How To Reheat Roast Beef For Awesome Leftovers

Roast beefs are definitely a treat you are highly unlikely to have every night, especially for those who really love beef. If you have a tendency to overestimate the amount of food to cook, then like me, left overs are definitely not new to you. But hey, isn’t it better to have more than to not have enough?

That’s a debatable point of course, but there is nothing more sinful than to let your delicious roast beef go into the waste. Let me teach you how to reheat roast beef while retaining its beautiful texture and flavors.

The degree of doneness of yourroast beef determines your reheating method.

1. Rare Roast Beef are easily identified with its cool red center.
2. Medium Rare Roast Beef has a warm red center.
3. Medium Roast Beef would have a warm pink center.
4. Medium Well Done Roast Beef has a pinkish center.
5. Well Done Roast Beef will have very little pink on it, to none.

The more “done” your roast beef is, the easier it will be to reheat. Don’t fret, though, if you aremore into rarely done roast beef, because I will be teaching you how to reheat without having to forego your doneness preference.

Quick storage tip

When storing your roast beef, wrap it in a foil with the seasoning you have originally baked it with, if any.

You notice all those meat juices running over your plate? Pour that back onto your roast beef inside thefoil; it will help retain the flavors of your roast beef.

Use a heavy foil or double wrap it if youhave to. You will want to keep all of those juices in with your roast beef.

I prefer to store my leftovers in the freezer as I have found that freezing helps my roast beefretain most of its flavor, even a week after.

I do store it in the fridge as well if I am planning to reheat it the next morning, since it is quicker to reheat when it is not frozen. This really depends on when you are planning to reheat your roast beef.

A chunk or loaf of roast beef is preferable to the already sliced ones, but don’t worry if yours are already sliced. The methods I will be teaching you are will work either way.

Reheating your Rare Roast Beef

Reheating your rare roast beef can be a bit tricky. I have tried this multiple times but kept failing until I finally did figure it out. I found that reheating usually results to changing the doneness of my rare roast beef, which is also ok but not if you really prefer it rare.

Here’s what you can do to reheat your rare roast beef without having to compromise:

1. Take out your rare roast beef from the freezer or the fridge and wrap in a foil if you haven’t done this yet.
2. Place your foil wrapped roast beef in a metal bowl, or any microwave or oven safe bowl.
3. Fill a pot half way with water and bring to a boil, then turn off the heat.
4. Place your bowl inside the pot, with the roast beef in. Make sure the water does not go into the bowl. Reduce water if necessary.
5. Cover your pot and leave for 5-10 minutes for refrigerated rare roast beef, or up to 20 minutes if frozen.

This method will bring heat back in to your rare roast beef, but will not generate enough heat to cook it further, either inside or outside.

Reheating your Medium Rare Roast Beef

To reheat your medium rare roast beef, you can either use the same method for reheating rare roast beef or you can try the microwave or oven method.

Using a microwave

Reheating food with a microwave can leave it tasting dry so you will need to use the lowest heat settings.

1. Remove foil. Foil can cause your microwave to break. I made the mistake of placing food wrapped in foil before and my microwave short-circuited, I literally had to buy a new one.
2. Place your medium rare roast beef with all the juices on a microwavable plate or bowl.
3. If frozen, use the defrost settings, and set it to 10 minutes.
4. If chilled, set to low settings and set timer to 4 minutes. If you do not have low settings, you may also use the medium low settings or which ever is the lowest setting you have and set timer to 3 minutes.

Oven method

1. Preheat oven to 250 F.
2. Take out your rare roast beef from the freezer or the fridge and wrap in a foil if you haven’t done this yet.
3. Place your foil wrapped roast beef on baking tray and put it in the oven. Note that your oven should no longer be on at this point.

You will only need the heat that has already been generated but not cook it further. Leave your medium rare roast beef in the oven for about 10 minutes if chilled and up to 20 minutes if frozen.

