Hamburgers are quintessential American fare that can satiate your taste buds at breakfast, lunch, or dinner. And the best part—hamburgers are versatile.
However, a burger in a bun, dressed and delicious, isn’t exactly something you want as leftovers. Even just a patty after a day old can lose its flavor.
With a little finesse, even an overnight burger can become foodie flavortown!. So, how to reheat burger?
Let’s find out.
Disassembling of the Burger
For best results overall, separate the patty from the rest of the burg. No, disassemble Stephanie! Yes, disassemble! See steps below.
Step 1: Warm the Burger to Room Temperature
Bring your hamburger to room temperature. Twenty minutes on the countertop, loosely wrapped, should be enough at average room temp.
Make sure that it does not sit out for more than 2 hours. This will make it easier to separate a whole burger from its parts.
Step 2: Remove Condiments and Buns
Take out all the condiments and buns after your sandwich reaches room temperature. Separate the buns, meat, and condiments carefully.
If your buns are cold, then they may stick to patties and may tear during removal.
Reheating a Hamburger in Microwave
In most cases, people reheat burgers in the microwave; after all, it’s convenient, it’s fast. It does the job. But microwaves do a number on meat – overcooking the edges, leaving parts cold, others too hot.
Chewy, rubbery patties can be a problem on high. So, a microwave may be your only option when you’re short on time.
Your best bet is to use the reheat feature. Stick to the following steps to reheat hamburger in a microwave.
What will you need?
- A microwave
- A microwave-safe plate or dish
- Paper towel
Procedure
Locate the “reheat” button in your microwave—it will help in reheating your burger without turning it into a hockey puck.
- Spread the patties flat but not overlapping on a microwave-safe dish.
- Sprinkle a teaspoon of water onto the patty. Nothing is worse than a dried out burg.
- Put the dish in the microwave and start the process. At halfway, flip the patty.
- At one minute, press your finger against the patty and feel it. If it has reheated to your preferred temperature, then your patty is done. We are trying NOT to cook this bad boy again, just make it warm.
- If the patty was not hot enough, press the “reheat” button for another minute. Remove.
Reheating the Hamburger in the Oven
Experts always recommend reheating your hamburger in the oven. There is a reason why burger connoisseurs often rate it as the best way to reheat hamburger.
It seals the flavor and juiciness, which means you get to eat a delectable burger despite reheating it.
What will you need?
- Oven
- Oven rack
- Baking sheet
Procedure
WANT TO SAVE THIS RECIPE?
Don't lose this recipe! Enter your email and we'll send it instantly.
- Set 400°F and preheat the oven. This specific temperature is necessary as it heats the hamburger without overcooking it. To avoid wasting any time, preheat the oven while you are busy with disassembling the burger.
- Put the patties on the baking sheet.
- Adjust the timer for 3 minutes to reheat the burger. Wear an oven mitt and flip the patty after the timer is up. Make sure that both sides of the patty are heated evenly.
- Place the buns on the rack. Stick them with the flipped burgers.
- Cook for two minutes, after which your buns develop a golden brown color.
- Combine your preferred toppings, condiments, and other fillings. If you don’t have any leftover fillings, then you can add some of your own! Add tomato slices and lettuce from the fridge onto your burger.
Reheating the Hamburger on the Grill
If you have a grill, then you can reheat your leftover burgers and end up with a mouthwatering hamburger.
What will you need?
- Grill
- Butter
- Basting brush or butter knife
Procedure
- Preheat your grill.
- Place your patties around the edges of grill rack.
- Heat for 60 seconds and flip the patties. Refrain from pressing the patties, so the grease does not ignite the flames—it can char your meat and make your burger dry. Thinner patties get hot fast, so don’t walk away from these. You don’t want to re-cook them remember, just reheat.
- Lightly butter the buns and place butter-side down onto the grill rack. Grill these for about three minutes. No need to flip.
Reheating on the Stovetop
If you have a grill, then you can reheat your leftover burgers and end up with a mouthwatering hamburger.
What will you need?
Procedure
- Disassemble burger as shown in the steps above. Turn burner to medium high heat.
- Put the patty flat in a sauté pan.
- Add about three tablespoons of water to the pan. It’s just enough to keep the burger from drying out. You can also use chicken or veg stock, or add a dash of A-1 or worcestershire for added flavor.
- Set the lid on top of the pan and steam it for 5 minutes.
- Take out the patty and let it sit out in a paper towel-lined plate for 30 seconds. In this way, it can release the excess water.
- Wipe the pan with a paper towel. Discard the towel.
- Set the buns inside-down and heat for about 2 minutes. You can butter or leave as is.
- Rearrange the hamburger with your favorite fillings.
How long will a hamburger last in the fridge?
You can store a hamburger, assembled, in the refrigerator for 3 days.
How to reheat a whole burger in 5 minutes
If you don’t have the time to disassemble the burger, then you can reheat the whole burger in an oven.
You can also use a toaster oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Use aluminum foil to wrap and cover the burger.
Now, place it in the oven to reheat. Your burger should be heated through in about 8 minutes.
How to extend the shelf life of ground beef
You can extend the shelf life of cooked ground beef by freezing it. To do this, you can wrap it tightly in heavy-duty freezer bags or any airtight container.
How to Reheat Your Hamburger
WANT TO SAVE THIS RECIPE?
Don’t lose this recipe! Enter your email and we’ll send it instantly.
Ingredients
- Oven
- Oven rack
- Baking sheet
- Leftover hamburger
- Spatula
- Tongs
Instructions
- Set 400°F and preheat the oven. This specific temperature is necessary as it heats the hamburger without overcooking it. To avoid wasting any time, preheat the oven while you are busy with disassembling the burger.
- Put the patties on the baking sheet.
- Adjust the timer for 3 minutes to reheat the burger. Wear an oven mitt and flip the patty after the timer is up. Make sure that both sides of the patty are heated evenly.
- Place the buns on the rack. Stick them with the flipped burgers.
- Cook for two minutes, after which your buns develop a golden brown color.
- Combine your preferred toppings, condiments, and other fillings. If you don’t have any leftover fillings, then you can add some of your own! Add tomato slices and lettuce from the fridge onto your burger.
I’ve found that it’s really best if you take the condiments and vegetables off before you even refrigerate it. So let’s say you do want to keep your leftovers, but we all know what happens to lettuce when it gets too wet. So take it all off, and put the buns and burger in separate containers in the fridge.