If the bread turned dry from overheating, or if it was exposed to air, it has lost some of its water. [3] X Research source Wet the whole loaf to restore moisture.
If you don’t have a steamer, you’ll need a colander that sits on top of the pan, and a lid that can fit over the colander. This methods adds less heat than the oven, but more moisture. The extra moisture is most helpful when the bread is very stale and hard, or if it was left out unwrapped.
This happens because the microwave boils away some of the water. The escaping steam pushes the starches into a denser structure, and leaves the bread dry. Slow heating in small increments can reduce this effect, but it’s difficult to find a sweet spot that’s still hot enough to soften the bread.
