We’ve all had breaded dishes at restaurants and bars. Veal Cutlets, Chicken Cacciatore, Torpedo Shrimp, Fried Oysters… But if you’re like I was the first time I tried to ‘Bread’ at home, you bombed. The Bread Crumbs didn’t stick. The meat dried out. Well, don’t let Breading scare you!
Sliced Fish fillets waiting to get the Professional Breading Station treatment.
Yes. you can use soup bowls, as pictured above, or deep-bottomed
dinner plates in place of pie plates. Whatever you’ve got!
You can make perfect Breaded dishes every time if you follow a few simple rules and take the time to set up a proper, professional Breading station.
The Rules…
Always dry off the food before Breading it. That will help ensure the Breading will stick. Don’t, however, forget to season the meat well before breading. You can put seasoning in the Bread Crumbs, but that just seasons the Crumbs, and that’s not a bad idea. Add some complementary Herbs and Spices, too, to give the Breading some first-bite zing!
Dredge the Meat in flour, shaking off any excess. The shaking will help ensure the Breading sticks.
Next, dunk the Floured Meat in a well-beaten Egg. The Egg will stick to the Flour. Again, allow any excess Egg to run off before proceeding to the next step
Finally, dredge the Egged Meat in fine Bread Crumbs. The Crumbs will stick to the Egg. Gently shake the Breaded Meat gently to knock off any excess Crumbs.
If you feel really decadent, dunk the Breaded Meat in the Egg a second time, let the excess run off and dredge a second time in the Bread Crumbs. This seals the moisture into the meat real good and helps deter overcooking. I got an A++ on my practical final at Culinary school by carefully employing the old ‘Double Dip’ Breading rule!
The Breading Station…
This set-up consists of three similar-sized shallow pans or trays set side by side, rims touching. Some folks I know use 8 in / 18 cm disposable foil pie plates for this. They work great.
In the first one, place half a cup / 125 g of Flour. Any kind will work. In the second, pour in a couple of Eggs you’ve beaten the heck out of along with a couple of tablespoons of cold water. In the third, pour in a cup / 250 ml of Bread Crumbs. Keep in ind that you can also ‘Bread’ with Corn Meal and other substances. And some of the best fried chicken I’ve ever had was simply dunked in flour, then the Egg mixture, then flour again and dropped with into the hot Fat!
It’s easy to move your meat(s) back and forth between pans without dripping or dusting on the counter top!
Always remember to have a second plate or bowl on hand to catch the Breaded Meats after you’ve completed the process. You don’t want to put the Breaded Meats back on the plate you brought the Raw Meat over on!
And there you have it!
I’m using the Double Dip method tonight for my Chicken Cacciatore!
~ Maggie J.