How To Reheat White Castle Burgers (Keep Them Juicy And Tasty)

There are buns, burger patty, condiments, and toppings, so reheating a hamburger can be a tricky endeavor, especially if you are trying to reheat the White Castle’s Original Slider.

Zapping them in the microwave or warming them up in the oven can certainly make them warm again, but if you want them to taste juicy and fresh, you have to do it the correct way.

When fresh off the grill, White Castle burgers are irresistibly hot and juicy; however, it’s easy to see the small size of the burgers and order more than you can eat. In fact, the original sack that most customers order comes with ten slider-sized burgers for a very reasonable price.

Although the burgers are small, many end up with leftovers. Just because you’re eating them the next day doesn’t mean they can’t be just as satisfying as they were fresh out of the bag.

So, whether you have some leftovers from a restaurant or frozen ones from the supermarket, here I will cover some clever ways to reheat them.

Why Are White Castle Burgers Different?

The slider-sized burgers from White Castle are a beloved part of the American fast food scene. They are famous for their unique, oniony taste, petite size, and affordable price.

White Castle is no-frills Americana at its very best. White Castle was the first fast-food chain in the world after its founding in 1921. They grew across the East Coast and Midwest and now have hundreds of restaurants in the US. [1]

What if you aren’t lucky enough to live in a state with a White Castle?

No worries, now you can even find frozen white castle burgers in the freezer aisle of most major grocery stores. And surprise, surprise, you can even get them on Amazon now!

There are countless fast-food burgers in the world. However, the White Castle burger has endured for 100 years for a good reason. They have a taste, unlike any other burger. One reason for this is that the burgers are steamed, not fried or grilled.

How Are White Castle Burgers Actually Made?

The unique steaming process is responsible for the delicious onion taste that makes White Castle burgers stand out from the crowd. First, a pile of onions is placed on a grill. The small slider-sized beef patties are placed on top of this glorious heap of onions. The steam and heat rising from the onions cook the meat.

Have you ever wondered why there are five holes in your White Castle patty?

These holes, one in each corner and one in the middle are why steaming the patties works so well and so quickly. The hot steam escapes through the holes in the burger meat, leaving a distinct flavor profile. When these onion aromas travel through the meat, it makes a truly delicious burger that isn’t like any other sold in fast food today.

Near the end, the buns are placed on top of the patty, ensuring that the soft, pillowy bread has that signature onion taste as well. This process has been perfected into a science. It makes burgers quicker and eliminates the need to flip the patties. That’s why they can get so many sliders out quickly to hungry customers.

1. Reheat Them In An Oven 

Using the oven might take longer, but it is the best way to reheat a previously fresh White Castle burger.

1. First, preheat the oven to 350°F (176.°C).
2. Take out the slice of pickle from inside the burgers since you don’t want to eat hot pickle slices, and scrape the condiments off the bun and patty with a knife.
3. Grab a standard broiler pan with the rack. (Like the one above). This is a sheet pan with a second slitted rack or sheet pan that fits right on top of the first pan.
4. Heat up some water in whichever way you prefer (kettle, microwave, or stovetop). Pour this hot water carefully into the broiler tray. It’s important that the water isn’t too high; it shouldn’t touch the second pan as you don’t want to boil the burgers, but merely steam them.
5. Next, for easy cleaning later, put tin foil down on the second tray with the slits. Prick a few holes throughout the tin foil with a fork for the steam.
6. Then place your leftover White Castle burgers on the tray, along with the cheese and onions. Put this tray on top of the broiler tray with hot, steaming water.
7. Now, tent the burgers with another aluminum foil.
8. Leave the burgers in the oven for 10-12 minutes. Once finished, the meat patty should be hot and juicy, and the cheese should be nice and melted.
9. Now, add the buns and heat for another minute.
10. Finally, remove the tray from the oven, rebuild the burger, add some ketchup or mustard, and put back the slices of pickles, tomatoes, and lettuce.

For frozen store-bought sliders, remove them from the wrapper, separate them, and follow the instructions above. When frozen, add another 2-3 minutes to the cooking time.

2. Reheat Them In A Countertop Toaster Oven 

Would you prefer to save some time and energy and use a toaster oven instead?

1. Take apart the burger, scrape off the condiments, and place the beef patty with the cheese and onions in the toaster oven at 350°F (176°C).
2. If safe and able, place a tray of hot water at the bottom of the toaster oven.
3. To prevent messy drips of the crease at the bottom of the oven, lay a sheet of foil underneath.
4. Heat it in the toaster oven for about 5-6 minutes.
5. Make sure the meat is cooked thoroughly inside. If it’s still cold in the middle, leave it in for a few more minutes.
6. Add the buns and heat for another 30 seconds, but leave out the pickle slices.
7. Reconstruct the hamburger and enjoy.

When it comes to a toaster oven, it may be too small to fit in a steamer tray and boiling water so that you won’t get that steam heat. However, it will still heat up quite nicely and taste great.

