eli5 : how come when you thaw out meat you’re not supposed to re-thaw it?

Question

I’m not sure if this is true or not but it’s something I’ve heard when I was younger so I’ve just always taken it as a rule.
Is there a reason why you’re not supposed to re-freeze meat once it’s been thawed out?

In: 18

Answer 1

When you thaw a piece of meat it can purge up to 25% of its water. Do that again and you can purge up to 25% of its remaining water. You’ll end up with a very dry and tough piece of meat.