How to Reheat Steak (Without Drying It Out)

A good steak is never cheap, so the last thing you want is to ruin good leftover meat by reheating it badly. The best way to reheat steak isn’t the microwave, it takes a little more care than that, but the difference in the end result is so worth it. 

This guide covers how to reheat steak using five different methods, ranked from the one that gives you the closest thing to freshly cooked, all the way down to the last resort option you use when you’re short on time. Whether you’ve got a thick ribeye or a few slices of sirloin left over, there’s a method here that’ll work.

If you’re cooking steak from scratch, try my tender braising steak with gravy, steak pasta and tender pepper steak recipe.

The Best Way to Reheat Steak

The best way to reheat steak is low and slow in the oven, followed by a quick sear in a hot pan. This two-step method keeps the inside juicy and pink while bringing the crust back to life, which something no other method does quite as well. Here’s the basic process:

1. Take the steak out of the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before you start.
2. Preheat your oven to 130°C fan / 150°C conventional / 250°F and place the steak on a wire rack set over a baking tray.
3. Heat until the internal temperature reaches 43°C / 110°F for medium-rare. This takes around 20-30 minutes depending on thickness.
4. Pull it out, then sear in a screaming hot pan with a little oil or butter for 30-60 seconds each side.
5. Rest for 2-3 minutes before eating.

When you reheat steak this way, you get even heat from edge to edge with no grey, overcooked band around the outside. A meat thermometer is the single most useful tool you can have here, as guessing doesn’t work well with leftovers.

How to Reheat Steak in the Oven

The oven method is the one I come back to every single time. It’s slower than the other options but it’s the most reliable way to warm the meat all the way through without overcooking it. If you know how to reheat a steak properly, this is it. For thicker cuts especially, reheating steak in the oven gives you control that the hob or air fryer just can’t match.

What you need:

• Wire rack and baking tray
• Meat thermometer
• A pan for the optional sear

Steps:

1. Pull the steak from the fridge and leave it out for 30 minutes. Starting cold means the outside overcooks before the centre warms through.
2. Preheat your oven to 130°C fan / 150°C conventional / 250°F.
3. Place the steak on a wire rack over a baking tray. The rack lets hot air circulate underneath so you get even heating on all sides.
4. Put it in the oven and check the internal temperature after 15 minutes. You’re aiming for 43°C / 110°F for medium-rare. Most steaks take 20-30 minutes depending on thickness.
5. Once it hits temperature, pull it out. If you want the crust back, heat a pan until it’s very hot, add a small amount of oil, and sear for 30-60 seconds per side. This step is NOT optional if you care about texture.
6. Rest for 2-3 minutes before cutting in.

To reheat steak in oven without it drying out, the wire rack is doing a lot of the work – don’t skip it and don’t place the steak directly on the tray. Adding a small knob of butter on top in the last few minutes of oven time is also a good move, especially for leaner cuts like sirloin. When reheating steak in oven you can also loosely tent the tray with foil if your steak is on the thinner side, which helps trap a little moisture.

How to Reheat Steak in an Air Fryer

The air fryer is the method I’d reach for when I don’t have 30 minutes to wait on the oven. It reheats steak in a fraction of the time and still gives you a little crispness on the outside, which puts it ahead of the microwave and the hob for most cuts. The key to getting reheat steak in air fryer right is temperature control. This thing moves fast, so checking every couple of minutes is non-negotiable.

What you need:

• Air fryer
• Meat thermometer

Steps:

1. Take the steak out of the fridge and let it rest at room temperature for 20-30 minutes if you have time. It’s not as essential here as it is with the oven method, but it does help.
2. Preheat your air fryer to 180°C / 350°F.
3. Place the steak in the basket in a single layer. Don’t overcrowd. If you’re reheating more than one steak, do them in batches.
4. Cook for 2 minutes, then check the internal temperature. Flip and check again every 2 minutes after that.
5. Pull the steak out once it hits 43°C / 110°F for medium-rare, or 57°C / 135°F for medium. The air fryer is easy to overshoot, so keep a close eye on it.
6. Rest for 2-3 minutes before slicing.

Reheating steak in air fryer works especially well for ribeye and other fattier cuts, as the circulating heat renders the fat nicely & gives you a better exterior than the oven alone. As for how long to reheat steak in air fryer, most steaks between 1-2cm thick will be done in 4-6 minutes total, while anything thicker will need 6-10 minutes. If you want to know how to reheat steak in air fryer and still get a proper crust on it, a 30-second sear in a hot pan after the air fryer finishes would be a good idea if possible.

Planning a steak night? My air fryer ribeye steak, air fryer steak bites and frozen steak in the air fryer are all great options.

How to Reheat Steak on the Hob

The hob (or stovetop, if you’re reading this from the US) is the best way to reheat a steak that’s already been sliced. A whole steak is trickier. To get the centre hot enough, you end up cooking the outside for so long that it turns grey and tough. But for leftover strips or thin slices, a hot pan is fast, simple and does a decent job. 

