Why Does Frozen Food Dry Out When Reheated, and How Can You Fix It?

Frozen food usually dries out during reheating because ice crystals formed during freezing slightly damage its structure, allowing moisture to escape more easily as it warms. The usual solution is to add a little liquid and keep the dish covered while reheating.

Why does food lose moisture when reheated? When food freezes, ice crystals form from the water inside it and expand, gently pushing against structures such as muscle fibers and vegetable cells. This slight damage makes the food release moisture more easily as it thaws and warms. The faster and hotter the reheating, the more noticeable the moisture loss, because the outside can dry out before the center has warmed. Food reheated uncovered loses even more moisture because steam escapes; food heated in an uncovered pot or microwave will be noticeably drier than the same food reheated covered for the same amount of time.

How can you keep food from drying out while reheating? Adding a few tablespoons of water, broth, or sauce before reheating replaces some of the moisture that will evaporate. When reheating on the stove, keep the heat at medium-low and the pot covered so steam can return to the food. In the microwave, cover the dish with a damp paper towel or a microwave-safe lid. If you reheat food straight from the freezer without thawing it first, use short intervals and stir between them so the center can warm before the outside dries out. Reheating it for a long time all at once can dry the outside while the center is still cold. Whichever method you use, heat the food until it reaches 74°C / 165°F throughout.

How can you fix food that has dried out? For food that has already dried out, the easiest fix is to add a little hot water or sauce and reheat it gently over low heat; this restores some of the lost moisture. Adding a spoonful of olive oil or butter, especially to meat stews and vegetable dishes, can also make up for much of the lost moisture and richness.

Does every kind of food dry out equally? Lean, thinly sliced meats and chicken breast lose the most moisture after freezing because they contain little fat to help retain it. Saucy or liquid-rich dishes hold moisture more easily because of the surrounding liquid. Starchy foods such as rice and pasta also tend to firm up when frozen, so adding a little extra liquid when reheating helps with both dryness and firmness. Fried or baked foods with a crisp exterior have a different problem after freezing and reheating: they lose their crispness rather than simply drying out. Reheating them uncovered in an oven or air fryer works better than using the microwave's moist environment, because dry heat restores crispness while gradually warming the inside.