You always want to make sure that the beef tenderloin you cook at home tastes just as good the next day or two.
In order to properly reheat the steak, three factors—appropriate temperature, warming time, and maintaining moisture—must be considered. It is possible to cook food in a microwave, but you must be aware of specific techniques to avoid rubbery and chewy results.
Take your time and read this article to learn the best methods for reheating beef tenderloin so that your family continues to enjoy this dish as much as they did yesterday rather than rushing and destroying your leftover steak.
A note on my experiment
To test my reheating techniques, I used pieces of a whole tenderloin roast, but your results may differ depending on the caliber of the meat you use.
With this experiment, I tried 7 different reheating methods:
- In the oven (best overall, hassle-free)
- In a “sous vide” water bath (time-consuming but produces the best results)
- In the microwave (acceptable results if you’re in a rush)
- In hot gravy (good method if there’s plenty of gravy)
- In the air fryer (avoid!, too easy to overcook)
- In a skillet (not worth it, heats unevenly)
- By steaming (okay result)
Reheating tenderloin in the oven is a great choice if you’re short on time and need to feed your hungry family.
My tenderloin was pink, delicious, and heated right through. It was actually nearly as good as when I first prepared it.
It can be difficult to avoid overcooking the meat because slices tend to heat up rather quickly.
Reheating beef tenderloin in the oven
Tenderloin should be brought to room temperature before cooking. Preheat oven to 250°F (120°C). After drizzling 1-2 tablespoons of meat juice or stock over the meat, wrap it in foil. Heat for 10-15 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 130-135°F (55-58°C). Allow the meat to rest before serving.
How to reheat beef tenderloin in the oven:
- Take the meat out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature.
- Preheat your oven to 250°F (110°C).
- Wrap the whole or sliced tenderloin pieces loosely in foil, drizzle 1-2 tablespoons of cooking juices or leftover stock over the meat, and then continue cooking.
- In the oven, place the meat directly on a wire rack; don’t forget to place a metal tray underneath to catch any drips.
- Heat for approximately 10 to 15 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 130° (55°C).
- Before serving, take the meat out of the oven and let it rest for five to ten minutes.
By lowering the oven’s temperature, you can prevent the meat from becoming overcooked.
The texture and flavor will be ruined if you try to speed things up.
To make sure the meat is heated evenly, use a probe or a sharp knife to check the internal temperature of the meat.
Slices of tenderloin will heat up more quickly than a whole piece, so you should be extra careful.
Wet meat doesn’t brown, so if you prefer a crispy, browned outer edge, then pat the meat dry with a paper towel. This method is sometimes referred to as a reverse sear.
One tablespoon of oil has been heated on high in a skillet. If you want to speed up the browning process, you might want to add some butter (1-2 teaspoons).
When the oil is smoking hot, sear the tenderloin on all sides, being careful not to touch the cut sides, until crisp.
Searing takes about 30-60 seconds per side.
This is my go-to technique because it consistently yields good results with the least amount of hassle.
The meat won’t heat unevenly if it’s placed directly on the wire rack because it won’t absorb additional heat from the baking tray.
You will therefore end up with an overdone outer layer and a pink inner portion rather than an even pink color throughout.
Because this cut of meat doesn’t have enough fat to absorb the extra heat, the uneven heat gradient that results from using a baking tray will cause your meat to lose its flavor and texture.
The tenderloin was moist and deliciously soft after being heated in the oven. The whole or sliced meat can be prepared using this technique.
Reheating beef tenderloin in the microwave
Place any leftover beef tenderloin in thin slices on a plate that can go in the microwave. Sprinkle with some water or stock. Cover the meat with a damp paper towel and microwave at 50% power in 30-second increments Allow the meat to rest before serving once it feels warm to the touch.
How to reheat beef tenderloin in the microwave:
- Slice your leftover beef tenderloin into thin pieces.
- Put the meat slices (no more than a few at a time) on a plate that can go in the microwave.
- Sprinkle some water or stock over the tenderloin pieces.
- Cover the meat with a damp paper towel and microwave at 50% power in 30-second increments
- When the tenderloin feels warm to the touch, take it out of the microwave.
- Allow the meat to rest for 1-2 minutes before serving.
I always microwave for intervals of no more than 30 seconds to prevent the meat from being cooked.
Any hotter and the meat starts to cook and lose its moisture and texture, so I can tell when my tenderloin is done by how it feels to the touch.
This results in rubbery, tasteless pieces of meat.
Don’t microwave more than a couple of slices of meat at once to ensure even heating.
Additionally, avoid attempting to heat a sizable piece of meat.
That’s what I did, and the outcomes were definitely not great!
