August 19, 2019
How to reheat your favorite restaurant leftovers
In the oven? On the stove? We asked the chefs behind our favorite dishes
It’s hard to eat all of the one-pound doughnut at Stoke. Kristen Wile/UP
Very few things taste better after you’ve boxed them up and brought them home from a restaurant, but that shouldn’t keep you from taking leftovers. We asked the chefs behind some of our favorite dishes how they’re best eaten after sitting in your fridge.
The Doughnut, Stoke
It takes a big dinner party to eat the entire one-pound doughnut at Stoke, but don’t let that keep you from ordering it. To warm it up at home, scoop any leftover cream off it, then put it in the oven. A higher heat will make it crispier, but be careful it doesn’t burn. Or, former chef Chris Coleman suggests, slice it and turn it into French toast.
Marrakesh lamb bowl, Yafo Kitchen
I usually can’t finish and entire bowl at Yafo, but that doesn’t mean it should go to waste. If you can, take out the lamb and grains and throw them in the microwave before mixing everything back together. Otherwise, it’s perfectly fine to throw the whole bowl in together — just heat it to a minimum, where it’s just over room temperature.
Milk bread, Kindred Restaurant
We’re not above getting an extra order of milk bread to go. It’s always best fresh out of the Kindred kitchen, of course, but at home, Katy Kindred says to wrap it loosely in foil and cook it at 350 degrees for ten minutes.
Duck and dumplings, Dogwood Southern Table & Bar
This delicious dish is a staple on the Dogwood menu, and one we order every time we’re there. If you over-order and need to bring some home, Rare Roots Hospitality executive chef Scott Hollingsworth says to put the leftovers in a sauté pan with a little chicken stock and reduced it down until everything is hot. Add a spoon of butter and you’re good to go. To get extra fancy, you can add a squeeze of lemon and some fresh herbs.
Tennessee fries, Uptown Yolk
The breakfasts at Greg and Subrina Collier’s restaurant The Yolk, in 7th Street Public Market, come in pretty big portion sizes. If you go in there without ordering a side of the Tennessee fries, though, you’re missing out. Eat what you can, and enjoy the rest later after a quick reheat at 400 degrees in the oven.
Pizza, Inizio
A home oven can’t get as hot as Inizio’s pizza oven, but if you crank your oven as hot as it goes (preferably with a pizza stone), you can reheat your slices pretty well. Having your oven at maximum heat means the pizza will heat up faster, keeping it from drying out.
Ribs, Sweet Lew’s BBQ
What, you can’t throw these back on a smoker at home? Even so, you want these low and slow — you’re reheating, not cooking, owner Lewis Donald says. Wrap them in foil with a dash of beer and let them reheat in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes at 250 degrees.
Did we miss your favorite dish? Let us know in the comments and we’ll get the best method of reheating it for this week’s Concierge! —Kristen Wile
Kristen,
I have found the best way to reheat pizza is to do so in an iron skillet on the stove. If the toppings are cold from the refrigerator, place a lid on top of skillet. Bottom is crunchy and toppings are warm. I actually do this with Inizio’s when we get it for take out (no lid) to make the crust a little more crusty! Just be careful not to burn the bottom, although I like a little “char”;)
Good call!