Dear Kitchen,
I haven't had a microwave for about two years now and most of the time I don't miss it. But I'm wondering: what do other microwave-less cooks do to reheat meals?
I usually make a little hobo pack out of aluminum foil (completely wrap the food in aluminum foil) then stick it in the toaster oven for about 15 minutes. This is a way to avoid dirtying a pot on a the stovetop.
Thanks,
Laura
Laura,
Thanks for your question. You're in good company here. According to our highly unscientific survey, about 15% of Kitchen readers don't have microwaves. I'm hoping some of the microwaveless among us will speak up and share suggestions with you.
We've heard that some people seal pasta and rice type meals in plastic bags and drop them into boiling water to warm them up. That seems like risky business to us. This would work better if the bag was vacuum sealed, but most people who don't have space for a microwave probably don't want to store a vacuum sealer either.
Your question reminded me of the "No Nukes" post on Hedonia. "I've even become quite adept at reheating all manner of leftovers on the stovetop. It's just not worth taking up the space," writes Sean. Like you, he uses his toaster oven instead. The debate on microwave vs. toaster oven continues over at Chowhound.
Please share more ideas on reheating without a microwave in the comments section.
5 Things Paris Taught Me About Travel
Recipe: Ham, Cheddar & Chive Egg Bakes
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Bacsac Bacsquare 04...
5 Online Services to Save Yourself a Trip to IKEA
Nikki’s Sweet and Cheery Print Studio
I steam all my leftovers in my tamale steamer.
i use a pan (although i have a microwave i prefer not to use it)
Steamers work great. A bamboo one that can hold a bowl and fits over an already existing sauce pan won't cost you much at all.
regards,
trillium
We either just reheat on the stovetop or put it into the oven. Wish we had space for a toaster oven, that probably cuts down on some of the time.
I have friends who refuse to use my microwave to reheat anything (something about the radiation) -- but they use the convention oven feature. I'm willing to risk radiation for the ease of use -- and Hulk was always one of my favorite comic guys!
or a double boiler....
Microwaveless here too...and love it. We just reheat everything on the stove. It really depends on the type of food you eat though. Things like soup and curries are much easier to reheat successfully than hard leftover pizza :) I like the bamboo steamer idea...
I don't have a microwave because I already have a stove and an oven and I don't like left-overs. My sister says its because my Mom reheats the same cup of coffee in the microwave 10 times a day, over and over again, all day, never drinking it (a trait which all of my sisters have inherited) and I just want to be able t say I don't leave my coffee in the microwave. In anycase, I drink my coffee in one sitting and heat my food on the stove. Easy-peasy.
I don't own a microwave either bcs we cook fresh every time. We get foods that needs to be reheated, but then we use a small pot on the cook top, or sometimes I will put the serving dishes with the food into the oven to save myself cleaning the pot. Of course I have dishes that are oven proof.
Actually, I don't have a toaster oven, either ... though I can see making room for one. I have a ginormous oven that takes forever to heat up, so a smaller device would be key.
I don't have a microwave or toaster oven, so I just use the stove or oven.
I have been microwave-less for 5 years now and rarely miss it. There are some frozen meals from Trader Joe's I'd try if the only way to cook it wasn't in a mic.
I use the oven/stove to reheat. A pizza stone is the BEST way to reheat pizza. I even throw a just-delivered pizza on the pre-heated stone to recrisp the bottom and make it oven fresh. Microwaves are terrible for bread-y things, anyway.
no mic. thought about it for a minute but couldn't find a slim one the mounted under the cabinets that i liked. a gas stove reheats pretty much everything. some things need a bit of water to pep em up; some things use the steamer; and bready things go in oven, wrapped in foil. and the five or ten minutes it takes to prep things finds me with a glass of wine or water, calming down, transitioning my senses to time to dine mode. and, from time to time, leftovers straight from the fridge can be pretty awesome too.
I actually have a microwave, but I don't really like them all that much, and I'm still used to just putting something on top of the stove and heating it up that way, that I still usually just do that.
For one thing, the food actually stays hotter longer when it's on top of the stove.
Depends on the food - if it's prone to drying out during reheating, I'll cover in foil and put in the oven or broiler. Otherwise, on top the stove over low heat.
But what about in the office? How do you not use a microwave to heat up last night's dinner or soup?
I usually use a toaster/broiler oven for reheating - it's quick, keeps the kitchen cool, and uses much less energy. I also just heard a tip about heating pizza in a skillet - it works great, and is very fast
Nitab
I have not had a microwave for the last 8 months. Nor do I own a toaster oven. I reheat all of my leftovers using the steam heat method. You will need a skillet with proper fitting lid, a round pie pan(foil pan), and a cooling rack that will fit inside the skillet. Place leftovers in pie pan or foil pan. Then fill your skillet with about 1/2 inch of water or less. Place the cooling rack inside the skillet with the water. Next place the pie pan in the middle of the skillet on top of the cooling rack. Cover skillet with proper fitting lid. Use low to medium heat. Heating times vary depending on the type of food. Not recommended for reheating bread. This method may make bread soggy. I store my skillet, lid, rack and pie pan on the stove top:-) I do miss my toaster oven and plan to get another one soon. However, I will never have another microwave in my home. I also use the George Forman Grill. It reheats pizza just right.