easy microwave steps:

1. Place leftover steak on a glass dish or any microwave-safe container.
2. To prevent the juice from drying up, toss in the remaining broth or sauce from yesterday. In the absence thereof, you may use any gravy or sauce with an identical savoury taste. If this still is not available, you may drizzle a little bit of water on top of the steak. Others attempt to put damp paper towel to let some moisture kick in while reheating.
3. Reheat at interval periods of 20-30 seconds. For each period, flip the steak so the other side will be heated up. Do this for about 2 minutes or until the desired warmth is achieved.

This results to a steak that is not too flat and rubbery. It may not be as delicious as yesterday but still, it will help you remember vividly a memory of a good steak.

How to Reheat Using The Stovetop?

There are multiple ways of how to reheat steak using a stovetop. Each with varying degree of complexity. The most simple is to heat it directly on the pan along with its pre-boiled gravy or steak sauce. But here’s an interesting way of reheating it which is widely used by many chefs worldwide. It’s called sous vide method. Following are the simple steps to this technique:

1. Take out the leftover items from the fridge. Let it stay out until it is at room temperature.
2. Meanwhile, let water warm on a stockpot. Do not bring it into a boil, just close to simmering point. 
3. Once done thawing, put the steak meat inside a thermal-resistant sealable bag. The air inside the bag is unnecessary so make sure you squeeze all of it out as much as possible before sealing.
4. Immerse the bag on the warm water making sure it is fully doused. It is also important to take note that the water temperature is regulated. Throughout the warming process Do not let it go beyond simmering point.
5. Cook until the meat is warm enough. In general, 5 minutes will be sufficient. Depending on the size and cuts of the leftover goodies, modify the time as you see fit.
6. This last step is optional but if you want your steak perfectly crispy on the outside, you may sear it on an oil-lined skillet. Remove all meat from the bag and pat it dry with a paper towel. It is then ready to for pan searing.

You haven’t said it yet but I quickly guessed you have questions about the use of plastic on reheating. Sous vide practice has long been regarded safe so long as the plastic used is of food-grade material and thermal-resistant. Polyethylenes and polypropylenes are considered safe materials for this purpose as, based on various tests, they are found to be resistant to leaching. Also, note that we’re avoiding too hot water temperature. Aside from preventing the meat from becoming either shrivelled or unpleasantly charred, we are also protecting the plastic from possibly melting. 

How To Liven Up Reheated Steak?

Unlike other reheated dishes, it is very difficult to recreate steak that is more than a day old in the fridge as delectable as its predecessor. But, there are useful life hacks to pimp your dish and get an equally enjoyable eating experience. Others put a pat of butter, salt, or other flavouring while reheating. You can also try to elevate the sharpness of the steak sauce to compensate for the probable loss of flavour components while meat is reheated. Or why not experiment with a totally new dip with herbs and spice different from last dinner? Alternatively, pair it up with side dishes that have stronger tastes like garlic rice, buttered veggies, cheese-baked stuff, etcetera to add a sizzle on your meal.

However you want your steak done and served, there is nothing reheating won’t enhance.