Lets talk leftovers - Reheating/Storing

robnybbq · November 2012

OK. In another thread it was mentioned to do a large cook on the weekends and eat the leftovers throughout the week to save time on weeknight meals. This sounds like a good idea. However I do not have a clue on storing and reheating. I have done ribs, brisket, pulled pork, chicken and store them in a zip lock bag or tupperware containers. When we take them out to reheat in the microwave or oven the meats are so dried out they taste nothing like when they come off the Egg. The meat is like shoe leather and tough.

What is the secret to storing and reheating foods?

nolaegghead · November 2012

Get all the air out if you use ziplock - a foodsaver is better. Throw the bag in hot water to re-heat. Do not use a microwave unless it's to heat up the water to heat up the food. Soups and chili and the like work fine in a microwave.

The Cen-Tex Smoker · November 2012

nolaegghead said:

Get all the air out if you use ziplock - a foodsaver is better. Throw the bag in hot water to re-heat. Do not use a microwave unless it's to heat up the water to heat up the food. Soups and chili and the like work fine in a microwave.

perfect.^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

I do pulled pork in the micro when I'm in a hurry but for meats, but that is about it. I use my sous vide bath to rewarm any meats and it works very well. Fortunately for you, the tap water from your sink in probably 130-ish which is the perfect reheat temp. Just use zip locks or food saver bags and drop them in warm tap water until they are reheated. Might have to refresh the water to keep it warm. Takes a little longer but well worth it if you want your food to taste close to when it came off your egg

micowave + meat = no bueno in most cases (as far as food quality goes. I do it all the time when I'm in a hurry but if I want good food, never).

nolaegghead · November 2012

yeah, I'm guilty in a pinch as well. Little trick I do with heating evenly in the microwave, instead of 2 minutes at 100% power, I'll put it in for 10 minutes at 20% power.

SmokinDAWG82 · November 2012

I reheat Pulled pork in a cast iron skillet with a little water, always good!
Ribs I wrap in foil and heat in the oven, ribs need to be eaten when you cook em

Mighty_Quinn · November 2012

nolaegghead said:

Get all the air out if you use ziplock - a foodsaver is better. Throw the bag in hot water to re-heat. Do not use a microwave unless it's to heat up the water to heat up the food. Soups and chili and the like work fine in a microwave.

nolaegghead said:

yeah, I'm guilty in a pinch as well. Little trick I do with heating evenly in the microwave, instead of 2 minutes at 100% power, I'll put it in for 10 minutes at 20% power.

RIGHT ON

Skiddymarker · November 2012

nolaegghead said:

yeah, I'm guilty in a pinch as well. Little trick I do with heating evenly in the microwave, instead of 2 minutes at 100% power, I'll put it in for 10 minutes at 20% power.

+1 - SWMBO needs only two buttons on the nuke, one to turn it on one to turn it off, everything has the molecular "bejesus" activated out of it.

For a power setting of 20% for 10 minutes, Panasonic Inverter nukes truly operate at 20% power for the full 10 minutes. Other brands, if not using Panasonic electronics, will use 100% power which is cycled on for two minutes during the 10 minute cooking period to obtain the desired result.

Just like the egg, when using the nuke, low and slow is often the best.

nolaegghead · November 2012

Ours does 100% power 20% of the time. That's nice, I didn't think they had that feature.

nolaegghead · November 2012

We have a samsung

Optiontrader · November 2012

SWMBO, I believe it to be wife, but what is it exactly? Seen it often.

SmokinDAWG82 · November 2012

She Who Must Be Obeyed.

jleon401 · November 2012

This is why I love this forum!!! Never would have thought to reheat in warm water.

Skiddymarker · November 2012

@Optiontrader - She Who must be obeyed from the book, She, A History of Adventure, written by Henry Rider Haggard - some think it to be derogatory, actually it is to me a term of endearment. The book was written in a time when women, other than queens, were chattel. It is in fact a tale of a society that was very successful because of the immortal leader, SWMBO. Much like most of our households - we would be off the rails pretty quick if it were not for our better halves, SWMBO.

fishlessman · November 2012

whats a microwave. ribs i eat cold in the morning, pulled pork is foodsaver and frozen reheated in 180 degree water in the saver bag-not a ziplock, soups are heated in a pot, chicken turns into other things during the week...dip,soup,chicken salad sandwich etc. get the micro out of the house, we have one at work, if you saw the inside of it you wouldnt use it, maybe i should post a pic of the inside
:))

nolaegghead · November 2012

fishlessman said:

whats a microwave. ribs i eat cold in the morning, pulled pork is foodsaver and frozen reheated in 180 degree water in the saver bag-not a ziplock, soups are heated in a pot, chicken turns into other things during the week...dip,soup,chicken salad sandwich etc. get the micro out of the house, we have one at work, if you saw the inside of it you wouldnt use it, maybe i should post a pic of the inside
:))

Here's the inside of our microwave in our office (well, the worst one. There a 4 or 5 of them). Make sure you have a bucket in front of you if you blow it up.

fishlessman · November 2012

thats not too bad, ours looks like they used it for a bucket

robnybbq · November 2012

Looks like more crap to buy. Foodsaver.

