How to Reheat Seafood Boil Without Making it Rubbery

It’s essential to know how to reheat seafood boils properly. 

Why? 

Because reheating seafood, shrimp, and fish can be difficult. It can easily dry out compared to chicken or beef. And when not properly reheated, leftover seafood can have an unpalatable texture and smell. It can have a rather strong fishy smell.

You will still be able to enjoy that fancy cajun seafood bowl you cooked from the weekend. And we’ll show you the right way to reheat the seafood boil so you can still enjoy it for dinner later.

What is the Best Way to Reheat a Seafood Boil? 

When it comes to reheating seafood boils, the oven is your best friend. 

Forget about the microwave, we’ll tell you later why it’s not always a good idea to warm up seafood or any fish in your microwave.

Seafood and any fish should be reheated at a very low temperature in the oven. 

And because the oven can radiate steady heat, your seafood boils will taste and smell as if it has been just cooked. 

And here’s how it’s done.

1. Gather the tools that you need. You will need a baking dish or a casserole dish, aluminum foil, and your leftover seafood boil.
2. Preheat your oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Lightly grease a casserole or the baking dish, then place the leftover seafood boil. Don’t forget to splash it with a little water. 
4. Then cover with aluminum foil. Make sure that the entire dish is covered with foil. This will prevent the edges from drying out before the middle part of the dish is warmed fully. This also protects your oven from the smell. Seafood can leave off quite a distinct scent in your oven so you might want to avoid that. 
5. Pop it into the oven and leave for 10 to 15 minutes. You can also check for the internal temperature for doneness, it should be between 125 and 130 degrees Fahrenheit.

Related Article: Can You Reheat Fried Chicken in Air Fryer?

Why it’s Not Always a Good Idea to Use the Microwave

The microwave is everybody’s favorite kitchen tool when it comes to reheating food. 

But for reheating seafood boils, it’s not really a good idea. Well, unless you’re going to reheat the seafood boil in a bag, then it’s okay.

The microwave gives off very high temperatures that can dry out the internal part of the fish and seafood. 

You’re going to be left with a tough fish that feels rubbery. It may also have a very strong burnt fishy smell that you might not be able to eat anymore.

The high heat causes the fatty acids to break down. And this can lead to an unpleasant strong fishy odor. 

And fishes with lower fat content may be able to do better in a microwave than those with higher fat content such as salmon. 

So you still have an option to reheat your seafood boil in the microwave, but start with a lower temp and check from there. 

And don’t forget to splash a bit of water on the seafood boil before popping it in the microwave. Often, 6 minutes is enough to warm it. 

How to Reheat Seafood Boil in a Bag Using the Stovetop

Alternatingly, you can also use your stovetop to reheat your seafood boil. And you don’t even have to remove it from the bag. 

Here’s how to do it properly.

1. You’d be needing a pot filled with water.
2. Get your leftover seafood boil bag from the fridge. Pop it inside the pot, the contents of the bag should be fully covered with water. But ensure that it is properly sealed so that water will not seep in. 
3. Bring the water to a boil. And once it’s near boiling or steam starts to form, add in the seafood boil in a bag. 
4. Lower the heat and let it steam for 10 minutes.
5. Transfer it to a serving plate.

Pro-tip

Not all plastic bags can be boiled! 

So make sure you’re using boilable food-grade bags. Often, these bags can also be frozen and some can even be microwaved.

What is a Seafood Boil?

A seafood boil is a hearty feast that contains shellfish such as crawfish, crabs, sausages, and potatoes and corn. 

Other recipes may also call for fish. These ingredients are married in a flavorful broth. 

There are different varieties and different cooking methods. Some recipes use cajun seasoning and thus they’re called seafood cajun boil. And some make use of only shrimps, potatoes, and corn, making them shrimp boils. 

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What is a Low Country Boil?

A low country boil is essentially a shrimp boil. It’s referred to as low country boil because the main ingredient used is shrimp. 

Low country boils or shrimp boils often use shrimps, sausages, potatoes, and corn. Although there are also variations to the recipe depending on the region.

How to Reheat Shrimp Boil

Shrimp boils or low country boils are reheated in the same way as seafood boils. 

Though you may also use the microwave, you have to be extra careful since shrimps dry out easily too. And dried rubbery shrimps cannot be eaten anymore. 

So we recommend either the oven or the stovetop. You may also keep the shrimp boil in the bag and pop it in boiling water over a stovetop. 

How to Repurpose your Seafood Boil

It’s easy to reheat a seafood boil or a shrimp boil. 

But what if you have more seafood boils than you can eat? Your palates won’t be pleased if you feast on the same food for several days 

That’s why it’s a good idea to repurpose your leftover seafood boil. 

You can separate the ingredients, then add in new ingredients and whip up a new recipe.

Here are several ways to repurpose leftover seafood boil.

1. Separate the corn and potatoes. You can use these as side dishes for your main entree for a couple of days.
2. Make shrimp cocktail with leftover shrimp boil. Separate the shrimp, and reheat it in the oven. Serve with store-bought or homemade cocktail sauce.
3. A seafood boil is already packed with rich flavors. And it’s a good idea to transform this into a seafood chowder!
4. Just add creamy garlic parmesan sauce and you can whip up a seafood boil pasta.
5. You can make shrimp gumbo using leftover shrimp boil.
6. Make a seafood boil potato salad! Just add in mayo and some cajun seasoning. 

You’ll never have to settle for rubbery leftovers again

Knowing how to reheat seafood and fish properly can save you time and money. And seafood boils are such a feast that you will not want it to go to waste. 

These are also packed with flavor and can be repurposed in so many ways. You’ll be surprised at how many new dishes you can come up with.