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Exactly How To Reheat Mongolian Beef – I Test 4 Methods [Pics]

Mongolian beef is one of those perfect mid-week dinner dishes.

But whether you’re ordering in or making it from scratch, what happens if you end up with leftovers?

Can you reheat Mongolian beef and keep its crispy texture?

The answer is a resounding yes. It actually heats up really well!

I experimented with four different reheating techniques and discuss each one below.

In a rush? Here’s the short answer.

The best way to reheat Mongolian beef is in a skillet. Lightly grease a skillet with oil and bring it to a medium-high heat. Add your leftover Mongolian beef, frequently tossing it as it reheats. This process should take 4 – 5 minutes. Once piping hot, serve immediately for best results.

A note on my experiment

I’m lazy. So I ordered in some Mongolian beef from my favorite takeaway joint, and after eating my fill, I left the rest in the fridge. 

The reheating techniques I tried included:

  • In a skillet (best method overall)
  • In the oven / toaster oven (slow but good results)
  • In an air fryer (added nice crispiness)
  • In the microwave (convenient, but not the best)

I loved the skillet method. My Mongolian beef tasted pretty much as good as new.

The oven also worked well but was a bit slow (unless you’re using a toaster oven).

The air fryer was a surprising win, leaving my beef nice and crispy.

The microwave produced soggy beef, but it was super quick.

Reheating Mongolian beef in a skillet

Lightly grease a skillet with oil before heating it on medium-high. Add your leftover Mongolian beef, frequently tossing it as it warms up. This process should take 4 – 5 minutes. Once steamy and heated through, serve immediately. 

Tossing your beef in the pan ensures even heating and prevents sticking and burning.

How to reheat Mongolian beef in a skillet:

  1. Lightly oil a skillet.
  2. Heat the pan over medium-high heat on your stove.
  3. Once the oil is sizzling, add your Mongolian beef.
  4. Toss frequently as it warms up.
  5. Once heated through, serve immediately.

If your sauce has congealed a bit in the fridge, add a splash of water or stock to loosen it up.

Stock, in particular, is great for reinvigorating your Mongolian beef’s flavors.

Another idea is to add some fresh garnish before serving – I’m a fan of spring onions.

My verdict

The beef was crisp but not dry. And the high heat brought the sauce back to life – I could hardly tell it was reheated.

The only downside is washing the pan, but this is trumped by speed and convenience.

Reheating Mongolian beef in the oven / toaster oven

Preheat your oven or toaster oven to 300°F (180°C). Spread your leftover Mongolian beef in an oven-safe dish and add a few tablespoons of beef broth or water. Heat for 10-20 minutes, stirring every so often. To crisp the beef further, broil the dish for 1-2 minutes at the end.

Timings will vary depending on the type of oven you use and portion size. Toaster ovens will be faster.

How to reheat Mongolian beef in the oven / toaster oven:

  1. Preheat your oven / toaster oven to 300°F (180°C).
  2. Spread out your Mongolian beef in an oven-safe dish.
  3. Optional: add a few tablespoons of beef broth, stock, or water if you like the dish saucy.
  4. Heat for 10-20 minutes, or until warmed through.
  5. Optional: add some extra crisp by broiling the Mongolian beef at the end of heating.

Using a lowish heat makes this process slower but does a better job of keeping your meat tender and moist.

If you think the dish is getting burnt on the outside but it still needs longer in the oven, cover it with foil to protect it.

My verdict

This method works quite well, especially in a toaster oven, which is faster and adds a good level of crispiness.

A conventional oven does the trick too, but with slightly less crunch unless you use your broiler.

Reheating Mongolian beef in an air fryer

Set your air fryer to 400°F (200°C). Line the fryer basket with foil that has been pierced with small holes to allow air circulation. Rest your leftover Mongolian beef on top of the foil and heat for 5 minutes, regularly checking to prevent it from burning. Once hot and crispy, remove and serve immediately.  

