How to Reheat Roast Pork

Reheat leftover pork roast in the oven or microwave.
Image Credit: alexbai/iStock/GettyImages

Unless you're feeding a crowd, a large pork roast can result in plenty of leftovers. Don't let the food go to waste; refrigerate the leftovers and reheat pork tenderloin for dinner on another day.

Advertisement

Just be sure to cut the roast into large slices or pieces instead of storing the entire leftover roast in the refrigerator, because this makes it easier to reheat the portion you need.

Video of the Day

Video of the Day

And if you have more leftover pork roast than you can use in three or four days, freeze it for later use, as suggested by the University of Illinois Extension. Although frozen food remains safe indefinitely, consider reheating roast pork within two to three months for the best quality.

Read more: How to Make Oven-Baked Boneless Pork Chops

Reheat Pork Loin in Oven

Step 1: Preheat the Oven

Preheat your oven to at least 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step 2: Place Meat in Pan

Put the pieces of pork roast you want to reheat in an oven-safe dish or pan, such as a metal pan that is no more than 2 inches deep.

Advertisement

This allows the meat to reheat quickly, limiting the time it spends in the temperature range in which bacteria can begin to reproduce.

Step 3: Put Pan in Oven

Place the dish or pan in the preheated oven.

Step 4: Cook the Meat

Allow the meat to cook for about 20 minutes before removing it to check its temperature.

Advertisement

Step 5: Check the Temperature

Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the reheated pork. Pork roast and other types of meat should be reheated to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service.

Place the pork back in the oven if it has not yet reached a temperature of 165 degrees.

Check the temperature of the pork about every five minutes until it reaches the desired temperature before serving it.

Advertisement

Reheating Roast Pork in Microwave

Step 1: Place in Microwave

Place slices of pork roast in a microwave-safe dish and cover it.

Step 2: Cook for Five Minutes

Put the pork in the microwave and cook it for about five minutes. If possible, use your microwave's setting for reheating meat.

Step 3: Heat to Safe Temperature

Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the meat to see whether it has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

Advertisement

If needed, continue reheating the pork for two to three minutes at a time, checking the temperature at each interval.

Read more: Is Pork Better Than Beef?

Tip

Place leftover pork in the refrigerator immediately, where you can keep it for three to four days. Any meat that has been left at room temperature for more than two hours or outdoors in temperature in excess of 90 degrees Fahrenheit for more than one hour should be thrown away, the USDA reports.

Store leftover pork in shallow containers that can be covered or wrapped.

Warning

Do not reheat pork roast and other meats more than once, the USDA advises. Also, never use a slow cooker to reheat pork because the meat may spend too much time at temperatures conducive for bacteria growth.

references