Recipes to Use Up Leftover Roast Beef (2024)

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by Alea Milham 4 Comments

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Do you need recipe ideas to use up your leftover roast beef? Below you will find many ideas for using leftover roast or prime rib in traditional recipes as well as leftoverroast beef recipes.

Recipes to Use Up Leftover Roast Beef (1)

I usually make a standing rib roaston Christmas Day. It is a such aflavorfulcut, but it is almost impossible to find a roast smaller than 6 pounds, so we always end up with leftovers. When money is tight I make a cross rib roast which is less expensive and slightly smallerbut is still a 4 – 5-pound roast.

It may be tempting to buy a boneless roast, but Irecommendagainst it. I find bone-in roasts to be more flavorful and the bones from the roast can be used to make broth or add flavor to beans and soups. If you don’t have time to use the bones within a few days of serving the roast, place them in the freezer to use at a later time.

Cooked roast beef freezes well. I can stretch the leftovers over several weeks, by freezing the roast in usable portions and then thawing it as needed. You can find more information about storing and using leftovers here.

Recipes to Use Up Leftover Roast Beef:

Hoppin’ John – uses both the leftover roast and the bones from your roast.

Shepherd’s Pieis usually made with ground beef, but is delicious when made with leftover roast!

Beef Stew Casserole – Add the leftover roast to step three, instead of step two.

Barbecue Beef Stuffed Potatoes–Shred the leftover roast and add barbecue sauce to make barbecued beef.

Beef Stew with Cabbage– Add leftover roast to Step two instead of step one.

Easy Broccoli and Beef– Leftover roast works well in astir-fry (add leftover roast to thesecond step instead of first).

Boeuf Bourguignon – made using leftover beef roast.

Beef Barley Soup – A hearty soup using leftover roast or prime rib.

Roast Beef Dip Sandwiches – made with leftover roast beef.

Pot Roast and Cheddar Grilled Sandwiches – take grilled cheese to a whole new level!

Pulled Roast Beef Tacos are a delicious way to create a completely different meal with your leftover roast beef.

Recipes Using Roast from Prep-Ahead Meals from Scratch:

If you have my cookbook, Prep-Ahead Meals from Scratch, you can use the leftover roast in these recipes from the cookbook:

  • Philly Cheesesteak Quesadillas page 88
  • Fajita Frittata page 91
  • Asian Beef and Broccoli Slaw Wraps page 95
  • French Dip Pizza on page 96
  • Cottage Pie with Cornbread Crust page 99
  • Swiss Steak Stew page 101
  • Skillet Beef Burgandy page 103

Use Leftover Roast in Place of Steak in these Recipes:

Fiesta Steak and Pasta Saladworks just as well with leftover roast as it does with steak.

Southwest Steak Salad with Honey Lime Dressingis great with leftover roast.

Steak and Asparagus Frittatacan just as easily be made with leftover roast.

SpicySteakand Artichoke Sandwich– slice the roast thin to use on this sandwich.

Steak and Asparagus Breakfast Wraps – A delicious and portable breakfast.

More ideas for using leftover roast in recipes:

Use the bones from your roast to make beef brothin a slow cookeror add flavor to beans when cooking them.

Leftover roast makes a flavorful addition to Quesadillas.

I replace the hamburger in Taco Salad with leftover roast. I saute the onions in a little oil and then add 2 cups bite size pieces of roast at the same time I add the beans.

I make tacos by adapting Tegan’s Taco Recipes. I cut up 2 cups bite-size pieces of roast, add 1 1/2 – 2 cups diced tomatoes and 1 -2 tablespoons of taco seasoning and cook it over a medium heat until it is heated through.

More Recipes Using Leftovers:

  • Recipes to Use Up Leftover Chicken
  • Recipes to Use Up Leftover Ham
  • Recipes to Use Up Leftover Steak
  • Recipes to Use Up Leftover Turkey
  • Recipes to Use Up Leftover Chili
  • Recipes to Use Up Leftover Fish
  • Recipes to Use Up Leftover Spaghetti Sauce
  • Recipes to Use Up Leftover Barbecue Chicken

How do you use up leftover roast beef?

About Alea Milham

Alea Milham is the owner of Premeditated Leftovers and the author of Prep-Ahead Meals from Scatch. She shares her tips for saving money and time while reducing waste in her home. Her favorite hobby, gardening, is a frugal source of organic produce for her recipes. She believes it is possible to live fully and eat well while spending less.

Comments

  1. Barbara Karr says

    I am 71years old and have lived in several different states. I know from place to place the same cut of meat can have different names. I have never heard of a Cross-rib Roast. Do you know that cut by any other name? I would like to make a couple of your recipes and your beef broth. I would like to get as close to the cut you used as I can. Thank you for the recipes! Best wishes, B. Karr

    Reply

    • Alea Milham says

      A beef cross rib roast comes from the shoulder area of the animal, from the arm half of the chuck roast.

