A big, juicy beef roast makes for an excellent meal one day, and if you are lucky enough to have leftovers – you can enjoy it again (and again!). Most often, beef roast is served in its own juice or with a gravy. Keeping that extra liquid will help when you are reheating your leftover beef roast.
So how exactly should you reheat your beef roast? Well, thankfully, there are several options that can get the job done. Depending on how much time you have and how much beef roast you have leftover, you can reheat it in: the oven, slow cooker, and microwave to name just a few ways.
Most meats will last anywhere from 3-5 days in the refrigerator, if stored properly. Once the beef roast is cooled, store the beef roast along with any liquid and vegetables in a food safe ziploc or container.
Another way to keep your beef roast longer, is to freeze it. Let’s face it, sometimes you just had enough beef and want to save it for another day… weeks or months down the road.
Simply freeze your leftover beef roast and keep it even longer – for up to 3 months. If you are freezing it, it’s a good idea to slice the roast into thinner pieces (think no bigger than 2 inches). This will help in both the freezing and thawing process.
How Do You Properly Reheat a Roast Beef?
There are several ways to reheat your leftover roast beef. Hopefully you saved that gravy or juice along with some vegetables – if so, you can have a complete meal in no time at all.
While there are several methods to reheat a roast beef, some will produce a better product than others. Let’s explore the different ways to reheat your beef roast.
1. Oven
When reheating most types of food, protein in particular, the oven is usually the best way to do so. It will take a little more time than other ways, but will do a good job in keeping the beef tender, IF you follow some simple instructions.
Steps
Preheat your oven to 300℉ – a lower oven temperature will help not dry out the meat. Low and slow is the name of the game.
If you have a large piece of roast left, it is a good idea to either shred it or slice it thinly prior to reheating it
Once the meat is cut how you want it, place in heavy duty foil along with any leftover juice. If no juice was saved, use some beef broth from your pantry.
Seal the foil, forming a “purse” and place in a glass baking dish or other similar dish and place in the oven to cook.
Bake for about 15-20 minutes, depending on how much you are reheating. Be sure to check and make sure there is still liquid in the foil!
If you are needing to reheat a frozen beef roast, using the oven to reheat it is a great idea. Be sure to thaw it out completely and follow the same steps as above.
2. Skillet
Using a skillet to reheat beef roast is a fast way and can work really well. This method is good, especially if you have leftover gravy or some of the cooking liquid. It also works well if you shred the beef roast.
Steps
Add the beef roast (either shred it or cut it into smaller slices or chunks) and the juice or gravy to a warm skillet.
Cook on medium heat, flipping or stirring the meat several times to ensure it doesn’t burn or dry out.
Alternatively, if no juice is left – you can sear each slice in the hot skillet with a little water until warmed through. This would be great on a sandwich.
If it’s still not quite warm enough, reduce the heat to low and cover with a lid to keep moisture in. This will help it cook evenly. Make sure there is plenty of liquid so it doesn’t scorch!
3. Microwave
Some people don’t like using microwaves, but they really are so fast and so convenient! If you know how to use them well, it does a great job reheating leftover beef roast.
Steps
Start by cutting your beef roast into thin slices or small chunks.
Place your beef in a microwave safe bowl or plate – preferably a shallow bowl.
Pour some leftover beef jus, or other liquid over the meat. If you don’t have leftover jus, you can use water or beef broth and a little wine mixed in.
Cover with a damp paper towel and cook on high for 1 minute
Flip or stir the meat, make sure there’s enough liquid and cover with the damp cloth
Cook for another 45 seconds or until the meat is warm enough.
The point of having liquid is to make sure the meat stays nice and moist during the cooking process. If you have any leftover vegetables, you can add them with the meat after the first minute of cooking.
4. Slow Cooker
The slow cooker doesn’t just cook food, it does a great job of keeping food warm or reheating it! Using the slow cooker to reheat your beef roast is especially good if you have a large chunk leftover and you don’t want to cut it up.
Place the whole leftover beef roast in the slow cooker, along with enough liquid to cover it halfway – beef broth and wine make a great choice.
Set the slow cooker to low and allow to cook for 3-4 hours or until warmed completely through.
