Armed Polite Society

Main Forums => The Mess Hall => Topic started by: makattak on November 01, 2017, 09:19:10 AM

Title: Food that is better as leftovers
Post by: makattak on November 01, 2017, 09:19:10 AM
Mike's thread got me thinking: there's a lot of food that I prefer after it's sat in the fridge for at least a day to it being served fresh.

I pretty sure my wife's chili is one. It thickens up a lot while in the fridge. I know I have several more, but they aren't coming to mind now.

What's your "Better as Leftovers" meals?

Title: Re: Food that is better as leftovers
Post by: cordex on November 01, 2017, 09:24:02 AM
I've noticed a number of soups, chilis, and casseroles are better the next day.  Does something to bring the flavors together, I think. 

Not exactly the same, but my favorite lasagna recipe (which we rarely make because it is time consuming) requires being refrigerated for at least 24 hours before cooking.
Title: Re: Food that is better as leftovers
Post by: K Frame on November 01, 2017, 09:39:33 AM
I think just about every complex food (casseroles, soups, stews) is better the next day. Flavors continue to meld.

Foods that have fewer ingredients (thus a narrower flavor profile) tend to not really change that much in the fridge.
Title: Re: Food that is better as leftovers
Post by: lupinus on November 01, 2017, 12:16:48 PM
Ragu napoletano, tomato sauce with a bunch of meats. It varies but often meatballs, spare ribs, and sausages. Much better if you let it sit and reheat the next day.

I'll also take it and portion out the meats into a flatter shaped plastic container and freeze it. Can either leave it in there and microwave, or for deeper storage I'll pop it out of that and into a vacuum bag with the food saver. Stored even flatter and bonus I can reheat in the same pot of water I'll be using for pasta.

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
Title: Re: Food that is better as leftovers
Post by: makattak on November 01, 2017, 03:09:24 PM
Bruschetta! That was another one I was trying to remember. Nothing like a fresh bruschetta, with tomatoes and herbs straight from the garden... except for a day-old (refrigerated) one that tastes even better.
Title: Re: Food that is better as leftovers
Post by: just Warren on November 01, 2017, 03:33:46 PM
Pineapple pizza.
Title: Re: Food that is better as leftovers
Post by: Perd Hapley on November 01, 2017, 03:40:19 PM
The only thing that comes to mind would be certain baked goods, like cookies.
Title: Re: Food that is better as leftovers
Post by: p12 on November 01, 2017, 04:56:42 PM
Meatloaf


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Title: Re: Food that is better as leftovers
Post by: Brad Johnson on November 01, 2017, 06:43:06 PM
Pretty much any casserole.

Also, spaghetti. Preferably eaten straight from the pan.

Brad
Title: Re: Food that is better as leftovers
Post by: Andiron on November 01, 2017, 08:16:51 PM
Cabbage and noodles.
Title: Re: Food that is better as leftovers
Post by: Scout26 on November 02, 2017, 01:25:30 AM
My father's stew
Texas Chicken Stew
Chili
Lasagna
Title: Re: Food that is better as leftovers
Post by: charby on November 02, 2017, 10:02:30 AM
Springerle Cookies, especially a month later if you keep them in a sealed container.
Title: Re: Food that is better as leftovers
Post by: Unisaw on November 02, 2017, 12:33:40 PM
Takeout from a Thai restaurant.
Title: Re: Food that is better as leftovers
Post by: charby on November 02, 2017, 12:35:47 PM
Takeout from a Thai restaurant.

depends, some of the street noodle dishes are better eaten fresh.
Title: Re: Food that is better as leftovers
Post by: Firethorn on November 03, 2017, 02:40:34 AM
Kraft Macaroni & Cheese.

I'd say all M&C, but I've had a few that were nasty as leftovers.
Title: Re: Food that is better as leftovers
Post by: charby on November 03, 2017, 12:04:20 PM
Ziti and other baked pasta.

It is almost like one should make and bake it a couple days before eating.
Title: Re: Food that is better as leftovers
Post by: BlueStarLizzard on November 03, 2017, 04:52:22 PM
Somethings are good both ways, or rather, sometimes you'd rather have the leftover version than the fresh.

Like pizza. Sometimes I really just want it microwaved rather than fresh.
Title: Re: Food that is better as leftovers
Post by: French G. on November 04, 2017, 05:25:25 PM
Peeps. New peeps are gross, stale peeps are wonderful. But are they food?
Title: Re: Food that is better as leftovers
Post by: BlueStarLizzard on November 04, 2017, 08:08:39 PM
Peeps. New peeps are gross, stale peeps are wonderful. But are they food?

No... Speaking of which, I have a couple ziplocked bags of the things that are like two or three years old. I should shoot those.
Title: Re: Food that is better as leftovers
Post by: zxcvbob on November 04, 2017, 09:50:10 PM
My father's stew
Texas Chicken Stew
Chili
Lasagna

I'm tryin' to figure out what "Texas chicken" is a euphemism for.  Rattlesnake?  Jackrabbit?  (probably not jackrabbit, they not much more than barbwire and rawhide strips with a little fuzz)  [barf]
Title: Re: Food that is better as leftovers
Post by: Perd Hapley on November 09, 2017, 08:57:48 AM
Somethings are good both ways, or rather, sometimes you'd rather have the leftover version than the fresh.

Like pizza. Sometimes I really just want it microwaved rather than fresh.


I've heard a lot of people say this. I wonder if it's not because so many people undercook their pizza. If you leave it in the oven until most of the cheese is toasted (and if you can avoid burning the crust) then it just doesn't get any better than that.

But if the cheese is white when you take it out of the oven, maybe that next-day microwaving helps it get closer to where it should have been, had you cooked it long enough to begin with.
Title: Re: Food that is better as leftovers
Post by: charby on November 09, 2017, 09:58:46 AM

I've heard a lot of people say this. I wonder if it's not because so many people undercook their pizza. If you leave it in the oven until most of the cheese is toasted (and if you can avoid burning the crust) then it just doesn't get any better than that.

But if the cheese is white when you take it out of the oven, maybe that next-day microwaving helps it get closer to where it should have been, if you'd cooked it long enough to begin with.

Some people like their pizza with white cheese in the middle and toasted brown on the edges.
Title: Re: Food that is better as leftovers
Post by: BlueStarLizzard on November 09, 2017, 05:13:14 PM
... I don't cook pizza...

I get pizza from places with names like Domino's and Papa Johns...

 :angel:
Title: Re: Food that is better as leftovers
Post by: MillCreek on November 09, 2017, 09:20:01 PM
^^^We are fans of Papa Murphy's.