Three to four slices of tenderloin can be heated in the microwave at once with good results.
You can easily repeat my tried-and-true procedure if you keep track of time and test the meat’s temperature.
I managed to avoid overcooking the tenderloin.
Without any indication of the cut edges “browning,” it remained juicy and pink.
The meat had a fantastic flavor and was at a consistent temperature throughout.
Reheating beef tenderloin in a water bath (sous vide)
Place the meat in a sandwich bag after it has warmed up to room temperature. Remove all the air from the bag. Heat a pot of water to 120-130°F (50-55°C). Place the beef tenderloin bag in the water and heat until the beef is thoroughly warmed. It should take about 10 minutes, depending on thickness.
How to reheat beef tenderloin in a water bath (sous vide):
- The tenderloin should be taken out of the refrigerator and brought to room temperature.
- Put the beef in a sandwich bag.
- Remove all of the air from the bag (you can accomplish this by submerging it in water before sealing it or by sucking the air out with a straw).
- Heat a pot of water to 120-130F (50-55°C).
- Lower the beef (sliced or whole) into the water.
- Heat the meat until it is thoroughly heated while maintaining a constant water temperature.
- Serve the meat from the bag after removing it from the pot of hot water.
Use hot tap water initially to hasten the process because it typically has a temperature of 120°F or higher.
As you heat your tenderloin, you can maintain that temperature.
To be safe, I checked the temperature of my water with a thermometer.
The thickness and quality of your beef cut will determine how long it takes to heat your tenderloin.
Slices will heat much quicker than a chunk.
My slice took around 10 mins.
You can sear the beef in a very hot pan to restore the crust if you prefer it with crispy outer edges.
In my opinion, this was the best result by far. Getting the air out of the bag and maintaining the proper water temperature required a little more finesse and effort, but it was worth it.
You can quickly check the temperature of your water by dipping your finger in it.
The water is the right temperature if you can submerge something for a split second before having to remove it.
You can put the bag of meat in a bowl under running water if you can get your tap water to the right temperature, or you can keep adding water whenever the temperature drops.
Reheating beef tenderloin in hot gravy
The beef tenderloin should be taken out of the refrigerator and brought to room temperature. Slice the meat into thin pieces. Remove some gravy from the heat once it has simmered in the pan. Place the beef slices in the gravy for two to three minutes, then top with gravy.
How to reheat beef tenderloin in hot gravy:
- Take the beef tenderloin out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature.
- beef should be sliced into thin, 1/4-inch-wide pieces.
- Use the gravy you make or the gravy you had the day before.
- In a pan, heat the gravy until it is just simmering.
- Take gravy off the heat.
- Add beef tenderloin slices to the gravy and heat for one to two minutes.
- Pour gravy on top of the meat if it is not entirely covered.
- Remove slices of tenderloin from the gravy and serve.
The tenderloin beef juices gave me the best results, but any gravy will do. If you are struggling, use stock as the last resort.
Avoid heating the gravy to boiling because doing so will make it too hot and cause the meat to cook.
This was a great way to reheat slices of tenderloin. The result was especially tasty because the meat wasn’t overcooked and the gravy gave it flavor.
My tenderloin was pleasantly warm and really moist.
I would use this technique once more if I were going to serve reheated beef tenderloin with gravy, especially if I had a large gathering of guests to feed.
Avoid letting the gravy get too hot—that’s the key!
Reheating beef tenderloin in the air fryer
Heat the air fryer to 225°F (110°C). Take the beef out of the fridge and place it in the air fryer basket with some remaining juices. Slices should be heated for 5 to 10 minutes, but avoid overheating the meat. Take it out of the air fryer, then let it rest before serving.
How to reheat beef tenderloin in the air fryer:
- Preheat your air fryer to 225°F (110°C).
- Cut your beef into slices that are about an inch thick.
- Wrap your beef tenderloin slices in foil and top them with any remaining juices.
- Depending on the thickness of your slices, heat the beef for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Before letting your slices rest and serving, check their temperature.
When reheating beef tenderloin in an air fryer, slicing your meat is best.
A piece of meat placed in the air fryer won’t heat through uniformly.
Because they are so abrasive, air fryers aren’t the best choice for reheating beef tenderloin.
It’s easy to overcook the meat. Mine ultimately turned out to be a little overdone and more difficult than the rest of my experiments.
I do not advise you to reheat beef tenderloin in your air fryer.
Reheating beef tenderloin in a skillet
Remove the beef tenderloin from the fridge, then let it come to room temperature. Slice the meat into thin pieces. In a pan, heat some fat or oil to a very high temperature. Place the meat slices in the pan and quickly sauté until the surface is seared. Remove from the pan and serve.
