If you’re a lover of meat, then you’re probably all too familiar with the juicy and huge meatloaf! Whether you like to have traditional meatloaf or try different variations of it, such as cheesy meatloaf, meatloaf always makes a hearty family meal.
With that said, thanks to its humongous size, it’s also one of those dishes that’s guaranteed to produce leftovers, unless you’re feeding it to a village!
However, I have got some fantastic news; leftover meatloaf can taste as juicy and divine as freshly prepared meatloaf.
Whether you are having it as is, slicing it up, or chopping it to add to your sandwiches or salads, it will satisfy your meat cravings. You just need to know how to reheat it the right way so that it doesn’t become dry or chewy.
So, if you want to learn how to reheat meatloaf in 4 easy ways, then continue reading!
How to Reheat Meatloaf
There are multiple ways to reheat meatloaf; you can reheat it in an oven, a microwave, a steamer basket, and a skillet. Whichever method you choose to use depends entirely on your preference.
So, let’s take a look at each of these methods on reheating meatloaf in detail:
Reheating in an Oven
Reheating meatloaf in the oven ensures that the meat is evenly reheated and remains juicy. However, it does take some more time than the other methods.
So, here’s how you can reheat your leftover meatloaf in an oven:
- Preheat your oven to 350F.
- Put the meatloaf in a baking dish and add 1 to 3 tablespoons of water or broth to the dish.
- Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil.
- Heat the meatloaf for about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Remove the dish from the oven and serve the meatloaf!
Reheating in a Microwave
If you’re short on time, then microwaving the meatloaf is a good idea. However, you need to be careful not to dry out the meat via this method.
Here’s how you can warm up meatloaf in a microwave so that it stays juicy:
- Put the leftover meatloaf in a microwave-safe dish and cover it with a paper towel or a microwave lid.
- Microwave the meatloaf for about 1 minute.
- Carefully remove the dish from the microwave, turn the meatloaf over, and put it back in the microwave.
- Reheat the meatloaf for 1 minute more or until it’s hot all the way through. Don’t forget to check its internal temperature to ensure that it’s safe to eat.
Reheating in a Steamer Basket
Steaming the meatloaf is a great way to make sure that it becomes juicy and moist. Here’s how to reheat meatloaf by steaming it:
- Put an inch or two of water in a pot and bring the water to a simmer over your stovetop.
- Once the water starts to simmer, put the meatloaf slices in your steamer basket and put the basket over the simmering pot of water and cover it with its lid.
- Let the meatloaf reheat until its internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Reheating in a Skillet
If your meatloaf is already cut into slices and you only have a few leftover slices left, then you can heat them up quickly in a skillet.
It’s a super easy method that doesn’t require any prep at all and allows the reheated meat to become juicy and full of flavor. So, here’s how you can warm up meatloaf in a skillet:
- Put a small amount of oil in a large nonstick skillet or a cast-iron skillet and put the skillet over a medium-low flame.
- Put slices of the leftover meatloaf in the skillet.
- Cover the skillet with its lid and let the meatloaf slices reheat for about 3 to 4 minutes. Covering the skillet will allow the meat to reheat quickly and evenly.
- Use a spatula to flip over the meatloaf slices to cook the other side. If the skillet appears to be dry, then pour a few tablespoons of beef broth into it. This will give the slices the moisture they need to taste delectable.
- Once again, cover the skillet and cook the slices for another 3 to 4 minutes.
- Use a meat thermometer to check if the slices have reheated all the way through and take them out of the skillet.
Now that you know how to reheat meatloaf, here’s an additional treat for you:
How to Reheat Meatloaf Without Drying it Out
If you want to keep meatloaf from drying out and becoming too rubbery and chewy to eat, here are a few ways to ensure that your reheated meatloaf remains juicy:
- When reheating in an oven, make sure to add some beef broth to your dish and cover the dish with aluminum foil.
- When reheating in a microwave, don’t forget to cover the dish with a paper towel or microwave lid.
- When reheating meatloaf in a skillet, make sure to cover it with its lid and add some beef broth halfway through the process if the oil dries up.
How Many Times Can You Reheat Meatloaf?
The fact of the matter is that you shouldn’t reheat any food more than once, and the same rule applies to meatloaf.
This is because reheating it more than once will cause it to lose its flavor and freshness. However, since meatloaf is pretty huge, there is one trick to reheat it so that none of it goes to waste.
Reheat only enough of it at a time that you and your family can easily consume in one go. You can keep the rest of the meatloaf back in the fridge and use it later.
Tips and tricks
Here are some useful tips and tricks that you can use when reheating meatloaf:
- Meatloaf only tastes good when it’s juicy and moist. This is because moisture is what keeps it from drying out. However, too much moisture will also spoil the meat. This is why you must find the perfect balance between the two. So, make sure to check the moisture level of the meatloaf by using a chopstick or fork.
- Don’t overheat the meatloaf. It is easy to overheat it so pay close attention. Overheating it is the quickest way to dry it out.
- Make sure to always wrap the meatloaf with a damp paper towel or aluminum foil while reheating it so that the moisture stays trapped. Otherwise, your meat will dry out and become too chewy and hard.
The Bottom Line
I hope you enjoyed reading this guide on how to reheat meatloaf. Do ty the various methods of reheating that I’ve mentioned above and keep meatloaf from drying out by keeping it covered.
Follow the tips and tricks that I’ve mentioned to end up with perfectly juicy reheated meatloaf every single time!