Breading food question

chowhound

New member
Can someone explain the different techniques used to bread food and why they are used? The various steps I've seen used are: water, flour, egg, breading; egg, flour, egg, breading; egg, breading, or even roll in seasoned flour.
If making fried chicken I use water and seasoned flour. I rinse, toss in a bag and shake. All I need is a light coating because of the skin. City chicken I'll use egg wash and a breading for something a little thicker. I don't understand the layered approach using both flour and breading.
 

homecook

New member
I don't know about any one else but I very seldom use flour and only for something different. I usually use breadcrumbs, egg/water, breadcrumbs and that's for just about everything: pork chops, city chicken, zucchini, etc.

I don't do fried chicken.......LOL
 

lilbopeep

🌹🐰 Still trying to get it right.
Site Supporter
Can someone explain the different techniques used to bread food and why they are used? The various steps I've seen used are: water, flour, egg, breading; egg, flour, egg, breading; egg, breading, or even roll in seasoned flour.
If making fried chicken I use water and seasoned flour. I rinse, toss in a bag and shake. All I need is a light coating because of the skin. City chicken I'll use egg wash and a breading for something a little thicker. I don't understand the layered approach using both flour and breading.
flour first, then egg and water scambled together, then bread crumbs or any other "crumb" (some people use crackers, cornflakes i've seen crushed potato chips also).

the reasoning is that flour (i season my flour with salt and pepper or a mix of spices) first helps the egg (i add water or milk to mine) stick to the food and then the egg which in turn helps the crumbs (if doing italian i add italian herbs fresh or dry, spices and grated romano and parmesan cheese) stick to the food. well thats the way i do it but like you pointed out there are many schools of thought here and i think it is just a matter of which works and tastes best for you. i hope this helps.

i just got this set of prep trays which i love because they hook together (in several configs you can choose) and stops the mess that can occur between bowls/dishes when moving to next step.

prep_tray_stages.jpg
 
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chowhound

New member
Homecook, Peeps, is this something you both have always done this way? Do either of you think you would notice a change if you swapped methods?

I just went and looked at Vera's zucchinis she just did and it was flour, egg wash and bread crumbs. Zucchini is something I have always had trouble getting the breading to stick to, but I've only done zucc using egg wash, breading. Maybe I need that initial layer of flour to help the egg like you said Peeps. Or in Barb's case, the crumbs, the egg wash and the crumbs again.
 

joec

New member
Gold Site Supporter
I've also used corn starch in place of flour and beer/club soda (seltzer) with some breadings as well as the standard things. I use all kinds of bread crumbs from panko, seasoned italian, home made (what you have on hand through a food processor), crushed crackers and even corn flakes. It really depends on what I'm making as to the breading I'm using.
 

homecook

New member
Chow, I have always done it this way. My mom always did it this way and so did my grandmother. I figure why change if it worked for them and it works for me. LOL

Like I said I've used flour a time or two to change it up but to me the breading isn't thick enough if that's what you want. I do the double dip with the crumbs. Then I only dirty 2 dipping dishes. haha
 

joec

New member
Gold Site Supporter
Homecook, Peeps, is this something you both have always done this way? