Reheating your Palate order for Shabbos

Before Shabbos

Take what you need out of the fridge about half an hour before you plan to heat it. Food that goes into the oven fridge-cold takes far longer and dries at the edges while the middle catches up.

Heat covered at 160°C. Most 9x13 trays take 25 to 40 minutes. Keep the foil on — it is what stops the surface drying — and only take it off for the last five minutes if you want a crisper top.

Dish by dish

A few dishes want slightly different handling.

• Chicken and meat in sauce: covered, 160°C, 30 to 40 minutes. Spoon some sauce over before it goes in.
• Schnitzel and anything crumbed: uncovered so it stays crisp, 180°C, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Kugels: covered, 160°C, 30 minutes. Potato kugel takes the longest.
• Soup: gently on the hob rather than the oven, and stir it as it comes up to heat.
• Salmon: it is already cooked through. Ten to fifteen minutes covered at 150°C is plenty — any more and it tightens.
• Salatim, dips and composed salads: serve cold, straight from the fridge. Never heat these.

On Shabbos itself

Transfer whatever you want hot for lunch onto your blech or hotplate before candle lighting, according to your family's practice. A tray that has been on a hotplate for hours will dry out, so a little extra sauce or a splash of water under the foil before Shabbos comes in makes a real difference.

If you are unsure about anything halachically, ask your rav — we are cooks, not poskim.