Avoid using too much oil as it might make the slices greasy and unpleasant. When you add the meat, the oil must start to sizzle.
The outside of the meat had significantly browned and was quite hot, but the interior had remained pink and was only lukewarm. In retrospect, I should have used thinner slices.
Because I prefer a technique that more evenly reheats beef tenderloin, I don’t advise reheating it in a pan.
Reheating beef tenderloin by steaming
Remove the beef tenderloin from the fridge, then let it come to room temperature. Slice it into strips. Create a stock and herb poaching liquid and heat it in a steamer until it’s simmering. In the steamer basket, put the beef strips, and steam for five to ten minutes. Remove the beef and serve hot.
The slices of beef warm up quickly because of how hot the steam is.
Thinner slices heat up more quickly, preventing overcooking on the outside.
This method kept the meat juicy and tender. Although the meat was slightly overcooked on the outside, I didn’t mind it.
How to store beef tenderloin
Place your beef tenderloin in an airtight freezer bag and cool it to room temperature before storing it in the fridge. Avoid cutting the tenderloin into pieces because it’s best to store it whole. Use the meat within 24-hours.
Unsaturated fats in the meat oxidize when they come into contact with free iron and oxygen, releasing chemical compounds that give your meat a cardboard-like, off flavor.
Store your cooked meat uncut and in an airtight container to avoid this. Since vacuum sealing allows you to remove the majority of the oxygen from the packaging, it is the preferred method for storing meat.
To prevent inedible meat, reheat and consume your meat within 24 hours.
Can you freeze beef tenderloin?
Yes, beef tenderloin can be frozen raw. Remove the tenderloin from its packaging and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap if the beef is not vacuum-packed. Alternatively, place in a freezer bag and remove the air. Keep in the freezer’s coldest section, preferably on the bottom shelf.
How to freeze beef tenderloin:
- Remove raw beef tenderloin from its packaging.
- Place it in a freezer bag or tightly wrap it in plastic wrap.
- In order to exclude as much air as possible, remove the air from the freezer bag or make sure the plastic is tightly wrapped.
- The lowest shelf of the freezer is the ideal place to keep the tenderloin.
Freezing beef does not adversely affect its quality.
In fact, aged steak can be kept frozen for up to a year and improves in flavor and texture.
It will freeze successfully as long as freezer burn is prevented by eliminating all the air surrounding the meat.
However, it’s best to consume your beef tenderloin within six months as the risk of freezer burn increases the longer it’s frozen.
How to thaw beef tenderloin
For the best results, defrost your tenderloin in the refrigerator. Depending on its thickness, your tenderloin’s defrosting time may take up to a day. After 12 hours, take the packaging off and pat the meat dry. Until the meat is completely defrosted, place it in the refrigerator with a container to catch any drips.
Exactly How to Reheat Beef Tenderloin
- 1 portion beef tenderloin
- Take the meat out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature.
- Preheat your oven to 250°F (120°C).
- Wrap the whole or sliced tenderloin pieces loosely in foil, drizzle 1-2 tablespoons of cooking juices or leftover stock over the meat, and then continue cooking.
- In the oven, place the meat directly on a wire rack; don’t forget to place a metal tray underneath to catch any drips.
- Heat for approximately 10 to 15 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 130° (55°C).
- Before serving, take the meat out of the oven and let it rest for five to ten minutes.
This Is The Only Way To Reheat Leftover Steak
FAQ
How do you reheat a tenderloin without overcooking it?
How to Reheat SteakPREHEAT. Preheat oven to 250 degrees. REHEAT. Transfer baking sheet to oven, and heat until steaks reach 110 degrees (warming time will vary depending on size and thickness; approximately 30 minutes for steaks that are 1 12 inches thick). SEAR. REST.
How do you reheat cooked beef slices?
To moisten it and create steam, drizzle it with a few tablespoons of water or broth. Then, cover the dish with its lid or a tightly wrapped piece of foil. Depending on how much beef you’re warming and how thickly the slices are cut, heat gently at 250F for 8 to 15 minutes, or until the slices are thoroughly heated.
How do you reheat sliced filet mignon?
One of the best ways to reheat a steak is to bake it for 20 to 30 minutes at a low temperature of about 100 degrees. Then, sear the steak for just 1-2 minutes on each side in a hot skillet with a little oil or butter.
What is the best way to reheat sliced meat?
Option 1: OvenSet your oven to 250°F (120°C). Add the meat to the baking sheet, then the butter or oil. Cover with aluminum foil to prevent it from drying out. This method usually takes at least 10–15 minutes. Prior to serving, make sure the meat has been heated throughly.