Help me survive my kitchen renovation

August 19, 2013 2:11 PM

What is the best way to microwave leftover delivery pizza?

Please do not tell me to not use a microwave to reheat pizza - my kitchen is being renovated and it is the only appliance I have access to. I do not like cold pizza either.

I did check google, but there were several methods - cup of water in the micro, using paper towels, using parchment paper (which I do have). Which one method have YOU tried that you feel was most successful? I know it won't get crispy and there are much better ways of reheating pizza, but the microwave is all I've got today.

Thank you so much.

posted by NoraCharles to Food & Drink (14 answers total)

I like upside down on a paper towel, and not very hot. But upside down keeps the crust from steaming itself and the toppings from getting too dry and chewy, and the paper towel will help a smidge with grease.

30 seconds, check, and then maybe another 15. The more you nuke, the chewier it gets.
posted by Lyn Never at 2:13 PM on August 19, 2013

I just put it on a plate and nuke it in 30 second increments until it's done.

You really aren't going to get a better result than that.

Unless you have a crisping tray like in a Lean Cuisine.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 2:14 PM on August 19, 2013

Best answer: Cover it with a paper towel (to prevent splatter), put it on a plate. Try it in 30 second increments. The molecules need time to excite and calm down to evenly heat up. Also, every microwave oven heats differently so start slow until you find the right combo of time and pausing.
posted by Yellow at 2:14 PM on August 19, 2013 [1 favorite]

Best answer: just don't use the regular high heat setting. use medium heat or whatever is a lower setting. i know that helps a lot. hope your kitchen turns out beautifully!
posted by wildflower at 2:15 PM on August 19, 2013 [1 favorite]

Best answer: I find that it works a lot better if I use the Microwave's "50% power" setting and run for longer.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 2:25 PM on August 19, 2013

1 minute per slice at power level 7 (or 70% depending how your microwave does things.)
posted by Ouisch at 2:59 PM on August 19, 2013

If you ever thought about getting a toaster oven, do so now. They do a much better job re-heating frozen pizzas, are kind of useful in their own right, and are very cheap. also good for cheese melts, in fact anything involving heating bread is better done with a toaster oven.
posted by mr vino at 4:20 PM on August 19, 2013

If this is leftover delivery pizza, I've found that it makes more of a difference how you store it than how you nuke it. Leave it in the cardboard box when you put it in the fridge, and it's less likely to turn out soggy. It might end up a bit chewier, but I don't think there's much to be done about that.

I haven't tried them but something like these crisping bags might help with keeping it crispy.
posted by Aleyn at 4:53 PM on August 19, 2013

Response by poster: For the first two slices I tried the lower level power/longer time/ frequent checking method (with the pizza on a paper plate with a paper towel over it.) The results were not bad; a little soggy, but the cheese was gooey melted and it was hot. By the time I got to the edge crust it was getting chewy.

For the third slice, I happened to actually read the buttons on my microwave and was embarrassed to see a button marked "Pizza". I gave it a try and got a similar result as the first two slices. So basically the low level/longer time/frequent checking method of microwaving pizza is as good as it gets if you HAVE to microwave pizza.

Lord knows if I'd had my stove, I'd warm it in the skillet!

Thanks again!
posted by NoraCharles at 5:07 PM on August 19, 2013 [1 favorite]

Medium power any time you heat cheese in the microwave-- if it gets too hot, which it can do in some spots before others, the cheese can break the way an emulsified sauce breaks-- it starts sweating grease and loses its awesome texture.
posted by Sunburnt at 7:50 PM on August 19, 2013

I nuke mine with a damp paper towel over it for thirty seconds on full power. Works every time.
posted by patheral at 10:06 PM on August 19, 2013

Use your oven instead of your microwave oven. You want to heat the pizza, not just the H2O molecules.
posted by oceanjesse at 6:51 AM on August 20, 2013

Best answer: Pretend I meant Easy Bake oven, sorry for not fully reading the question!
posted by oceanjesse at 6:53 AM on August 20, 2013

Parchment paper? Haven't tried it, just remember seeing the article.
posted by defcom1 at 11:17 AM on August 21, 2013