What you need:

• Heavy-based frying pan or cast iron skillet
• Butter or oil
• Lid or foil (optional, for whole steaks)

Steps:

1. Take the steak out of the fridge and leave it at room temperature for 20 minutes if possible.
2. Heat a pan over medium-high heat and add a small knob of butter or a splash of oil.
3. For sliced steak: add the slices in a single layer and toss every 30-45 seconds until just warmed through. This should take 2-3 minutes total. Don’t walk away because thin slices go from perfect to overcooked very quickly.
4. For a whole steak: place it in the pan, cover loosely with a lid or foil to trap some heat, and flip every minute. Aim for 43°C / 110°F internal temperature for medium-rare. Be aware that larger steaks will struggle to heat evenly with this method.
5. Rest for 2 minutes before serving.

The stovetop is also a good finishing step after the oven or air fryer if you want to bring the crust back. A splash of saved steak juices or a little beef stock in the pan while the steak heats is a good move for keeping things moist. The best way to reheat a steak on the hob is always on a medium-high rather than a screaming high heat. If it’s too hot, the outside chars before the inside has a chance to warm through.

How to Reheat Steak Using Sous Vide

Sous vide is the method that gets closest to freshly cooked steak. The reason is pretty simple: you set the water to the exact temperature you want the steak to reach, which means it physically cannot overcook. The best way to heat up steak if you have the equipment is this, no question. The catch is that you do need a sous vide machine, which not everyone has.

What you need:

• Sous vide machine and container
• Zip-lock bag or vacuum seal bag
• Pat of butter (optional but recommended)
• Pan for the optional sear

Steps:

1. Take the steak out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature for 30 minutes.
2. Place the steak in a zip-lock or vacuum seal bag with a small pat of butter tucked in alongside it.
3. Fill your sous vide container with water and set the machine to 52°C / 125°F for medium-rare, or 57°C / 135°F for medium.
4. Submerge the bag and leave it for 20-30 minutes. The water bath won’t push the steak past the set temperature, so there’s no risk of overcooking even if you leave it a little longer.
5. Remove the steak from the bag and pat it dry with kitchen paper.
6. For the best result, sear in a very hot pan with a little oil for 30-45 seconds per side to bring the crust back.
7. Rest for 2 minutes before slicing.

If you don’t have a sous vide machine, don’t try to replicate this by monitoring a pot of water on the hob. The temperature fluctuates too much and you’ll end up with uneven results, so just stick to the oven method instead.

How to Reheat Steak in the Microwave

This is the last resort option, and I want to be upfront about that. The microwave is the quickest way to reheat steak but it’s also the easiest way to ruin it. One minute too long and you’ve got rubbery meat that tastes nothing like it did the night before. That said, if you’re short on time and the other methods aren’t an option, there is a right way to do it. The trick to how to heat up steak in the microwave is low power and short bursts.

What you need:

• Microwave-safe plate
• Damp paper towel
• Microwave

Steps:

1. Take the steak out of the fridge and leave it for 10-15 minutes at room temperature if you can. Even a short rest helps here.
2. Place the steak on a microwave-safe plate and drape a damp paper towel over the top. This traps steam and helps stop the surface drying out.
3. Set the microwave to 50% power. Never full power as it heats unevenly and dries the outside before the centre warms through.
4. Heat in 30-second intervals, flipping the steak between each one.
5. Check the internal temperature after each interval. Pull it out at 43°C / 110°F for medium-rare. Most steaks will take 90 seconds to 2 minutes total, but this depends on thickness and your microwave’s wattage.
6. Rest for a minute before eating.

Sliced steak is way easier to reheat this way than a whole steak. The thinner the pieces, the more evenly the microwave heats through. If you saved any juices from the original cook, spooning a little over the steak before covering it with the damp paper towel makes a big difference to the end result.

Tips for Reheating Steak

• Let it come to room temperature first. A cold steak takes longer to heat through, so the outside overcooks before the centre warms up.
• Use a meat thermometer and aim for 43°C / 110°F before any searing step. Don’t go beyond 57°C / 135°F if you want to keep it pink.
• Rest it after reheating. Two to three minutes lets the juices redistribute instead of running straight out when you cut it.
• Store leftover steak in its own juices and spoon them back over when you come to reheat steak in oven or the microwave.
• Placing steak directly on a baking tray steams the bottom. A wire rack lifts it so heat circulates evenly on all sides, which is how to reheat steak in oven without drying it out.
• Leftover steak keeps for 3-4 days in an airtight container in the fridge, or up to 3 months in the freezer.
• How to reheat filet mignon needs extra care, since it’s a lean cut with less fat to protect it. Oven only, check temperature every 10 minutes, and add a knob of butter on top. The best way to reheat filet mignon is low and slow, so don’t rush it.

Serving Suggestions

Once you’ve nailed the reheating, the sides and sauce make all the difference. My cheesy mashed potatoes are the pairing I come back to most as it’s ready in just 30 minutes, but if you want something with more crunch, my crispiest roast potatoes work so well alongside a reheated ribeye. For a vegetable side, roasted tenderstem broccoli with garlic and lemon takes 15 minutes and goes with basically everything. 

On the sauce front, you’ve got two options: my peppercorn sauce for steak is the fancier move and takes about 5 minutes, or if you want something quicker, my cowboy butter dipping sauce is just melted butter with garlic and herbs and it’s amazing, as is this compound butter.

How to Reheat Steak FAQs

Got leftover steak and want to use it up properly? My Cajun steak salad, beef and broccoli and Valentine’s peppercorn steak menu are all great places to start.