How To Perfectly Reheat That Leftover Deep-Dish Pizza

Pizza is appropriate to eat at any time of the day. Lunch or dinner, a quick street snack, or an elaborate special occasion meal. It can be breakfast or even dessert. And one of the greatest things about pizza is that you can give it a second life in leftover form, which means you can never have too much.

When it comes to reheating though, not all slices are revived equally. And what works for one style may not be ideal for another. Naples, New York, and New Haven can all claim pies that might be easily resurrected in the oven or even on the grill for a smoky finish.

But when it comes to the midwest's pride and joy, the deep-dish pizza, there's a secret to perfectly reheating your Chicago-style delicacy — and it's as simple to execute as it is to enjoy each slice. Using this method means preserving that structure without risking a rubbery, unevenly heated mess. All you need is a hot skillet with a cover, and in minutes, you'll be ready to sit down and dig into your leftover deep-dish.

To make reheating deep-dish pizza a success, get your skillet ready. You can use cast iron or a standard pan, but be sure it's nonstick if you're going for the latter, and either way, oil the surface. For the pan size, you want to give your slices the space to stretch out here, as they may spread during the heating process. If you're planning to warm more than one piece be sure your skillet can accommodate each one comfortably with a little room. Otherwise, it's best to work in batches.

Getting your skillet nice and hot with medium-high heat is the ideal way to start, and then once you're ready to get rolling, you can gently drop in your deep-dish slice and reduce the heat to medium. This will ensure that you revive that nice, crispy bottom that you enjoyed the first time around.

From there, covering the pan with a lid will help the heat circulate and ensure that your thick, casserole-style pizza is hot all the way through, and you have an even temperature (not just a toasty bottom crust). Depending on the size of the slice, about three to six minutes should get the job done, and you can enjoy your masterpiece of a pizza returned to its former glory.

If you're fortunate enough to have a great deep-dish pizza parlor close to home, you can let them do what they do best (make the pies). But if you don't — or you simply enjoy experimenting — you can make your own Chicago deep-dish, complete with all the fixings. This first go-around can be executed in a traditional oven, but if you want to try your hand at different preparation methods, restaurant-worthy deep-dish can be achieved using your slow cooker.

No matter how you choose to approach it, one of the most fun parts of this fork-and-knife creation is the ability to customize. It's just as delicious with simple tomato sauce, sausage, and tons of mozzarella cheese, as it is layered with mushrooms, onions, peppers, or any of your other favorite pizza parlor toppings. You can even try making a sweet version to substitute your next special occasion cake, like a cinnamon streusel deep dish dessert pizza. With the secret to perfectly reheated slices, you can experiment freely without ever worrying about waste.