The Right Way to Reheat for the Juiciest Prime Rib

The juicy prime rib roast that was a huge hit for dinner last night can make a return appearance as a superstar leftover. Here are a few suggestions for the best ways to reheat prime rib.

How to Reheat Prime Rib

Proper storage is key to good leftovers, so let's start with how to store cooked prime rib:

How to Store Leftover Prime Rib

As soon as dinner's finished, wrap any leftover prime rib tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate or freeze. While it's best the next day, leftover prime rib is good for between five and seven days in the fridge or up to six months in the freezer. For best results, keep the leftover prime rib intact rather than slicing it. If there's leftover au jus, drizzle a few tablespoons over the leftover meat before wrapping. To reheat from frozen, defrost in the fridge for 24 hours before following these steps.

Best Way to Reheat Prime Rib

It's nearly impossible to reheat prime rib without losing some of the rosy red color many diners crave, but you can come close to duplicating the original meal by being patient and reheating the meat very slowly. The best way to get close to retaining a medium-rare finish is to earmark the thickest part of the roast for reheating.

1. Place the leftover roast in a pan and cover with foil. To retain the succulent quality of the meat, add a little au jus from the previous day, or add 1/4 cup of low-sodium beef stock.
2. Place in an oven preheated to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) for approximately 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the size of the piece. The USDA recommends that reheated leftover meat reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees F (70 degrees C), which is well beyond medium-rare at 140 degrees F (60 degrees C). This version doesn't need to rest before being sliced and served, unlike the prime rib served fresh (which should rest at least 10 minutes to allow the juices to be reabsorbed into the meat.)
3. If keeping the meat as pink as possible isn't an issue, it's acceptable to reheat a slice of prime rib in the microwave, starting with 30-second intervals, and checking the temperature between blasts. This method sacrifices some of the meat's tenderness in exchange for speed and convenience.

What to Do with Leftover Prime Rib

Leftover prime rib can be piled onto an open-faced sandwich and popped under the broiler for a few minutes. It can be diced and fried with potatoes for a satisfying hash or added at the end of cooking beef stroganoff. If there are also leftover mashed potatoes and veggies, reheated prime rib can join the party for a virtual redux of the original meal. But there's no need to suffer from beefy déjà vu when you can make prime rib soup, stuffed baby Yorkies (a beefy version of classic Yorkshire pudding), and Asian-themed beef and rice noodle soup, pictured below.

Check out our collection of Prime Rib Recipes.