3. Reheat Them On The Stove Top

The stovetop is another great option for reheating your slider burgers. There are a few ways to reheat a White Castle slider burger on the stovetop.

1. To mimic their original creation, a steamer basket insert in a saucepan is ideal. First, bring the water to boil on high heat in the saucepan, keeping the steamer out of the saucepan.
2. Once the water starts steaming, put some tin foil down on the steamer basket.
3. Disassemble the hamburger and place your burger patties, with cheese and onions, on top of the foil and change the stove temperature to low.
4. Steam the patties for about 10 minutes.
5. Now add the buns and steam for another minute; the aluminum foil keeps the buns from getting wet and soggy.
6. Once sufficiently reheated, reconstruct the burger, and it is ready to eat.

What if you don’t have a steamer tray?

You can still reheat the burgers on the stovetop.

1. Remove the buns and heat them separately with a toaster.
2. Put a small amount of water (2-3 tbsp) into a frying pan and turn it to medium heat. Once the thin layer of water starts to heat up, place the burger patties along with the cheese and onions on the frying pan.
3. Then cover with the lid.
4. After about 5 minutes, the burgers should be reheated adequately.
5. Slide the patties back into your toasted buns and enjoy your reheated fresh White Castle sliders!

4. Reheat White Castle Burgers In The Microwave 

Reheating the burgers in a microwave is fast and easy. It is recommended in the instructions for the frozen store-bought White Castle sliders.

Just open up the plastic wrap on one side and separate the sliders, still keeping them inside the wrap. Microwave them inside the plastic wrap for 35 seconds on a ‘high’ setting; if frozen, microwave for 1 minute.

1. However, when microwaving the leftover burgers from the burger joint, separate the patty from the bun and take out the pickles, tomatoes, and lettuce.
2. Wrap the burgers in a slightly damp paper towel to keep them from drying out. Then put the meat along with the cheese and onions in the microwave for about 60-90 seconds.
3. Place the buns on top of a toaster, frequently rotating, so it doesn’t burn. This should heat up and toast the buns separately while maintaining more of the bread’s texture.
4. If you don’t have the time for that, then keep the bun with the patty and reheat it all together. The bread may become a bit mushy, but it will still taste okay.
5. When it’s finished heating up, re-add the slices of pickle, lettuce, and tomatoes.

5. Reheat A Burger Using An Air Fryer

Air fryers have taken the world by storm in the past few years. It’s no wonder since they are so easy to use and can efficiently heat things up. They do this by quickly circulating hot air around the food. This means they are essentially just miniature convection ovens, which heat foods faster than a traditional oven.

Due to air fryers’ powerful heating elements., it’s important to reheat the burger without the top bun, which can easily burn.

1. Simply place your burger in the air fryer at 320°F (160°C) without preheating first. Cook for about 5 minutes, then add the buns and cook another 30-40 seconds.
2. Check with your finger to make sure the burger is heated throughout.
3. Reassemble the burger and add some new desired condiments.
4. Enjoy!

Read Also: Does An Air Fryer Use Oil? (Yes, But Here Is What You Need To Know!)

For How Long Can The White Castle Burger Be Stored?

The best way to ensure that the juicy texture and taste of the original fresh burger lasts through the night is to make sure it’s stored correctly. 

Place your leftover hamburgers in an airtight container. Cooked burgers can be safely refrigerated for about 3 or 4 days. In the freezer, it will maintain the best quality for about 2 to 3 months.

When stored in the fridge, if you haven’t eaten it by the fourth day, then there is a chance of getting sick, and it should be thrown out.

Then, when you are ready to eat the burger, there is no need to defrost so that you can cook them straight from frozen!

Whatever method you use to reheat the burgers, make sure that you heat the meat back up sufficiently, at an internal temperature of 165°F (75°C).

Also, when storing the buns, keep in mind that they already have sauce, onion, and juices from the meat on them and can’t be kept out at room temperature without going bad. 

If kept in the fridge after already being steamed initially, it will likely turn crumbly and lose its good taste after two days.

Consider using different bread if it looks like it has gone past the point of no return in terms of taste and texture. 

Also, when it comes to lettuce and tomatoes, they have a tendency to get soggy and spoilt during storage, so I would remove them and throw them away.

How Many Times You Can Reheat The Burgers?

A burger patty that has been cooked twice has already been through a lot of change and heat. By reheating them again, you are running the risk of changing the texture and consistency of the burger by a lot.

The bread from the bun won’t be able to handle being toasted twice and will become rock-hard and crumble. According to the Food Standards Agency, you can safely reheat food multiple times; but it is recommended to reheat food only once.

Read Also: How Is Canned Corned Beef Made? (Unusual But Edible)

In Conclusion 

Although these methods are meant for reheating your White Castle slider burgers, you can also use these to reheat McDonald’s and Burger King burgers to preserve their original taste and prevent them from going rubbery and unappetizing.