Can You Reheat Steak?

Yes, you can reheat steak. It needs more care than most leftovers, though. The issue is that steak continues cooking as it warms up, so the gap between medium-rare and overcooked is crossed faster than you’d expect. Get the method right and you’ll have a genuinely good meal. Get it wrong and you’ll have something dry and tough that’s a shadow of what it was the night before.

Can You Reheat Steak?

Yes, it’s safe and perfectly worth doing. Cooked steak keeps well in the fridge for three to four days, sealed in an airtight container or wrapped tightly. When reheating, aim for an internal temperature of 75°C (165°F). The real challenge isn’t food safety. It’s preserving the texture. High heat is the enemy here.

Reheating Steak in the Oven (Low and Slow)

This is the best method for thick cuts, anything over 2cm. A low oven gives you precise control and heats the meat evenly, so the outside doesn’t overcook before the centre warms through.

1. Take the steak out of the fridge 20 to 30 minutes before reheating. Cold steak straight into heat causes uneven results.
2. Preheat the oven to 120°C (250°F) and set a wire rack over a baking tray.
3. Put the steak on the rack and heat for 20 to 30 minutes. Use a thermometer: you’re looking for 50 to 55°C for medium-rare or 60°C for medium.
4. Optional but worth doing: finish the steak in a very hot pan with butter for 45 seconds per side to get a fresh crust.

The oven-to-sear combination produces results that are barely distinguishable from fresh. If you’ve got the time, this is the way to do it.

Reheating Steak in a Skillet

Quicker than the oven and much better than the microwave. This works best for thinner cuts (under 2cm). Thicker steaks will have a hot exterior and a cold centre before the pan can finish the job properly.

1. Heat a cast iron or heavy-based pan over medium-high heat with a small knob of butter or a splash of oil.
2. When the pan is properly hot, add the steak and press gently with a spatula.
3. Cook for 60 to 90 seconds per side.
4. Add a sprig of rosemary or a crushed garlic clove if you have them. The butter picks up the flavour and bastes the steak as it cooks.
5. Rest for two minutes before eating.

Reheating Steak in the Microwave

It works, but it’s the weakest option of the four. Microwaves heat proteins unevenly and cause them to seize up, which squeezes out moisture. If it’s the only option available:

1. Slice the steak into strips first, which helps heat travel through it more evenly.
2. Add a tablespoon of butter or beef stock to the dish and cover with a damp paper towel.
3. Heat at 50% power in 30-second bursts, flipping between each one.
4. Stop as soon as it’s hot. Continuing past that point is what makes it tough.

Reheating Steak Sous Vide

If you have a sous vide setup, this is the only method that reheats steak to exactly the same level of doneness as when it was first cooked. No guesswork involved.

1. Seal the steak in a vacuum bag (or a zip-lock using the water displacement method).
2. Set the sous vide to 55°C for medium-rare, or your preferred doneness temperature.
3. Submerge and heat for 30 to 60 minutes.
4. Finish with a 30 to 45 second sear in a screaming-hot pan to restore the crust.

Keeping It from Drying Out

• Rest before cutting: juices need a couple of minutes to redistribute after reheating, exactly as they do after cooking from raw
• Low heat, not high: high heat contracts the muscle fibres and forces all the moisture out
• Store in the resting juices: if the steak released liquid when it rested originally, keep it in those juices, as they add moisture back during reheating
• Fat side down first in the skillet: rendering the fat edge adds flavour and helps the rest of the cut heat evenly
• Don’t skip the thermometer for oven reheating: a couple of degrees separates rare from medium, and it happens fast at even low temperatures

How Many Times Can You Reheat Steak?

Once. Steak cycles through the bacterial danger zone (5°C to 60°C) every time it cools and reheats, and each cycle increases the risk. There’s also a quality argument: each reheating degrades the texture noticeably. If you have a large piece, slice off what you need and only reheat that portion.

Can You Freeze Steak and Reheat It?

Yes, steak freezes well. Wrap tightly in cling film and then foil, or use a vacuum sealer. It keeps for up to three months with good quality. Defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating using the oven or skillet method. Don’t try to shortcut the defrosting process in the microwave.

Which Method Should You Use?

Q: With the grilling season coming upon us, I know that I will have left over steak from dinner. How can I make sure I have a warm steak all the way through, without losing my medium rare doneness?

A: Steak is a tricky piece of meat to reheat. However, the best way to do it is in the oven.

The Oven Method

To reheat your medium rare steak, simply wrap it in aluminum foil and place into the oven at 250 degrees for about 20 minutes. You can open the foil for the last five minutes to ensure proper warmth.

Cooking times will vary depending on how thick the piece is! Be sure to keep an eye on it to make sure you are not overcooking your meal.

Never eat cold steak again, with this simple oven method, you can have perfect juicy steak even after you have packed away the grill for the night!