Best Ways to Reheat Food From McDonald’s
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The fast-food chain that we’ve all come to love due to its great taste tends to end up in the fridge quite often. After all, there’s nothing better than waking up and munching on some leftover Big Mac.
There are various ways to reheat food from Mcdonald’s. Fries and other crunchy sides like nuggets are best reheated on stovetops or ovens. However, items such as burgers can be reheated in microwaves for 30 to 60 seconds.
Essentially, there’s no one way to go about reheating McDonald’s. So, to reheat McDonald’s the correct way, check out my various methods!
Can You Reheat Mcdonald’s?
Yes, leftovers from McDonald’s can absolutely be reheated. However, you should watch out for the way you reheat each item. Reheating fries in the microwave will leave them soggy whereas processed meat patties will be unaffected in microwave heat.
But how many times you reheat is a whole different story. Reheating once is okay. But the more times you reheat fast food the more moisture it will lose. At some point, the foods will become dry and rubbery. They will also lose their taste. So, it’s best if you do not reheat them too many times.
And even when doing it once, following the proper reheating methods is essential. Otherwise, the food won’t turn out the way it was before. So, follow the guidelines provided in this article to the letter.
What Is The Best Way To Reheat McDonald’s Fries?
McDonald’s fries are best eaten crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. The best way to retain that flavor is to reheat the fries on the stovetop. Other alternatives are to reheat them in the oven or the air-fryer.
What you should not do is try to heat the fries in the microwave. All you’ll be left with will be disappointment in the name of soggy, mushy potatoes that you once called fries. See, the problem lies in the way a microwave reheats its food. It evaporates the moisture from the fries and makes them stale and tasteless. So, just, don’t go there.
Reheating fries on the stovetop
The best way to reheat fries is to do it on the stovetop. Get a skillet or a pan and heat up some oil in it. When the oil starts to bubble, drop in your fries. I love to place mine in a single layer so they’re not touching each other and so it’s easy to stir them around. This way, each fry gets enough heat to crisp up.
Heat the fries for two minutes in medium heat, tossing them every now and then so they don’t burn around the edges. While the fries are heating up, prepare a plate and line it with a paper towel to soak the extra oil. When the fries turn crisp and hot, place them on the plate and sprinkle over some salt.
You can also add some condiments like mustard or grated parmesan. I prefer to add a generous amount of grated mozzarella (hey, who doesn’t love a bit of mozzarella in everything?) with a side of ketchup. And voila! The fries are ready to be devoured.
Reheating in the oven or air fryer
Reheating fries in the oven requires less effort. If I don’t feel like hovering around the kitchen, tossing and turning dishes, I just pop the items in the oven for a quick reheat.
First I preheat the oven at 450 F and keep the baking tray inside while the oven’s preheating.
Once the oven heats up, I take out the tray and evenly spread the fries in a single layer on the baking tray. Then, I place the tray under the broiler for a couple of minutes (2-3 minutes usually) for fresh and crispy fries.
Alternatively, for the air fryer- I just reheat the fryer at 350 Fahrenheit. Then, I line the basket with aluminum foil, place the fries inside, and pop them in the fryer for 2 to 3 minutes.
You can also spice up your fries by adding extra paprika, garlic powder, or even cheese.
How Can I Reheat Big Macs & McMuffins From McDonald’s?
There are plenty of ways to reheat McDonald’s burgers. The best way is to heat the buns on the stovetop and the patty in the microwave. Then, just reassemble the pieces and bite down on them.
Of course, this method doesn’t encompass all types of burgers in the picture. What happens to burgers with fresh slices of lettuce, tomato, or salad in it? For the various types, there are various ways. Let’s take a look:
Reheating them in the microwave
Or as we call it: The Chrissy Teigen way! Who would’ve known that a world-famous star would stack up on big macs in their fridge for a morning snack? Guess we all aren’t that different after all.
To reheat your burger in the microwave, you have to make sure it doesn’t have any fresh ingredients in it. If it’s a simple bun-patty-cheese combo then it can be reheated in the microwave. Simply pop it in the microwave for 30 seconds and have it hot. The key to this trick, however, is to make sure you consume the burger while it’s still hot.
Buns or other bakery items just tend to lose their touch in the microwave which is why I present my best method:
Reheating Big Macs and McMuffins the right way
First, take out all the fresh ingredients from the burger and keep them on a clean plate. Take out any lettuce, tomatoes, pickled cucumber, eggs, or anything that will lose its freshness once heated.
Next, separate the patty from the buns and heat a pan. You don’t need to oil the pan, just place the buns or the muffins on the pan and let each side heat up for a while. Meanwhile, place the patty on a ceramic or glass plate and pop it in the oven for 30 to 60 seconds.
After the patty and bun reheats, reassemble each piece, along with the unheated parts, and munch on a burger as good as new!
How Can I Reheat McNuggets And Hash Browns?
To reheat these items the right way, pop them in the oven, preheated at 450F, for about 2 minutes on each side. Or, you can reheat them in a skillet on the stovetop. Place the hashbrowns or the nuggets on the skillet and heat till crisp (or to your liking).
Alternatively, as a hassle-free method, you can reheat them in the air fryer. Just preheat the air fryer at 400F and add your hash browns or nuggets. Make sure to place them evenly and just leave them in the fryer for 3-4 minutes. They’ll turn out crispy and hot.
Technically, these fast food items can be reheated the same way as fries. As all these items are deep or shallow fried, they have a certain amount of oil content. Microwaving these foods will lead to a stale flavor and soggy texture because the oil content gets evaporated and the food gets unevenly heated.
How To Reheat Sweets Such As Apple Pie
For this specific item, I prefer the air fryer over anything else. There’s just something about the crispy shell that comes fresh off the fryer that’s unbeatable! So, here’s how to do it:
First, preheat the fryer at about 300F for 2 to 3 minutes. Then, place the pies in the basket and keep them in the fryer for around 5 minutes. When the shell revives its crispiness, take it out of the fryer and let it rest for a minute or two. After that, dig in!
Other methods such as microwaving it or heating it in the oven are also viable. As for microwaving, just put the pie in for 30-second intervals and check if it’s heated enough in each interval. As for the oven, just pop it in a 200F preheated oven for 10 minutes and you’re good to go!