How To Reheat Taco Meat

Aah, tacos. There’s nothing like the ooey-gooey meat piled high with sour cream, guacamole, and good old-fashioned lettuce. 

The only issue with tacos is that we often cook far too much meat to use in one sitting! And, the next day you’re left with a conundrum as to how to warm up taco meat. 

The good news is that there are plenty of ways to warm up your leftovers. Taco meat can be reheated in the air fryer, on the stove, in the microwave, in the oven, or even in a crock-pot. 

How to Reheat Taco Meat in the Microwave

Whether you’re warming up Jack-in-the-Box tacos or you’re reheating your own homemade version, one of the easiest ways to reheat tacos is in the microwave.

To reheat your tacos in the microwave:

1. Place the amount of meat you want to warm up in a microwave dish. 
2. Taco meat can wind up pretty dry when you reheat it. To avoid this problem, sprinkle a bit of olive oil or water over the ground beef. This adds some moisture back into the meat and keeps it soft and delicious!
3. Next, cover the dish using a lid. If you don’t have a lid for your dish you can use a sheet of microwaveable plastic wrap or a wet paper towel. Covering the food helps distribute the heat more evenly and lock in the steam.
4. Reheat the dish on medium heat for about two minutes. Remove the dish and stir the meat to make sure that it is at an even temperature throughout.
5. Put the dish back in the microwave for another minute or two and check the meat. You want to make sure that the internal temperature gets up to 165°F before taking it out and spooning it into your chosen taco shells!

How to Reheat Taco Meat on the Stove

If you don’t have a microwave, don’t panic! Another simple way to reheat taco meat is on the stovetop. 

1. To reheat the meat, place the meat in a saucepan and warm it over medium heat. Make sure that you stir the meat constantly so that it doesn’t burn on the bottom of the pan.
2. If you’re warming taco meat that’s been frozen, your moisture level should be great. However, if you’re reheating taco meat from the refrigerator, it’s best to add a dash of water or oil. 
3. This will help keep the meat from drying out. Once the meat is warmed all the way through, remove it from the heat and get ready to whip up some delicious tacos!

How to Reheat Taco Meat in the Oven

Another method for reheating taco meat is in the oven. This method will take a little bit more time, but it still makes the meat taste great!

1. To reheat taco meat in the oven, start by preheating the oven to 300°F. 
2. Next, line an oven-safe dish with aluminum foil and load the taco meat into the pan. Add a little bit of beef broth to the dish.
3. Now, cover the top of the pan with more aluminum foil. Put the pan into the oven for about 15-minutes. 
4. Once the time is up, remove the pan of meat and take off the top layer of aluminum foil. Place the taco meat back into the oven for another 10 minutes. 
5. If the meat still isn’t done after 10 minutes, you can continue warming it at these intervals until it’s ready. 

How to Reheat Taco Meat in an Air Fryer

Air fryers are all the rage today and for good reason! Not only are they a healthy alternative to deep-frying but they’re ideal for heating up leftovers!

1. To get started, set your air fryer’s temperature to 400°F and allow it to warm up for five minutes.
2. Next, add your taco meat to the air fryer’s basket and place it back in the machine. Turn the temperature down to 350°F and let the meat cook for about 3 minutes. 
3. After the time is up, remove the air fryer basket and check to see if it’s heated all the way through. If not, cook the meat for another 1-2 minutes until it is warm and crispy.

How to Reheat Taco Meat in a Crock-Pot

While reheating taco meat in a crockpot might seem strange, it’s a great way to slowly warm up your food if you’re serving it at a later point in time. That way you can keep the meat warm without having to closely monitor it!

1. To reheat taco meat in the crockpot or slow cooker, simply add a splash of either water or beef broth. 
2. Next, set the slow cooker to the warm or low setting. Place the taco meat into the slow cooker. 
3. Make sure to keep the lid on the pot so that the water creates steam to warm and moisturize the meat. You can leave the taco meat heating in the slow cooker until you’re ready to serve it! 

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you still have questions about reheating taco meat? We’ve got answers!

How Do I Store Reheated Taco Meat?

If you’ve reheated your taco meat, eaten your fill, and still have leftovers, don’t worry. You can store your taco meat again until you’re ready to use it. 

The best way to store reheated taco meat is in the freezer. Taco meat will last for much longer when you freeze it, and all you need to do to warm it up again is thaw the meat and use one of the above methods. 

Can I Reheat Taco Meat Multiple Times?

The good news about taco meat is that you can safely reheat it multiple times. No matter which method you choose for reheating your meat, you won’t hurt it by warming it up more than once. 

However, taco meat tends to taste best when it’s fresh. The fewer times you reheat the meat the more flavor it will contain.

How Long Does It Take to Reheat Taco Meat?

The length of time needed to reheat taco meat varies depending on which method you use. The fastest way to reheat taco meat is in the microwave, while the crock-pot takes the longest amount of time.