How to Reheat Kebabs

Kebabs are an incredibly popular takeaway food and are particularly enjoyable after one too many beers!

If you find that you’ve ordered more kebabs than you could possibly eat (don’t worry, we’ve all been there), then you might be wondering what to do with the leftovers. Can you safely reheat kebab? Yes, you can!

To reheat kebabs, pop them into an ovenproof dish, then reheat at around 150C for 20 minutes until they are piping hot. You can also reheat kebabs in the microwave.

How to Reheat Kebabs

We’ve all been there. A night on the town results in an excessive takeaway order, and you end up with vast amounts of chicken or doner kebab. The good news is that you can reheat it and enjoy it when you’re in a better frame of mind! 

You must wrap kebab meat well and keep it in the fridge or freezer. You should never leave kebab meat at room temperature, as it will spoil before you get the chance to reheat it. 

So, providing you’ve stored your kebab meat properly, you can reheat it in one of the following three ways:

How to Reheat Kebabs in the Oven

Reheating kebabs in the oven probably yields the best results, so it’s worth the extra time it takes. Here’s how to go about it: 

1. Preheat Oven
   Switch on your oven and preheat it to 300F or 150C. You don’t want your oven too hot, or your kebab meat will dry out. 
2. Prepare Kebab
   Place your kebab meat in an ovenproof dish with a thick bottom and add a splash of water. 
3. Cover
   Place the lid on top to cover the kebab meat. If your chosen dish doesn’t have a lid, use tin foil. Again, covering the kebab prevents it from drying out. 
4. Reheat
   Place your kebab meat in the centre of the oven and reheat for around twenty minutes. 
5. Check the Temperature
   Using a thermometer, check the internal temperature of your kebab. It needs to be at least 75C or 165F before serving.
6. Serve and Enjoy
   Your reheated kebab meat is now ready to serve up with some freshly baked bread and fresh salad. 

How to Reheat Kebabs in the Microwave

If you don’t have the time or patience to reheat kebab meat in the oven, you can do so in the microwave instead. Here’s what you need to do: 

1. Add Kebab to a Microwave-Safe Dish
   Place your kebab meat in a microwave-safe dish, and add a splash of water. 
2. Cover
   Add some plastic wrap to the top of the bowl and wrap it tightly. 
3. Reheat
   On medium, reheat your kebab meat for three minutes. Remove it, check the temperature, and return it to the microwave for one-minute intervals until it’s ready. 
4. Check the Temperature
   You need to check that your kebab meat is at least 75C or 165F before it’s safe to serve. 
5. Serve and Enjoy
   When your kebab is at the required temperature, you’re all set to tuck in and enjoy! 

How to Reheat Kebabs on the Stovetop

Your third and final option for reheating kebab meat is to do so on the stovetop. And like the other methods introduced, reheating kebab on the stovetop is easy, as we explain below: 

1. Heat a Pan
   Add a splash of olive or coconut oil to the base of a non-stick frying pan, and place over medium heat for 30-60 seconds. 
2. Add Kebab Meat
   Once your pan is sizzling, add the kebab meat. 
3. Reheat
   Stirring occasionally, reheat your kebab meat in the pan for 4-5 minutes, making sure it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan and burn. 
4. Check the Temperature
   You need to check that your kebab meat is at least 75C or 165F before it’s safe to serve: 
5. Serve and Enjoy
   Your kebab meat is now ready to add to a wrap or eat in any way that you choose.

How to Reheat Kebabs Successfully

Now you have 3 methods for reheating kebab, here are our 3 tips to ensure you have complete success:

• Always Check the Temperature – When you’re reheating kebabs (or any meat for that matter), you need to check its temperature before serving. Meat must be reheated to an internal temperature of at least 75C or 165F before it’s safe to serve.
• Lay Off the Sauce – It’s much better to reheat kebab meat without lashings of salsa or sour cream! While a little bit of sauce is okay, too much sauce will cause problems during the reheating process, so try and keep the meat separate if you can. 
• Only Reheat Once – You should only ever reheat kebab meat once. This is particularly important if you had ordered it from a takeaway, as you don’t know how the meat was kept before you purchased it. 

Is It Safe to Reheat Kebabs?

Yes, it’s safe to reheat kebab, but there are several important things to remember.

Firstly, ensure you store your leftover kebab in the fridge or freezer, not at room temperature. And secondly, always check the internal temperature of the meat before eating it.

If you follow these guidelines, you shouldn’t have any problems when reheating kebab.  

Reheating Kebabs FAQs

Below are a few common questions that get asked when discussing whether it’s possible to reheat kebab. These should help you out: