FIGURING out what to do with leftover grilled meat is not exactly a bewildering conundrum. Slice it thinly, stack it onto some good bread with a smear of mustard and a gloss of mayonnaise, and last night’s London broil becomes today’s deluxe lunch  no recipe required.

But some occasions demand more than a simple sandwich. It might be friends coming over to dinner, the desire to open a bottle of wine that’s more special than usual, or just a hankering for something more substantial than meat, condiments and bread.

Image A rice-noodle and steak salad with Vietnamese flavors. Credit... Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times

To be ready for moments like those, I’ve been grilling more than I need for just one meal, reveling in the convenience of a fridge stocked with cold, tasty meat to be repurposed with a minimum of fuss.