Can you reheat beef twice - is it safe?

Cow meat! It’s what’s for dinner. Do you remember that old ad from a long time ago? The phrase was used as a catchphrase for a popular American advertisement and is a phrase that sticks with people.

Beef is something every table should experience at some point. We respect that beef is not for everyone and there are many vegans and vegetarians who stay away from it.

Outside of those types of groups, beef is a common meat in the home.

Beef has many versatile uses. You can make any number of meals with beef and it seems to just complete many meals. Beef is a great source of protein for meals and you can serve it in many different ways so you don’t get sick of it.

Beef is easy to store and reheat. But can you reheat beef twice? If you handle beef properly, it can be reheated twice. There are a few things you need to know to keep the food safe for consumption and also to preserve the character of the beef. 

In this guide, we’ll explain what you need to know about how to reheat beef a second time. We will share with you the proper storage and handling so that in the end you get the safest and tastiest results.

Read on for important information about reheating beef a second time and much more.

The Guide to Proper Handling and Reheating of Beef

Beef is an incredibly broad category. There are many ways to process beef, as well as various cuts of it. Ultimately, any beef that comes from the meat of a cow is considered beef.

Beef is packed with protein and nutrients and has been a part of meals for centuries and more. The quality and flavor of beef can vary depending on the type of cow, as well as the diet and age of the cow. There are many things that can affect the overall quality of meat.

Here are some of the common variations of beef that you may see or know about:

• Mince
• beef jerky
• beef roast
• rump roast
• Ribs
• Beef steak
• veal shank
• cow breast
• Loin
• Sirloin
• t bone
• cubed steak

These are just a few examples of cuts and types of beef. There are many more options and many of them come from certain parts of the cow. For example, the brisket comes from the front or shank of the cow.

Essentially each of these types of beef can be used in a different way. There are tons of steak options on its own, but also many other forms of beef that you can use for many different recipes and meals.

You can do almost anything with beef. The options are endless!

cooking with beef

Cooking with beef is quite easy. You can bake it, fry it, roast it, sauté it, grill it, and many other things. You can also make a huge number of different dishes with beef. You can do almost anything you want.

When you cook with beef, there are also several levels of cooking. If you look up the USDA standards for safe handling of beef, you’ll see that they recommend cooking beef to a minimum internal temperature of 145 degrees. 

This temperature is normal for medium cooking. For greater safety, they recommend cooking it at 160 degrees, which is well-done meat.  However, it is common for people to eat beef at less done temperatures as well.

In most cases, this is a steak that can be cooked at lower internal temperatures. It’s not unsafe to do so with steak, but higher heat is the general recommendation.

Here are some meal ideas you can make using various forms of beef:

• beef stroganoff
• Steak
• Baked rib
• Fajitas
• Beef and broccoli
• tacos or burritos
• chicken fried steak
• chili
• assorted soups
• Beef tips and sauce
• BBQ Smoked Brisket

These are just some of the more common beef dishes, to name a few. In short, you can cook whatever you want with beef. You can even prepare it on the go. And the best thing is that you can always season it to your liking and prepare it as you prefer.

Proper storage of beef

If you want to be able to reheat beef and reheat it, you must first store it properly. For the best results, we recommend investing in a vacuum sealer for long-term storage. However, it is not totally necessary. It simply serves to prevent potential freezer burn.

Once your meat is initially cooked, it needs to be stored properly. You can store it in the fridge or freezer. If you reheat meat once, it also needs to be properly stored again. 

Although you can store and reheat meat multiple times, keep in mind that each time you reheat it, you risk losing quality.

Here are instructions for storing your second-cooked meat.

Refrigerate cooked beef

1. Wrap the beef tightly in plastic wrap.
2. Place the wrapped meat in a storage bag or an airtight container.
3. Store reheated meat in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Refreeze cooked meat

1. Wrap beef tightly in plastic wrap and/or aluminum foil. The double layer will help prevent freezer burn.
2. Place the wrapped meat in a heavy-duty freezer bag or an airtight container. You can also vacuum seal the meat if you have that option available.
3. Label, date and seal the meat container well.
4. Store reheated meat in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Now it’s time to get into the details of reheating the beef a second time.

The process for reheating beef twice

Reheating beef a second time is actually very easy. You will reheat it in much the same way as you would the first time. As for the reheating process, it’s hard to cover ALL types of beef in this guide.

However, you can use many of these tips and informational pieces in all cases. There are two main things to remember. First, you need secure, layered, and airtight packaging methods. Second, you have to remember that there is a safe internal temperature that you should aim for.

As we’ve said before, you can reheat beef many times if you handle and store it properly. You just have to keep in mind that every time you reheat it, it loses a small percentage of quality. It certainly won’t taste the same as the first time you made it fresh.

In addition, you have to know a very important factor. When you reheat beef, it has to reach 165 degrees internally to be safe to eat.

Reheat meat in the oven - Second reheat

1. Let the meat thaw or thaw using the refrigerator or a quick thaw method.
2. Place the meat in a skillet and cover the skillet with aluminum foil. If the meat seems dry, rub it with a small amount of oil. It doesn’t take much.
3. Bake in the oven at 350 for about 10-12 minutes or until heated through. Remove foil during the last 2 minutes of cooking.

Reheating meat in the kitchen - Second reheating

1. Heat a small amount of oil in a skillet over medium heat.
2. Add the fillet to the heated skillet.
3. Reheat each side for 3-4 minutes.
4. Cook until you reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

These processes are fairly easy, but reheating the meat twice could be unsatisfying. It is completely safe to do so if you handle and store beef properly. Just keep in mind that the quality may not be as good and your steak may start to taste dry as well as lose flavor.

Related questions

We hope you found this guide to reheating beef twice informative for your purposes. It is very easy to reheat beef as many times as you like, as long as you are aware that its quality may decrease each time. 

In the next section, you will find a list of common questions and answers collected. We invite you to consult it and see if it can be useful to you.

Can you reheat beef in the microwave?

Yes, you can, although the preferred methods are the oven and the kitchen. To do this, cover the meat with plastic wrap or a damp paper towel.

Heat only 30 seconds at a time over medium heat to prevent the meat from drying out during the heating process. 

Does reheating beef destroy bacteria?

Unfortunately, reheating beef does not destroy bacteria. The key to safely reheating beef is making sure you store it properly to begin with.

There is a certain window in which bacteria are most likely to grow. Your goal should be to store it safely in the fridge or freezer for this entire period to better protect the meat.

If you suspect the meat has gone bad, don’t try to reheat it again. It is best to throw it away at that time.