A wise man once said that the true test of great takeout pizza was whether or not you could eat it cold the next day.
A wise man once said that the true test of greatness for takeout pizza was whether or not you could eat it cold the next day. Of course, this is not always the standard, and not everyone likes even the best examples of this Italian treat cold. But reheating comes with its own dangers and pitfalls. Putting it into the microwave is the fastest way to ensure that you ruin your food. It will make the crust soggy and useless, while turning the toppings into a boiling mass of sauce and cheese. To make sure that you get at least some resemblance of the food's original greatness, you're going to need to turn to your oven.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Some amateurs like to stick with 350, but this takes too long and you're more like to wind up with a crispy crust and cheese that hasn't entirely re-melted. 400 will give you the best of both worlds, although you have to be careful not to leave it in too long. There's a thin line between reheating your pizza perfectly and burning it. Although many people use foil, you might have better results using parchment paper. This contributes to keeping the crust from becoming moist and chewy. Of course, if you enjoy your crust that way, then by all means use foil.
The pizza usually won't need more than five or six minutes in the oven at that temperature. Take it out and let it cool for a couple of minutes before serving. If you have a cooling rack, this would be a good time to utilize it. This is another method of keeping the crust crisp before you partake. You can also add any seasonings you prefer, such as crushed red pepper, onion powder, garlic, or salt. If you have other sides to eat with your meal, you could use this time to prepare them. Make sure you keep a close eye on the time, however, so you don't risk your food cooling to the point it needs further heating.
Some pizza places have finally caught on to the fact that their customers often like to reheat their food the next day. In realizing this, they provide reheating instructions on the box and some even include materials that can help make the reheating process easier. Whenever possible, follow those instructions and use those materials, as they have likely been specifically designed to reproduce the flavor and texture the food should have straight from the restaurant.