This Egg is costing me more than my mortgage.

SWVABeanCounter · November 2012

robnybbq said:

Looks like more crap to buy. Foodsaver.

This Egg is costing me more than my mortgage.

You'll actaully save money with the foodsaver. Sealed up airtight, you'll never need to throw away leftovers.

nolaegghead · November 2012

Foodsavers are money savers. They pay for themselves - if not with leftovers, they allow you to buy in bulk (cheaper per pound) and freeze without freezer burn or funky flavors.

SmokinDAWG82 · November 2012

I'm gonna buy one for SWMBO for her Christmas present!

robnybbq · November 2012

I hate frozen meat. Always has a funny taste regardless is its opened or store bought/sealed.

$100+ for a foodsaver plus bags is not cheap. Then to find freezer room - Oh wait need to buy a freezer - this gets nuts,

nolaegghead · November 2012

You'd have a hard time telling if a meal of beef, chicken or pork were frozen in a foodsaver versus fresh. Fish need to be fast-frozen to have a good freeze, so you could tell there, but just about anything else, it makes a difference because there's no oxygen and no chance for dehydration through ice sublimation (freezer burn).

robnybbq · November 2012

When we have bought ground beef and frozen it it still turns "Brown" unlike when its fresh Red. Same with steaks. They have a different taste. They taste "stale". Now if you are taking these meats and burying them in a sauce then may be tough to tell.

Little Steven · November 2012

I agree and moreso if it is already cooked

robnybbq · November 2012

The above was talking raw meat.

I have not tried the reheating the ziplock bag in water yet. Microwave and stove top has made my leftovers blah unless its in a sauce/soup. As for meat - if I do not eat it after I cook it I usually chuck the rest in the garbage the next day. We also try not to make enough for leftovers due to not having the clue on how to reheat it.

I am in a bad mood. The point is my health and what I need to do to get healthier. I am taking my anger out on food and my Egg as I do not know where to begin. Trust me - I had thoughts of smashing it since all the foods that I have cooked on it are unhealthy. I need to learn how to cook on this with plain foods and not sauced foods. No more butter, cheese, etc. Plus trying to design a menu to use the Egg to make foods for the week and not having to use the egg during the week due to not enough time to use it after work at night. I get that I can cook a piece of fish Frying pan on a stove can do it in 10 minutes compared to an hour on the Egg(Including start up). I am not a fan of chicken. A pork butt that is full of fat or ribs are not a good choice. Was told to cut back on the carbs (not stop them) so that limits the veggies I like. I do not like them and need to learn how to prepare them so they do not taste like grass.

nolaegghead · November 2012

@robnybbq - take a look at these

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=healthy+grilling+in+books

Chunky_Charc · November 2012

If you do reheat meat in microwave don't over do it and take a paper towel and dampen it real good with water and place over the meat...the steam helps keep the meet moist.

fishlessman · November 2012

was me and veggies and quick cooks i would be marinating meat in smaller batches and freezing, then dropping the small bags in hot water to thaw in the sink while lighting the egg or taking out of the freezer the night before for a wok cook, 15 minutes to prepare the veggies then 5 minutes in the wok. meat freezes well in a wet marinade

jlsm · November 2012

@robnybbq I think many of us are in the same boat. Do you really not like chicken or just not dry skinless breasts? The egg really comes in handy when cooking chicken. Try marinating a skinless breast in orange juice, garlic, and oregano or ginger, depending on how you want to go. Give them a good soak for a half hour. Drain, dry, coat with a little oil (not EVOO) and sprinkle with just a tad of sugar. Raised direct at 350 to 375. Fantastic. Or soak some dried rosemary and sage in oil, coat boneless, skinless thighs, and cook as above. Juicy with just a kiss of smoke.

I hated skinless breasts before the egg. Now, I like to cook six at a time; two for dinner when they're done and leftovers to turn into all sorts of things, from chicken pot pie to a cheater's fajita, during the week.

Just try a couple of thighs before you turn away from chicken completely.

nolaegghead · November 2012

Pork tenderloin, when not overcooked, is tender, delicious, easy and fast to cook and healthy. For the money, I think it's one of the best buys out there. (I don't cook it often enough).

http://caloriecount.about.com/calories-pork-fresh-loin-tenderloin-i10061

Little Steven · November 2012

robnybbq said:

Looks like more crap to buy. Foodsaver.

This Egg is costing me more than my mortgage.
You'll actaully save money with the foodsaver. Sealed up airtight, you'll never need to throw away leftovers.

Yeah and when your kids move out they can clean everything out of the freezer when they visit

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Lets talk leftovers - Reheating/Storing

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