While it tastes cold pizza straight from the fridge has its merits, sometimes you want to reheat a slice to its former glory. But what's the best way to get that delicious taste and crispy crust back?
The best way to reheat pizza
While you may be tempted to warm up a pizza stone to reheat your pizza (time-consuming) or assume the microwave can do the job (sadly, soggy slices), the stove is actually your best bet here.
Place one or two slices in a cold (non-stick or model iron are the best) and place a lid on top. Turn the heat to medium-low and let it cook until you hear the cheese melt, which should take 6 to 10 minutes. Lift the lid and check your progress – when the cheese is bubbling on top and the crust is crisp on the bottom, you're ready to enjoy your leftovers. If you have a lot of pizza slices to heat up, you can use the same method with a grillecovering the slices with an inverted metal pan.
Photography by Danielle Sykes; food styling by Yekaterina Boytsova
Why does this work?
As the pizza cools and then chills in the refrigerator, its crust begins to undergo retrogradation, also known as staleness. Over time, the starch in the crust crystallizes and releases moisture, making the crust hard and stiff. This retrogradation can be temporarily reversed by heating the pizza to at least 140°F, the temperature at which the crystals break down and the starch can reabsorb water, making the crust pliable. Applying heat to a pan allows the bottom of the crust to come back into direct contact with the pan, while the steam trapped by the lid remelts the cheese from above and prevents the tops from drying out.
A hack for extra fresh cheese
We've heard some people suggest reheating the pizza in a non-stick cheese pan first, then flipping to brown the bottom crust. While this method seemed crazy at first, I tried it and can confirm that it works, although it does change the texture of the slice (plus you have to roll it, which is a bit difficult). Cooked face down, the cheese develops a crunchier, frico-like texture, and the slice becomes slightly chewier.
Try this method if you like extremely fresh cheese – and if you want a fresh baked pizza with this texture, make it with lace cheese South Shore Bar Pizza the next time you bake a homemade pie.
Brush up on your pizza skills with our comprehensive guide How to bake pizza.
Cover picture (Pretzel Pizza Crust) by Rick Holbrook; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne.
