The best way to reheat a McDonald’s Hamburger
The best way to reheat a McDonald’s Hamburger is by microwaving it for 30 seconds in the original packaging. It may not yield results quite as good as other methods, but it’s so simple and fast that I just can’t justify spending the extra time on any other method.
- Place on microwaveable plate in its packaging
- Microwave for 30 seconds*
- Microwave for further 10-second bursts until steaming hot
*1000w microwave
Read on for more details, tips and alternative methods…
Ordered too much on your recent McDonald’s delivery? It’s easily done, but no problem. You may be left with a hamburger or two that you don’t want to go to waste. Still, you might be unsure how to reheat it safely so the original quality remains intact.
Maybe you enjoy a cold burger (each to their own…). However, read on if you want a piping hot, delicious Hamburger with sauce and bun that have kept their freshness. I have tried various techniques to quickly bring a leftover McDonald’s Hamburger back to life.
Can you reheat a McDonald’s Hamburger?
You can reheat a Hamburger to make the burger patty steaming hot again whilst keeping the burger buns soft.
You can heat up your Hamburger in the microwave, the oven, the air fryer or on the hob.
Read on to find out the tricks and timings you can use to warm up your burger and get the best results from each method.
Can you reheat McDonald’s Hamburger in the microwave?
Using my tips, you can reheat a Hamburger in the microwave without the bread going soggy or the patty going chewy. It’s not quite the best method for quality, but it’s the best method if you’re in a rush.
Place the hamburger in its wrapper on a microwaveable plate. Microwave on full for 30 seconds.
In a 1000W microwave, it should be ready. If your microwave is under 1000w and/or the Hamburger has not reached 75°C (165°F), microwave for further 10-second bursts until steaming hot.
Instructions for reheating a McDonald’s Hamburger in the microwave
- Place on microwaveable plate in its packaging
- Microwave for 30 seconds
- Microwave for further 10-second bursts until steaming hot
Microwave tip 1: If the Hamburger was in the fridge, damp a kitchen roll and wrap the burger in that instead of the wrapper, this will introduce steam and help make the stale bun soft again.
Microwave tip 2: Let the Hamburger cool down before you take a bite because they get incredibly hot very quickly in the microwave.
Can you reheat a McDonald’s Hamburger in the oven?
You can reheat a Hamburger in the oven, but it will dry out easily, so don’t skip any of the tips below.
Preheat your oven to 180°C. Remove the burger patty from the Hamburger’s bun, scrape the ketchup, mustard, pickles and onions from the patty and bun, and save on a plate.
Sprinkle a few drops of water onto the patty and all parts of the bun and wrap them individually in foil loosely.
Add the patty to the preheated oven. After 5 mins, add the top and bottom of the bun to the oven and continue to reheat for another 5 mins or until steaming hot.
Remove the bun and patty from the oven, reconstruct the Hamburger, and put the ketchup, mustard, pickles and onions back.
TIP: I do not reheat the bread as it gets dry. In my opinion, there is enough heat from the freshly reheated patty. So if you can handle a slightly cooler bun, Scrape the ketchup, mustard, pickles and onions straight on the bun lid, reheat the patty, slide it back in, and eat immediately.
Instructions for reheating a McDonald’s Hamburger in the oven
- Preheat the oven to 180°C
- Remove the ketchup, mustard, pickles and onions and save them for later
- Sprinkle all parts of the burger with water and wrap loosely in foil
- Add the patty to the oven
- After 5 mins, flip the patty and add the buns
- After another 5 mins, remove all parts from the oven
- Reconstruct the Hamburger and replace toppings.
Can you reheat a McDonald’s Hamburger in the air fryer?
You can reheat a Hamburger in the air fryer. The following tips will help you make it as close to fresh as possible.
First, deconstruct your Hamburger and save the ketchup, mustard, pickles and onions for later. Add a few drops of water to the patty and both parts of the bun.
Next, add the patty to the air fryer at 180°C.
After 3 mins, add both parts of the bun to the air fryer and toast with the burger for 30-45 seconds.
Remove all Hamburger parts from the air fryer and rebuild and replace the ketchup, mustard, pickles and onions.
TIP: As with the oven method, I do not personally reheat the bread in the air fryer as it can get a bit dry. In my opinion, there is enough heat from the freshly reheated patty. So if you prefer a softer bun, scrape the ketchup, mustard, pickles and onions straight on the bun lid, reheat the patty, slide it back in, and eat immediately.