      Reply

  2. Annette says

    I love these ideas! I always have leftover roast. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

  3. tijuana (po' man meals) says

    this is a delicious lineup for leftover roast recipes! such great ideas, too. i am absolutely trying that southwest steak salad. looks so good! 🙂

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Recipes to Use Up Leftover Roast Beef (2024)

FAQs

What can I do with leftover tough roast beef? ›

One of my favorite ways is to make braised beef. Thick-slice the roast (1/4 in thick or so), then cut the slices into bite-sized cubes. Put these in a deep pan and add a can of beef broth (about a cup), a cup of water, and a half-cup of red wine.

How long does leftover roast beef last in the fridge? ›

USDA recommends using cooked beef within 3 to 4 days, kept refrigerated (40°F or less). Refrigeration slows but does not stop bacterial growth. USDA recommends using cooked leftovers within 3 to 4 days.

How to use over cooked roast beef? ›

A simple fix for overcooked meat is to dump it in your food processor with some olive oil, purée it, and use it as a stuffing for everything from hand pies and empanadas to dumplings and ravioli.

Can I freeze leftover roast beef? ›

This results in discolouration of the meat, such as brown spots on your beef. The meat is still perfectly edible, but it can affect the taste, so you may want to trim off any affected areas. It's fine to freeze cooked meat, including meat leftovers and meals cooked from previously frozen meat.

How to soften tough cooked roast beef? ›

Simmering in a little bit of liquid or broth is a great way to tenderize. Acidity can also be your friend here. A little bit of vinegar and lemon juice in the liquid can help you tenderize the meat. It adds moisture, but it also cooks the meat.

Can I eat roast beef after 7 days? ›

Beef, veal, lamb and pork roasts, steaks and chops may be kept 3 to 5 days. After cooking, meat, poultry and seafood can be safely stored in the refrigerator 3 to 4 days.

Can I eat 5 day old leftovers? ›

Leftovers can be kept for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. After that, the risk of food poisoning goes up. If you don't think you'll be able to eat leftovers within four days, freeze them right away. Frozen leftovers will stay safe for a long time.

Why does beef roast turn brown in refrigerator? ›

After exposure to the air for 15 minutes or so, the myoglobin receives oxygen and the meat turns bright, cherry red. After beef has been refrigerated for about five days, it may turn brown. This darkening is due to oxidation, the chemical changes in myoglobin due to the oxygen content.

How do you moisten leftover roast beef? ›

Place the leftover roast in a pan and cover with foil.

To retain the succulent quality of the meat, add a little au jus from the previous day, or add 1/4 cup of low-sodium beef stock. Place in an oven preheated to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) for approximately 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the size of the piece.

What to do with leftover overcooked beef? ›

Overcooked steak can be repurposed and transformed into something delicious.
  1. Slice it for cheesesteak. ...
  2. Make a stir-fry. ...
  3. Get a sharp knife for thin slices:
  4. Chop it for a terrine. ...
  5. Thin slice for a cold sandwich. ...
  6. Chip steak for gravy and biscuits. ...
  7. Make dumplings, empanadas, pasties, or pierogies. ...
  8. Board Sauce.
Aug 1, 2023

What can I do with tough steak that's already cooked? ›

How to Save Overcooked Steak?
  1. Sauce Saves the Day. Covering your overcooked steak with a thick sauce or gravy will help balance out the dryness and make up for its lack of flavor. ...
  2. Simmer In Liquid. Warm some water or broth in a pan with some barbeque sauce and let your steak simmer. ...
  3. Grind It Up.

Can you reheat roast beef more than once? ›

In terms of food safety, however, so long as you reheat the food at the correct temperature and for the correct duration of time, it can in fact be safely reheated multiple times. However, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) recommends that food is only reheated once, so follow this guidance wherever possible.

Can you freeze cooked roast beef in gravy? ›

Meats that the gravy might be served with, if also leftover, do well being frozen along with it/in it, since the gravy will fight the drying-out process. Reheat the meat along with the gravy in the oven at 350 degrees F. it reaches an internal temp of 160F. These combo plates last about 3 months in the freezer.

What is the best cooked meat to freeze? ›

Beef, such as cooked ground beef, roasts, or steaks, freezes well. To ensure the best results, consider freezing beef in portioned quantities for easier meal planning.

What can I do with overcooked tough meat? ›

How to Save Overcooked Steak?
  1. Sauce Saves the Day. Covering your overcooked steak with a thick sauce or gravy will help balance out the dryness and make up for its lack of flavor. ...
  2. Simmer In Liquid. Warm some water or broth in a pan with some barbeque sauce and let your steak simmer. ...
  3. Grind It Up.

How to cook a tough beef roast and make it tender? ›

A surefire way to make a tender, juicy pot roast is through braising; that is, cooking the meat in a small amount of liquid in a tightly covered pot at low temperature. Stove top roast recipes can be customized with your choice of herbs, vegetables, potatoes, and liquid braising mixtures.

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