From Slice to Rice: How-To Reheat Take-Out

Baby, it’s cold outside! With temperatures at extreme lows across much of the country, many find themselves forgoing their trips to the grocery stores and just ordering in. Take-out is man’s best friend when the winter weather has us hungry and bundled up inside, and calls for pizza and Chinese food are going out across the country.

In our hungry search for online take-out menus, we came across this random act of (pizza) kindness. An Imgur user opened the door to his pizza delivery, only to find that the delivery man had placed his pizza box inside a second box to ensure a warm-despite-the-cold drop off.

Photo: Imgur

Thoughtful and much appreciated, because nothing’s worse than a lukewarm pizza when you need a little warming up.

Of course, even the tastiest take-out often means leftovers in the fridge, As the pizza delivery guy knows, you want to enjoy your pizza and friend rice the way it’s supposed to taste: hot and delicious, even a day later. Here we give you the ultimate tips for reheating your slice and rice, so it’s just as good as when it was  dropped off on your doorstep.

The Best Way to Reheat Pizza

Photo: The Daily Meal

There seems to be an overwhelming consensus on this one, and it’s not the microwave. We know it seems like the easy choice, but it’s not the best one. The microwave will serve up a soggy, rubbery slice of pie that just doesn’t deliver. Forgo the waves and whip out your skillet! Cast iron is best, but any sturdy stove top pan will do.

1. Heat your skillet on a burner set to medium.

2. Place your slice in the skillet and tent with foil or cover with a fitted lid.

3. Heat for 5 minutes until the cheese re-melts and the bottom of the crust is nice and crispy.

You may actually find your delivery pie tastes even better than it did when it arrived, as the skillet will crisp up the bottom perfectly. Your pizza will have enough grease on it, so there’s no need to add oil to the skillet.

The Best Way to Reheat Rice

We’ve all been there - you wake up and head to the fridge only to be reminded of all the left over Chinese food from the night before! Great - breakfast! The only problem is, the fridge does a number on your rice. Simply placing it uncovered in the microwave won’t do much to get fluffy, yummy grains. Here are a couple of tips.

1. For white rice: Place the rice in a stove-top pot, add a couple of tablespoons of water or broth and cover it tightly with a lid. Bring to medium heat and fluff with a fork for a minute or two. You can add a knob of butter if you like, for a little extra flavor. The steam will leave your rice moist and fluffy in moments.

   

Photo: Steamy Kitchen

1. For fried rice: Heat a wok or skillet to medium-high heat. Add a couple of tablespoons of peanut oil (it has a very high smoke point) or vegetable oil, and add the fried rice. Break up any clumps with the back of a spoon and keep stirring for a few minutes until rice is warmed though. Yum!

   

Photo: The $120 Food Challenge

The Best Way to Reheat Naan Bread

Second only to a really spicy curry, naan bread may be the best part of Indian take-out. It’s soft and slightly charred, and soaks up those pungent spices perfectly. That supple, doughy texture disappears once the bread hits the fridge though, so we’ve got an easy tip to get it back.

1. Splash a couple of drops of water onto your naan.

2. Wrap the bread in a clean dish towel or paper towel.

3. Microwave on high for 20-30 seconds.

   

Photo: Half Baked Harvest

The Best Way to Reheat Fried Chicken

Fried chicken can turn really soggy after hitting the microwave - and that defeats the whole purpose. The oven and a little non-stick cooking spray are your friends here.

1. Heat your oven to 400 degrees and position a rack in the middle.

2. Line a baking tray with foil and spray it with non-stick cooking spray.

3. Space the chicken out on the backing tray. You want a little space between your pieces, so the air can circulate and all the surfaces crisp.

4. Spray the food lightly with non-stick cooking spray and bake for 20 minutes, turning the pieces once, half way through.

   

Photo: Joe Weston’s Restaurant Newsletter

The Best Way to Reheat French Fries

French fries taste a bit like cardboard the day after you order them, but often times you still find yourself munching on them with a mixture of guilt and distaste. Crisp ‘em up and make them worth eating!

1. Heat a cast iron skillet to medium on your stove.

2. Once it’s nice and hot add a little oil to the pan. Choose an oil with a high smoke point, such as peanut,

3. Add the fries, being sure not to crowd the pan. You may need to do two batches if you have a lot left over.

4. Toss them in the oil until warmed through, about 2 minutes.

   

Photo: Layers of Happiness

Or you could always do this…

Photo: Make It Like a Man

And if you love left-overs as much as we do, check out these links!

Delicious Left-Over Turkey Taquitos

How Not to Get Stuck With All the Left-Overs