Looking for Suggestions: Meats that Reheat Well

[CoolCat]

I'm trying to do more of my meal preparation ahead of time, doing a big batch of cooking on Sunday and packing into containers to place in the fridge and freezer for lunches and dinners later in the week. This week I got a good deal on chicken breasts, so I split them into three groups and did three different marinades to keep from having the exact same protein for all of my meals.

I'm looking for other meat recipes that will reheat well in the microwave. (As an example, a lot of times steak doesn't reheat very well because it will go to the next level of done-ness, and get tough.) I have a couple of different sausage recipes that reheat well and I'm going to try some meatloaf (maybe cooked in a muffin pan so I don't have to slice it) because that reheats well.

What meats or meat dishes do you make that reheat really well in a microwave? I'm looking for suggestions for both cuts of meat and types of dishes that incorporate meat. (I don't want too many casserole type dishes, but I can put a few in the rotation.)

For reference, I'm using containers like these for my meals:

I've been doing carb (generally rice) and meat in the big compartment and different vegetables in the smaller compartments.

 

[welsh dragon]

If you are prepared to take the items ouf of the freezer in the morning, and are prepared to reheat the items in the oven rather than microwave, then the foods you can reheat will be much greater. Lasagne, stews, spag bol, chilli etc are all things that if de frosted and re heated in the oven can be very successful. It will probably only take around 50 minute In the oven as well.

 

[CoolCat]

If you are prepared to take the items ouf of the freezer in the morning, and are prepared to reheat the items in the oven rather than microwave, then the foods you can reheat will be much greater. Lasagne, stews, spag bol, chilli etc are all things that if de frosted and re heated in the oven can be very successful. It will probably only take around 50 minute In the oven as well.

I don't have access to an oven at work, so that would negate 90% of my reason for doing this. (The other 10% is that as long as I'm packing my lunches, I might as well do a few dinners while I'm at it.) Lunch preparation is costing me too much time in the morning, so I'm trying to get to the point where I can just grab the stack of already packed meals on my way out the door on Monday and put them in the fridge at work.

I do make stews, soups, chilis, etc. in advance and freeze them in individual portions so I can take them out one serving at a time when I need to. They microwave just fine and don't need to go in the oven or on the stove. However, it's beastly hot here right now and I'm not going to have something boiling on the stove or in an oven for hours in this weather. I do those dishes in the fall and winter when it's nice and cool outside.

 

[welsh dragon]

I don't have access to an oven at work, so that would negate 90% of my reason for doing this. (The other 10% is that as long as I'm packing my lunches, I might as well do a few dinners while I'm at it.) Lunch preparation is costing me too much time in the morning, so I'm trying to get to the point where I can just grab the stack of already packed meals on my way out the door on Monday and put them in the fridge at work.

I do make stews, soups, chilis, etc. in advance and freeze them in individual portions so I can take them out one serving at a time when I need to. They microwave just fine and don't need to go in the oven or on the stove. However, it's beastly hot here right now and I'm not going to have something boiling on the stove or in an oven for hours in this weather. I do those dishes in the fall and winter when it's nice and cool outside.

I understand. I thought they were meals for when you got home.

 

[Corzhens]

When we have steak for dinner, we normally eat the leftover for breakfast. Reheating steak in the microwave is a no-no, it will ruin the texture of the beef and it will be like rubber. We usually heat if in the oven toaster or for a big serving, we use the oven. But my husband has another way to reheat steak. He would fry it in a pan with hot, boiling oil. It is quick and does not spoil the texture of the meat. That's the same for leftover chicken and other fried food, we reheat using the oven toaster.

 

[OhioTom76]

If you are looking to incorporate meats, pot roasts reheat very well. Either beef or pork pot roasts work out great. In fact, you can simply slow cook the meats by themselves in an oven at like 275 or 300 degrees in a tightly covered pan with just some salt and pepper, for several hours until it's fall apart tender and the fat and connective tissue has all rendered out. The nice thing about cooking them with just some minimal seasoning is that you can then take these meats and pair them with a variety of sauces and other accompaniments - for example, you could mix some of the pork roast with sauerkraut, potatoes and carrots, and/or make the remainder into BBQ pulled pork or a pork ragu sauce to go over pasta. With the beef you could make roast beef sandwiches, beef stew. a beef and potato hash, etc...