Any leftover vegetables can be added to the crockpot for the last 20 minutes of cooking.
This method is great if you plan ahead and allow for a longer reheating time. The slow cooker does such a great job of keeping meat tender and juicy and when enough liquid is added, won’t burn the roast.
5. Sous Vide
Sous vide has become more and more popular with home chefs over the past few years, but professional chefs have been using this cooking method for a variety of purposes for much longer.
Steps
Start by vacuum sealing your sliced roast beef in a sealable bag (there are a variety of different tools to vacuum seal food, several are relatively inexpensive).
Next, fill a large container with water – you can use a pot, a large plastic food safe tub, or large stainless bowl
Depending on how you originally cooked your beef, will determine what temperature to set your sous vide machine.
Assuming it was rare, set the temperature to 135℉.
Place your bag of sliced beef roast in the hot water, and allow to cook for about 30 minutes (longer if you have a lot of beef).
Carefully remove the bag of beef roast with tongs and cut it open.
The meat is ready to enjoy!
Using your sous vide machine is a great way to reheat your leftover beef roast and helps to make sure it is evenly cooked.
6. Water Bath
A water bath is the same idea as sous vide, just without the fancy equipment. You may not need to have a fancy machine for a water bath, but you will need a large pot and a food thermometer.
Steps
Place your sliced roast beef in a sealable plastic bag or ziploc and vacuum seal it.
Fill your pot with water and turn on the stove.
Use the thermometer to heat the the water to 135℉ (for rare roast beef) – now your meat is ready to take a bath!
Cook for about 20-30 minutes or until done.
Carefully remove the bag with tongs and enjoy!
Using your thermometer, make sure the water stays at a steady 135℉ to ensure proper cooking.
7. Air Fryer
The air fryer is a great kitchen appliance, allowing for quicker cooking methods and healthier versions of fried foods. It can also be a good way to reheat your leftover beef roast.
Steps
Preheat your air fryer to 300℉.
Wrap slices of beef roast in foil with 1-2 tablespoons of beef broth or water added.
If you are looking for a seared product, simply place your sliced beef in the preheated air fryer basket and cook for a few minutes on each side.
While using an air fryer is quicker than a traditional oven, it may not cook your leftover beef roast evenly and also can dry the beef out if you’re not careful.
What Should I Serve My Roast Beef With?
Roast beef is an American classic – whether serving it at a dinner party or for Sunday Supper, it’s a crowd pleaser. Because the beef is cooked slowly to keep it tender, it is normally cooked low and slow with a myriad of vegetables: carrots, celery, potatoes, and onions. This makes for a delicious and complete meal.
Another common way for roast beef to be served is by cooking the roast just until a nice rare or medium-rare temperature is reached. Slices can then be shaved to make a delicious sandwich or sliced a little thicker and served alongside mashed potatoes, green beans, and a nice salad.
Related Questions
We discussed all the ways to reheat your roast beef, but perhaps you are still needing some questions answered. Let’s find out more about this delicious roast.
What cut of beef is used for roast beef?
One of the great things about roast beef is you can achieve a tender end product with a lesser cut of beef. Although you can use any type of beef roast: a tenderloin roast, tri-tip, sirloin, or even eye of round.
The most common cut to use is the top round roast. This cut is less expensive and has a good amount of fat, meaning it will be flavorful and tender.
What is the cooking time and temperature for roast beef?
The cooking time and temperature of a roast beef will vary depending on the size of the roast and also your personal preference. While many serve the roast at rare or medium-rare, some like it fully cooked.
A good rule of thumb for a roast beef is to cook it at 375℉, allowing 20 minutes per pound of meat until the internal temperature reaches at least 120℉.
Do you put water in the pan when cooking roast beef?
If you are roasting beef, you do not want to put water in the pan during the cooking process. This will cause the meat to steam instead of sear. Searing the meat during the roasting process helps to ensure the juices are locked in.
To End
Enjoying a roast beef meal can be a treat and you definitely don’t want any of the leftovers to go to waste. Whether you have just a few slices left or a large chunk of the roast leftover, there are several ways you can reheat it to enjoy again and again.
