The Meat That You Should Never Reheat, According To Michael Symon

When it comes to food, there's no denying fresh is best. However, some proteins can take the heat multiple times, like pork ribs that start out on a smoker and finish in an oven (via BBQ Host). There's one meat that Iron Chef Michael Symon says that fans should pick a preparation method and stick to, though.

Symon's experience working with an array of proteins is easily visible due to his roles on Food Network shows like "Burgers, Brew & 'Que," and "America's Best Cook." Food Network says he also earned his chops by starting up James Beard Award-winning restaurant concepts and authoring cookbooks. You can taste some of his expertise for yourself at those restaurants, or through trying one of Symon's recipes (like roasted pork rack with zucchini fritters).

Because of his experience and talent, it would be difficult to "meat" someone who could better speak to the issue of reheating proteins than Symon. He has sliced up his take on exactly that issue.

According to Michael Symon, you should never risk it with your brisket. A Twitter user asked, "@chefsymon have a 20 pound waygu brisket going to smoke. Is it okay to smoke it day before, wrap it in butcher paper and heat it up the next day." Symon responded, "I would avoid at all costs if possible ... brisket is best when not reheated ... especially using such an expensive waygu."

Symon has a point with the waygu beef. As American Cafe stated in March 2022, waygu beef can cost upwards of $200 per pound. BBQ Revolt sheds some light on why Symon recommends avoiding reheating brisket if at all possible. The meat is especially prone to drying out when air hits, especially if stored improperly. By cooking it through using one method instead of splitting the preparation process up, you eliminate the risk of your brisket drying out.

As Meat Smoking HQ details, smoking your brisket to where it's ready to eat is a time-consuming task, demanding between an hour and a half and two hours per pound of meat. Thus people might be tempted to smoke it part of the way and then finish it up in an oven to cut down on that time. According to Symon, though, what you save in labor and time you'll lose when it comes to the quality of the finished product. Essentially, Symon is advocating for your full brisket commitment.