The Best Way to Reheat a Roast

We’ve found the best way to reheat leftover steaks, leftover turkey, leftover fried chicken—even leftover fish—but a leftover portion of pork roast or roast beef is a little trickier. To avoid tough, chewy meat, one has to fully warm the roast without drying out the exterior or cooking it beyond its original degree of doneness.

We tested a handful of methods to discover the best way to reheat a roast. Wrapping the meat in foil to help retain moisture was a bust: It not only extended the reheating time but also steamed the meat, leaving it wet and gray. The best approach was two-pronged: First, reheat the meat in a low oven (which took about 1 1/2 hours for a 2-pound beef roast half and 1 hour for a 1-pound pork roast half) and then finish with a quick sear in an oiled hot skillet. Roasts reheated this way were only slightly less juicy than fresh-cooked roasts. Here’s our simple method:

How to Reheat a Roast Using the Oven and a Skillet

1. Place roast, ­uncovered, on wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet. Place sheet on middle rack in 250-degree oven.

2. Roast until meat registers 120 degrees (1 to 1 1/2 hours depending on the size of your roast). Pat surface dry with paper towels.

3. Sear roast on all sides in oiled, hot skillet, 1 to 1½ minutes per side. (Do not sear cut ends.)

But What About the Microwave?

Reheating your leftovers in the microwave is temptingly quick: But the results are less than stellar. Microwaves heat aggressively and unevenly, and even at the machine’s lowest power setting, microwaving can dry out the exterior of the meat by raising its temperature well above doneness and wringing out moisture.

The Bottom Line

When it comes to reheating a roast, go low and slow for the juiciest results. With this gentle method, your roast will be warmed through, but not overcooked, and its crust will be restored to crispness, making it almost indistinguishable from fresh.