How to reheat Mongolian beef in an air fryer:

  1. Set your air fryer to 400°F (200°C).
  2. Line your fryer basket with foil and pierce the foil with a few small holes (to ensure the air can still flow freely).
  3. Place your leftover Mongolian beef in the fryer basket.
  4. Heat it for 5 minutes, checking every 2-3 minutes to prevent burning.
  5. Once your beef is crispy and hot, serve immediately.

Lining the fryer basket with foil saves on clean-up by containing most of the beef’s sticky sauce.

Spread your leftovers out as much as possible in the fryer basket to ensure even heating, even if it means warming it in batches.

Overcrowding will mean the beef doesn’t crisp up as effectively.

My verdict

This method is best if you want super crispy beef, but you’ll need to sacrifice the sauciness of the dish.

That being said, the end result is delicious, and there is minimal clean-up (thanks to the foil).

Reheating Mongolian beef in the microwave

Transfer your leftover Mongolian beef into a microwave-safe dish. Add a bit of stock or water for extra moisture and stir well. Cover the dish with plastic wrap, pierced with a few small holes. Heat in 30-second intervals until steaming. Uncover and let it rest for 30 seconds before serving.

If you have rice to heat too, you can do it at the same time.

How to reheat Mongolian beef in the microwave:

  1. Place your Mongolian beef in a microwave-safe dish.
  2. Add some stock, broth, or water to loosen the sauce, and stir well.
  3. Cover the dish in plastic wrap and pierce the plastic with a few small holes. Or use a microwave-safe lid.
  4. Heat in 30-second intervals until piping hot.

Warming your Mongolian beef in short intervals lets you keep an eye on its progress and means you won’t overcook the meat and turn it tough.

Stick to heating a single portion at a time. The microwave doesn’t deal well with larger portions.

My verdict

This method is okay in a pinch but doesn’t do much for restoring crunch.

I also found some of the smaller pieces were overcooked, and overall the taste was a bit dulled.

How to store Mongolian beef

You can store Mongolian beef safely in the fridge for up to four days. Cool the dish to room temperature before transferring it into an airtight container and placing it in the fridge.  

Cooling your beef before storing it is vital. 

Otherwise, condensation will build up in the container and leave you with a soggy dish.

Spread the beef out when you’re cooling it for best results. This will prevent the bits of beef at the bottom of your dish from getting too mushy.

The sauce may thicken during storage, but you can rectify this by adding a little broth or stock when reheating.

Can you freeze Mongolian beef?

You can freeze Mongolian beef, but it’s unlikely ever to be as crispy or tender as the first time you cooked it. The dish will still be delicious though. You can keep your Mongolian beef in an airtight container in the freezer for 3-4 months. 

How to freeze Mongolian beef:

  1. Cool your Mongolian beef to room temperature.
  2. Transfer it into an airtight container and seal tightly.
  3. Pop into the fridge for an hour or two to cool further.
  4. Transfer into the freezer, mark clearly with the date, and use within 3-4 months.

Cooling your leftover beef in the fridge for an hour or two before freezing means it will freeze faster (because it’s already cold), and this will help preserve its texture.

How to reheat frozen Mongolian beef

Thaw your frozen Mongolian beef in the fridge overnight. Alternatively, you can defrost it in the microwave on the lowest heat setting. Once the meat is thawed, reheat in a bit of hot oil in a skillet, adding some broth for moisture and fresh garnish for taste.

Exactly How To Reheat Mongolian Beef

In this short recipe, I show you the best way to revive and reheat your leftover Mongolian beef.
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Chinese
Keyword: mongolian beef, reheat mongolian beef
Prep Time: 0 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 1 person
Calories: 140kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 portion mongolian beef
  • 1 tsp oil

Instructions

  • Lightly oil a skillet.
  • Heat the pan over medium-high heat on your stove.
  • Once the oil is sizzling, add your Mongolian beef.
  • Toss frequently as it reheats.
  • Once heated through, serve immediately.

Notes

If your sauce has congealed a bit in the fridge, add a splash of water or stock to loosen it up.
Stock, in particular, is great for reinvigorating your Mongolian beef’s flavors.
Another idea is to add some fresh garnish before serving – I’m a fan of spring onions.

Nutrition

Serving: 100g | Calories: 140kcal

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