Three Tips for Reheating Barbecue Leftovers

Barbecue is a delicious choice of food, but it can be extremely time-consuming and labor-intensive to cook. Due to this reality, it is common for people to go to barbecue restaurants when they are wanting this type of food. However, many of these restaurants will serve large portions, which can make it difficult to finish what you order. In these situations, you may want to take the barbecue leftovers home with you. By understanding the proper steps for reheating barbecue, you will be able to preserve the flavor and texture of this food when you heat it up again.

1. Protect the Meat From Drying Out

The type of container that holds your barbecue will be of critical importance. Some people will leave their leftovers in the styrofoam container until they are ready for it. However, these containers will allow much of the moisture from the meat to evaporate while it is being stored. This can cause the meat to become tough to chew, and it may lose much of its flavor. Rather than using one of these containers, you should place the meat in an airtight container as this will minimize the amount of moisture that is lost to evaporation.

2. Use the Oven to Reheat the Meat

Using the microwave may seem like it will be the easiest and most efficient way of reheating these leftovers, but it can be extremely harsh on the meat. In fact, the microwave can render much of the meat difficult to chew. Ideally, you should use the oven to reheat these leftovers as it will be gentle enough to avoid changing the texture of the meat while still effectively heating it up. If you are in a particular hurry to have the food heated up, using a skillet may be a good option for rapidly heating the meat while keeping any degradation to it to a minimum.

3. Add BBQ Sauce After Reheating the Meat

Some individuals will think that they should add BBQ sauce to their meat as they are reheating it. However, this can be a poor choice as the BBQ sauce will cook away, and it may cause the meat to toughen up. It is more effective to add the sauce after reheating the meat as this will ensure you get to enjoy its full flavor. For the best results, you may want to slightly warm the BBQ sauce as this will help it to soak into the pores of the meat.

​If you're craving finger-lickin' good barbeque, stop at your local BBQ restaurant, such as Grumpy's Bar B Que Roadhouse​, and keep these tips in mind if you don't finish your meal.