How To Reheat Leftover Prime Rib

We love the holidays for many reasons: they are a time for visiting with friends and relatives, engaging in meaningful community and spiritual activities, and eating. Lots and lots of eating. Many of us reach our limit with traditional holiday turkey and ham between church potlucks, family dinners, and Friendsgiving gatherings.

When hosting a small dinner party at home, many choose to serve a succulent, herb-crusted prime rib roast. This fatty, marbled beef is a bit more expensive than regular ground beef, so many cooks only purchase it for special occasions, then take great care when roasting it. Of course, you can try to purchase exactly how much you'll need per person, but you're likely to end up with leftovers. When reheating leftover prime rib, you definitely don't want to lose that hard-won moist, pink inside. Here is how to get it warm again without losing that delicious, tender juiciness.

Reheat Prime Rib in the Oven

Steaming in the oven is a gentle way to warm up sliced prime rib. To reheat slices in the oven, preheat to 250°F. It helps if you slice the prime rib before steaming. Add the prime rib slices to a small baking pan with a few tablespoons of broth or leftover pan gravy (water works fine, but might dilute the flavor of the meat).

Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and warm it in the oven until the prime rib slices feel like they are heated through, usually for about 10 minutes. Move the prime rib to a serving platter so it doesn't continue to cook.

Reheat Prime Rib on the Stovetop

Your stovetop works just as well to warm up leftover prime rib if you don't want to use your oven. If you are steaming on the stovetop, wrap your pieces in a flat foil, place them in a steamer basket, add the lid, and steam for around six minutes. Follow this step-by-step guide for reheating on the stovetop:

1. Add 1 to 3 inches of water to the bottom of your pan or double boiler, depending on your pot's size.
2. Place the steamer basket over the pot and bring the liquid to a simmer.
3. Wrap your slices of prime rib in a pouch made from aluminum foil, place them in the basket, and cover the pot with a lid. Allow the meat to steam for three to six minutes.
4. Carefully open the foil pouches to see if the meat has warmed thoroughly.
5. If not, rewrap the packets and let them steam for a minute or two more.
6. Transfer the beef to a serving platter immediately so it does not continue to cook.

Reheat Prime Rib in the Microwave

Use this method only when you don't have time for anything else. The powerful microwave can potentially, and very quickly, turn the pretty pink color to gray and cook all the juiciness right out of your prime rib. If you are in a pinch and prefer warm beef instead of cold, here is how to reheat prime rib in the microwave:

1. Place slices of prime rib and a few tablespoons of beef broth in a microwave-safe bowl.
2. Cover the dish with a lid or plastic wrap and microwave on high just long enough to knock the chill off or warm it through—about one to two minutes, depending on how many slices you have.
3. Transfer the beef to a serving dish immediately so it does not continue to cook.

Serve Prime Rib Cold

Like fried chicken, prime rib is just as tasty (some would say even better) cold rather than hot. Use thinly sliced leftover beef in sandwiches and main dish salads or chop it and add it to a weeknight stir-fry, sandwich, or soup.