 

[CoolCat]

If you are looking to incorporate meats, pot roasts reheat very well. Either beef or pork pot roasts work out great. In fact, you can simply slow cook the meats by themselves in an oven at like 275 or 300 degrees in a tightly covered pan with just some salt and pepper, for several hours until it's fall apart tender and the fat and connective tissue has all rendered out. The nice thing about cooking them with just some minimal seasoning is that you can then take these meats and pair them with a variety of sauces and other accompaniments - for example, you could mix some of the pork roast with sauerkraut, potatoes and carrots, and/or make the remainder into BBQ pulled pork or a pork ragu sauce to go over pasta. With the beef you could make roast beef sandwiches, beef stew. a beef and potato hash, etc...

Thanks, that's really helpful! I made a pot roast for the first time* a couple of months ago and learned that my husband does not like pot roast. If I reseasoned the roast and used it in different ways he wouldn't mind as much, I think. I'm all about meals that involve one round of actual cooking but yield several different types of meals with different flavors.

* I know, that's a complete cooking basic! Cooking meat intimidates me, so I don't branch out that much from ground beef + spices on the stove or chicken + spices in the oven. I also didn't grow up on pot roast.

 

[lizzief79]

The problem with reheating s that the meat dries out. If you reheat meat dishes that include a sauc4e, they do tend to retain some moisture. I am always a little wary of reheating dishes with chicken in. Lamb curry reheats well and you get a more intense flavour than eating it straight away. Meats that have been slow cooked in a casserole often reheat well too, so long as you stir the stew occasionally as you reheat to prevent drying around the edges and even heat throughout.

 

[purplepen88]

I have found that stews and chili reheat really well. They even taste better the next day. Meatloaf is another meal that reheats nicely in the microwave. I've also had pulled pork over the course of a few days that reheats easily in the microwave. I make large batches of spaghetti or spaghetti and meatballs and that can be reheated well.

 

[L_B]

It has to be something that has a sauce on it in order for it too reheat well without drying out. I like to make chili and stews also and refreeze them. Also pasta and sauces reheat well. I usually used any of the ground meats like beef, sausage, turkey and chicken. Cooked with sauces they really reheat nicely for a lunch at work.

 

[MyExWasAChef]

There's only one way I can think of cook your lamb, beef, pork or whatever meat you have in a slow cooker, in a sauce or anything water, oil or butter based. The meat has to be hydrated there are many recipes out there that are good for this. You can have orange chicken, beef and mushroom or lamb pies if you wanted.

 

[Rosyrain]

Taco meat is also something that reheats well because it retains some of the grease. Meat in general dries out, so I do not recommend trying to reheat something like a chicken breast, steak, or pork chop. If you are going to reheat meat, it is best if it is part of another dish.

 

[joycemcgregor]

Pot roast reheats very well. However; if I plan to freeze and reheat it later, I do not add potatoes because I have found they get kind of strange when reheated. If I am freezing the leftovers in serving size portions, I will cook either egg noodles or rice to have as a starch in the container.

 

[Zyni]

Taco meat is also something that reheats well because it retains some of the grease. Meat in general dries out, so I do not recommend trying to reheat something like a chicken breast, steak, or pork chop. If you are going to reheat meat, it is best if it is part of another dish.

I was going to mention ground beef. It's also very versatile. And, yes, roasts work very well, as long as you don't overheat them.

Another tip to avoid making meat tough when reheating in the microwave is to avoid using the highest power setting. Also, it is better to reheat for a few seconds at a time. Heat for 15 seconds, let sit for 10 seconds, heat for 15 more. This works much better than heating for 30 seconds straight.