Instructions for reheating a McDonald’s Hamburger in the air fryer
- Remove the ketchup, mustard, pickles and onions from the Hamburger and save it for later
- Separate the patty from the buns
- Sprinkle the patty and both parts of the bun with water
- Add the patty to the air fryer at 180°C
- After 3 mins, add the bun to the air fryer
- After a further 30-45 seconds, remove all parts
- Rebuild the Hamburger and replace the toppings.
Can you reheat a McDonald’s Hamburger in a frying pan?
The frying pan is a very reliable method for reheating a Hamburger. Below are my tips for achieving the best results in the fastest time, based on my experience reheating all kinds of burgers over the years.
First, you need to disassemble your Hamburger making sure you remove all of the ketchup, mustard, pickles and onions and save them on a plate for later.
Next, add the patty to a medium/high preheated and lightly oiled frying pan and fry.
After 2 mins, if you want to soften and warm the buns, add the buns to the pan with a couple of tablespoons of water, then cover the pan with a lid (or splatter screen, plate – whatever you have!). Let the buns steam for around a minute.
Rebuild your Hamburger and enjoy!
Instructions for reheating a McDonald’s Hamburger in a frying pan
- Remove the ketchup, mustard, pickles and onions from the Hamburger and save it for later
- Separate the patty from the buns
- Preheat the frying pan over a medium-high heat
- Lightly oil the pan and add the patty
- After 2 mins, add the bun and two tablespoons of water
- After a further 60 seconds, remove all parts
- Rebuild the Hamburger and replace the toppings.
I hope you are happy with the results of reheating your McDonald’s Hamburger my way. Of course, these are proven ways of avoiding a dry burger, or stale bread, and ensuring everything is safely cooked.
FAQ
Is it safe to reheat a McDonald’s Hamburger?
It is safe to reheat a Hamburger if you don’t leave it out for over two hours, as heat-resistant harmful bacteria can start to grow. To ensure you destroy all bacteria, you must reheat the meat to an internal temperature of 75°C (165°F). Eating a Hamburger that’s been properly reheated is safer than eating it cold.
How long can a McDonald’s Hamburger sit out?
A Hamburger can sit out for up to two hours from the point it reaches room temperature. After that, it must be transferred to the fridge/freezer or thrown away as harmful bacteria will start to grow on it.
Can you eat a McDonald’s Hamburger the next day?
You can eat a Hamburger the next day if you store it in the fridge within two hours of it reaching room temperature. Otherwise, heat-resistant bacteria may have grown on it.
Can you reheat a McDonald’s Hamburger the next day?
You can reheat a Hamburger the next day if you store it in the fridge within two hours of it reaching room temperature. Otherwise, heat-resistant bacteria may have grown on it. You must reheat the burger to an internal temperature of 75°C (165°F) to destroy all the bacteria.
Can you reheat a McDonald’s Hamburger after 2 days?
You can reheat a Hamburger after two days if you store it in the fridge within two hours of it reaching room temperature. Otherwise, heat-resistant bacteria may have grown on it. You must reheat the burger to an internal temperature of 75°C (165°F) to destroy all the bacteria.
How to store a McDonald’s Hamburger in the fridge?
To store your Hamburger in the fridge, remove the ketchup, mustard, pickles and onions from the burger and place the sandwich inside an airtight container.
Can you eat a McDonald’s Hamburger cold?
Eating a Hamburger cold is OK as long as it hasn’t been out for over two hours. After two hours of going cold, the burger should be stored in the fridge to prevent harmful bacteria from growing on it. Personally, I don’t know why you’d want to eat your Hamburger cold when reheating it is so simple!
How long does a McDonald’s Hamburger last in the fridge?
Your Hamburger will last 2-3 days in the fridge if you put it in the refrigerator in an airtight container within 2 hours of it reaching room temperature.
Can you freeze a McDonald’s Hamburger?
You can freeze a Hamburger. Within 2 hours of it reaching room temperature, remove the ketchup, mustard, pickles and onions, then put the burger back together. Wrap the burger in plenty of kitchen roll and put it inside a freezer-safe bag or box. Defrost in the fridge overnight before reheating.
How long does a McDonald’s Hamburger last in the freezer?
A frozen Hamburger will be safe to consume for up to 3 months from the date of freezing.
