Leftover BBQ
Whenever I bbq I always have leftovers, whether it's ribs, pulled pork or whatever. The problem is reheating it. It's never nearly as good as when it was fresh. I've tried reheating in the microwave (really bad) and the oven (almost as bad!). I've heated it up both uncovered and covered, and wrapped in foil. Nothing works. Any ideas?
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18 Comments:
BBQ is just meant to be eaten immediately. Brisket, for example, even starts to degrade within hours in my opinion. Cook less? Invite more people over? Sorry, big BBQ fan...but not a leftover (of any sort) fan.
derosa at 10:10AM on 03/26/09
When I do pulled pork,I use a dry rub on a boston butt.If there's any leftovers,I make a killer Hash with it.Just like corned beef hash,but with BBQ pork butt.Take any leftover ribs,brush em very lightly with ya fave BBQ sauce,wrap loosley in foil,an heat in a 250 degree oven for about 90 minutes.
onepercent99 at 10:32AM on 03/26/09
Steam it. Mom used to do this to heat food before microwaves existed, and the moist heat helps keep the food well, moist!
hungryinhouston at 11:18AM on 03/26/09
Use it as the pork in a cuban sandwich. Add ham, mustard, swiss and pickles; press and grill. Deelish!
Jennefur at 11:28AM on 03/26/09
I can suggest this for leftover BBQ chix. I guess I'm kind of partial to this recipe because it's mine :D.
therealchiffonade at 11:35AM on 03/26/09
try shredding it and adding it to a pan with some sauce. Makes for excellent loose meat sandwiches, burritos or tacos.
canne at 6:41PM on 03/26/09
Note, the added sauce will keep it moist and by making more surface area you heat it a lot faster.
Also, what's wrong with eating it cold? Slice it thin and use it like lunch meat.
canne at 6:42PM on 03/26/09
I write cookbooks with my fellow BBQ Queen, Judith Fertig. She and I both love using leftover brisket or pork in a hearty soup or stew. It gives a lovely smoky flavor to the broth. Try mixing the meat with additional sauce and using in on a grilled pizza with BBQ sauce as a light base to the pizza and then sprinkle the meat over all and lightly top with cheese of your choice. Hope this helps!
BBQQUEEN1 at 7:51PM on 03/26/09
Kitschy as it may be, put it in a meatloaf. Just be sure to add enough moisture (cheese? butter?) to compensate for what's been lost.
michichan at 8:35PM on 03/26/09
I'm going to have to go with HUNGRYINHOUSTON and second the steaming suggestion. If you don't have a steamer, you can get a foil take out container with a lid, or even a small roasting pot and put a bit of water in it before sticking it in the oven with the bbq'd meats. And you don't have to settle for water, you can try steaming with a bit of beer or wine to infuse a new flavour into the leftovers.
tampabaychef at 10:43PM on 03/26/09
I'm not familiar with this phenomenon of leftover BBQ...
Pavlov at 6:48AM on 03/27/09
Also with HungryinHouston on steaming.
pjracz10 at 8:21AM on 03/27/09
@Pav - you would be if you made too much food every time you grilled...LOL. That's why I had to figure out what to do with it.
therealchiffonade at 1:13PM on 03/27/09
Most likely what you are seeing is what is called in the food industry as warmed over flavor. This is the oxidation of the fats and flavors in the meat and seasonigs. This is an early indicator of rancidity. It won't hurt you, but it just makes the meat taste old. How quickly it degrades relates to salt content, how long and how much you cooked it. This is why some of the chemical ingredients are so important in processed foods, they act to chelate iron, one of the catalysts of oxidation, or the block the oxygen bonding sites on fat particles to prevent oxidation. Salt acts with the iron in the meat to start the oxidative process, just like road salt oxidizes the metal in your car. Freezing the leftovers won't help, as freezing accelerates the development of oxidative flavors in the presence of salt. If you can vacuum pack the finished meat, it will slow down the process, but once you cook it, it will be off flavored when you reheat it, unless you cook it under vacuum, unlikely with barbecue, or cure the meat, as that will lock the iron in a state where it can't influence oxidation. BBQ corned beef isn't bad.
Meat guy at 1:39PM on 03/27/09
@Meat guy: And who says we can't be serious????? Great answer. Thank you
smallblondemom at 7:24PM on 03/27/09
@Meat guy- will you sell us some of your homemade sausage?
dmcavanagh at 10:38AM on 03/28/09
Mix it up with some scrambled eggs.
maxcriden at 4:03PM on 03/28/09
If I have leftover brisket I like to make chili with it.
deeoh1 at 4:30PM on 03/28/09