How to Properly Reheat BBQ Leftovers with the Best Meat Thermometer?

Reheating BBQ leftovers is something many people struggle with. This article covers the ins and outs of doing it the right way. If you, too, have the same concern, you’re in the right place to learn how to solve it.

In this article, you’ll learn different ways to reheat your leftovers, how to properly store and thaw them, as well as what to consider when looking for the best meat thermometers to track your food temperature while reheating it.

What is the best meat thermometer to use when reheating BBQ leftovers?

Having a reliable thermometer on hand when reheating your food is crucial. It will help you keep track of your food’s internal temperature and ensure it reaches a safe temperature, helping keep foodborne illnesses away from you and your family.

When looking for the best food thermometer for safe leftovers reheating, consider these four main features. A good thermometer should be:

• Fast
• Accurate
• Reasonably priced
• Easy to use

While there are many great instant-read thermometers to choose from, we highly recommend two for safe food reheating: the ChefsTemp Final Touch X10 and the ChefsTemp Pocket Pro. These digital thermometers tick all the boxes and will be a great addition to your home safety arsenal.

How to store and defrost your BBQ leftovers correctly?  

Storing leftovers

Safely storing and thawing your leftovers are two steps you need to take to ensure your food is safe to reheat.

Here are five tips to properly store your leftovers:

• Store your leftovers as soon as you finish your meal.
• Don’t leave them at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
• Vacuum seal your leftovers
• Place them in the fridge at or below 40°F (4°C), but only if you plan to consume them within a day or two. Otherwise, they should be stored in the freezer at 0°F (-18°C) or below.

Thawing leftovers

You should never defrost your leftovers at room temperature, because if they sit there for too long, they may enter the danger zone and be exposed to harmful foodborne pathogens.

The safest way to thaw your leftovers is in the fridge. While still vacuum-sealed, place your leftovers in a large bowl of water and refrigerate for 1 day. The defrosting process may take longer or shorter, depending on the quantity and type of food.

How to reheat BBQ leftovers?

The water bath method

While all the methods listed above yield very good results, the water bath method is the best way to reheat BBQ leftovers. No, you’re not going to simmer or boil your meat. You’ll sous vide it, and without a sous vide device!

You’ll need:

• A large pot.
• Zip-top bags.
• A remote leave-in probe thermometer and or an instant-read thermometer.

Instructions:

• The size of the pot and the number of zip-top bags you’ll need depend on your leftovers. If you don’t have a large pot, you can divide your BBQ leftovers across smaller pots.
• Put your barbecue leftovers in zip-top bags and make sure you remove as much air as possible. Then, seal the bags properly.
• Fill the pot with water until the leftovers are totally covered.
• Put the pot on the stovetop and turn the heat on.
• For the leftovers to cook to a safe internal temperature, whether you’re reheating meat, chicken, or fish, you need the water in the pot to get to 175°F(79°C).
• If you have a remote thermometer, you can place it in the pot and set it to alarm you when the water reaches 175°F (79°C). If you don’t have it, you’ll need to constantly monitor the pot’s temperature using an instant-read thermometer.
• Once the water in the pot reaches that temperature, remove the zip-top bag from the water bath, open it, and check the meat temperature with a digital food thermometer.
• The meat should be cooked to an internal temperature of at least 162°F (72°C), since it will carry over to 165°F (74°C) when resting.
• If it hasn’t cooked yet, put it back in the water bath and make sure you adjust the temperature so the water in the pot stays around 175°F (79°C).
• Keep monitoring the meat’s temperature until it reaches 162°F (72°C).
• Let it rest for a few minutes. Serve and enjoy.

The oven method

The oven is the second-best way we recommend for reheating your BBQ leftovers. Here is how to do it correctly:

• Once your leftovers are defrosted slowly in the fridge overnight, cut the sealed bags open and take the leftovers out.
• Grab an aluminum pan. Put the leftovers in the pan. Cover the pan with aluminum foil. This works best for reheating brisket. You can also use a sheet pan or a regular pan. For that, you’ll need to wrap the leftovers in aluminum foil or cover the pan with it.
• Add a little bit of water to the pan. The steam from the water will keep the leftovers moist. You can also rub a little butter or ghee onto your leftovers to prevent them from drying out.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F(177°C).
• Place the pan in the oven.

…

• As for the time the leftovers should stay in the oven, that depends on the type of meat you’re reheating. Generally, though, for most types of meat, 1 to 1.5 hours is more than enough.
• Monitor the temperature of the leftovers regularly with a digital thermometer. Leftovers should be reheated to 165°F (74°C) or 162°F (72°C), then rested for a few minutes so the temperature can reach the 165°F (74°C) optimum level.

The air fryer method

Using an air fryer is probably the easiest and fastest way to reheat your BBQ leftovers.

Here is how to reheat your barbecue leftovers in the air fryer:

• Preheat your air fryer to 270°F(132°C)
• Lay the leftovers in the air fryer basket. For optimal results, lay them all in a single layer.
• Cook the leftovers for 7 to 10 minutes, or until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). You’ll need to temp the leftovers every now and then with a food digital thermometer to make sure they don’t burn, especially if it’s your first time using an air fryer.

The air fryer is not as efficient in reheating your leftovers as the two methods above, but it is definitely worth a try, especially with certain foods, like chicken breasts, thighs, drumsticks, wings, and pork and beef ribs

The microwave method

We don’t recommend you reheat your leftovers in the microwave for two reasons:

• It will dry them out.
• It will also reheat them unevenly. Some parts will be well-reheated, while others will not. You don’t want that. Your food needs to reheat evenly to a safe internal temperature.

If you still want to use it, though, or don’t have access to the options mentioned above, here is a quick guide on how to properly reheat your BBQ leftovers using a microwave:

• Put your leftovers in a microwave-safe container. We recommend a glass container.
• Add sauce, butter, or ghee on top of the leftovers to prevent them from drying out.
• Set the microwave to medium heat and place the container inside.
• Set the timer to 4 to 6 minutes.
• Take the leftovers out and check their temperature using an instant-read thermometer.
• If the leftovers are not reheated to 165°F(74°C) yet, put them back in. Regularly check until they reach a safe internal temperature.
• Once done, serve and enjoy.

Again, the microwave is not highly recommended for reheating BBQ leftovers. Stick to the oven and the water bath methods. They are the safest methods to reheat your BBQ leftovers.

Final thoughts

Finding the best meat thermometer for your kitchen shouldn’t be an issue if you stick to the four main features of good thermometers mentioned above. As for reheating your BBQ leftovers, we recommend following the storage and thawing tips we gave you and using the oven or a water bath to ensure they’re adequately reheated.