What happens to leftover meat that makes it taste bad

If I make a stand-alone meat like burgers, I use the leftover raw meat the same night to make something else. For example, I’ll make us each a burger and then use the rest of the meat to make Salisbury steaks with rich gravy. Or I’ll turn it to taco meat with lots of seasoning. Something flavorful where it won’t just taste like the meat when reheated. Even a tiny spaghetti sauce works.

If I cook something with chicken and only need some of the package, I’ll either freeze the rest of the raw chicken (if it’s newly purchased) or I’ll specifically plan a new recipe with it for the next day. Chicken Parmesan or piccata, chicken fajitas, etc.

It is rare I make the entire package of something as a stand-alone meat (not mixed into something) with leftovers. We even split a steak when we do steak.

I'm no expert, but it probably has something to do with the leanness of the meat. The microwave depends on moisture to do the cooking. If it's lean and dried out in the fridge, then it's probably cooking unevenly inside. Stuff like gumbo, chili, and other stuff with juice tend to reheat better in my experience.

What's wrong with cold chicken? I never reheat chicken or pizza.

The worst of what you mention is pork. To me, microwaved pork roast tastes like roadkill.

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I don't notice any difference in smell or taste with the burgers

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It’s not usually too bad with beef, but noticeable to me. Last time I made burgers with ground venison and pork. They were great when they were fresh and borderline inedible the very next day.

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I cannot say I have ever experienced this.

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I know I have not. And, I will say I have been accused of keeping left overs way too long.

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What's wrong with cold chicken? I never reheat chicken or pizza.

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Only think I won't reheat is fish, I would not wish fish heated in a microwave on anyone. Might as well move out the house for a week and leave the windows open.

chicken I will cut up to smaller pieces when I reheat and only microwave enough to get it warm. Pizza I reheat in the toaster oven, never microwave, however if its the morning and I grab the leftover pizza out the fridge, I'm eating it cold.

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Are you keeping them in the fridge in a container or just throwing a loose piece of saran wrap over them? Also, are you letting it cool completely before sealing it up? Only time I've had drastic flavor changes is if its kept with just a loose wrapping of like saran wrap, the flavor has changed for the worse, but I've never noticed a foul smell, it something smells bad I usually toss. I've never had an issue with an air tight storage container like rubbermaid or a ziplock bag.

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Let it cool down on the counter and put in snap lock containers in the fridge.
It doesn’t have to be old. I’ve noticed this eating it the very next day.
It’s not like a stench that’s rotten, like the meat went bad. It just doesn’t smell or taste good like it did when it was freshly cooked.

I find that burgers and beef are pretty close to as good reheated if you use a high heat method (grill, broil, pan sear)

My wife doesn't eat leftover chicken so that usually gets chopped up and made into chicken salad or curry.

Pork also does well with a couple minutes on broil or a quick sear. But I don't mind eating it cold.

I don't know a definite answer to the OP. But, I want to say that if something isn't spoiled but tastes off, it's usually oxidation.

It's bacteria, bro.

Seems like you're asking about meat that's only been leftover for a day or two, and I don't know about that. But I do know why it happens with meat that's leftover for too long.

With time, spoilage bacteria begins to grow and sine nature is pretty cool, it warns us by smelling bad and tastes bad as well.

Serious Eats Warmed-Over Flavor

Basically it's oxidation. Putting the meat in some kind of sauce will reduce the effect. Spices on the outside can help as well. Storing in tupperware is better than not. And using the microwave to reheat is probably a bad idea.