A good oven roaster can help you a lot. Check out 5 Best Oven Roasters to learn more!

Reheating your Medium Roast Beef

Reheating medium roast beef is very similar to reheating medium rare, but since the inside is slightly more cooked, you have a bit more leeway in terms of heat settings.

Using a microwave

1. Remove foil from roast beef.
2. Place your medium roast beef with all the juices on a microwavable plate or bowl.
3. If frozen, use the defrost settings, and set it to 5 minutes, then change settings to highand cook for two minutes.
4. If chilled, set temperature to high and set timer to 2 minutes.

Oven method

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Take out your rare roast beef from the freezer or the fridge. Wrapping your medium roast beef is not a requirement.
3. Reheat in the oven for about 3-5 minutes if chilled and 8 minutes if frozen.

Reheat your Medium Well Done Roast Beef

To reheat your medium rare done roast beef, you will want to cook it in higher temperature in less time. This way, you will not be drying your roast beef and cooking it further inside.

1. I highly recommend defrosting your roast beef by storing it in the fridge and not the freezer the night before, prior to reheating your medium well done roast beef.
2. Remove foil from roast beef.
3. Place your medium roast beef with all the juices on a microwavable plate or bowl.
4. Set temperature to high and set timer to 3 minutes.

Oven method

1. Defrost your frozen roast beef in the fridge.
2. Preheat oven to 350 F.
3. Make sure you wrap your roast beef in foil.
4. Reheat in the oven for about 3-5 minutes.

Reheat your Well Done Roast Beef

I've tried a lot of methods and refined into the 3 best ways to reheat well done roast beef. They would keep 90% quality of the tastes.

Giving me your email address indicates that you appreciate my devotion. It's also a small motivation that encourages me to experiment and bring you more valuable things in your kitchen 🙂

Using a microwave

1. Defrost roast beef in the fridge if frozen. You may also leave it to defrost on the counter but for no more than one hour.
2. Unwrap your roast beef from the foil.
3. Place your medium roast beef with all the juices on a microwavable plate or bowl.
4. Set timer to 2 minutes and change settings to high.

Oven method

1. Defrost roast beef in the fridge if frozen.
2. Preheat oven to 350 F.
3. Take out your rare roast beef from the freezer or the fridge. Wrapping your medium roast beef is not a requirement.
4. Reheat in the oven for about 3-5 minutes if chilled and 8 minutes if frozen.

With an Air Fryer

It is a bit of an investment, but a couple of months ago, I got an air fryer and it worked really well for me. Just make sure you get one with capacity for very high heat since some models I have seen seem to be lacking in that area.

1. Preheat air fryer to 390 F.
2. Add a spoonful of your preferred oil and spread evenly on the bottom of your air fryer.
3. Remove your well done roast beef from foil and place it inside the air fryer to cook.
4. Cook for 3-5 minutes.

Other delicious ways to spice up your roast beef leftovers

Whether eating roast beef alone is too boring for you or you simply want to add zest to your roast beef leftovers, then consider these three options!

Cheese for Roast Beef

For this, let's try the roast beef sandwich with melted cheese and caramelized onions. This recipe is specifically perfect for a small family gathering or special events. 

Popcorn for Roast Beef

Now for a more food adventurer, popcorn with roast beef is surely a great way to satisfy your curious mind and stomach. Together, let's unveil the secret delectable taste of roast beef, pickled onions, and popcorn. 

Coffee for Roast Beef

Like, seriously? Yes, that's highly possible especially for those with a wide range of taste buds. Try the crock pot roast beef and garlic and coffee in this case. 

Any of these roast beef ingredients are sure to save your dull day!

There are many different ways you can reheat your roast beef, regardless of your doneness preference.

Another option you can try is to marinate your roast beef, add a cup of water and boil for 10 minutes in low heat. Wait it for it to cool and store in the freezer. This way, you are sure you can really keep the freshness of your roast beef.

​