The Best Way to Reheat Lean Meats

What’s the best way to reheat lean meats, like pork loin or chicken breast?

With little marbling to provide moisture (or flavor), lean meats tend to dry out during reheating. This is especially true if they are overcooked to begin with or are reheated quickly, which—whether on the stovetop, in the oven, or in the microwave—causes significant moisture loss. We figured that reheating the meat in a moist environment would afford some protection against its drying out.

To test our premise, we cooked two pork loins to 145 degrees (our preferred level of doneness), cooled them to room temperature, and then refrigerated them overnight. The next day, we sliced one loin and kept the other whole before setting each in a separate baking dish, spooning broth over both, covering the dishes with foil, and reheating them in a 350-degree oven. We checked the loin slices once they were hot (about 20 minutes), and while they did retain some moisture, they were tough. The whole loin didn’t fare much better. The ends of the roast reheated faster than the middle, and it took almost 45 minutes for the entire roast to warm up. By that point, it was tough and inedible.

THE BOTTOM LINE   Save leftover lean meats for cold salads and sandwiches. They don’t have enough fat to keep them moist when reheated.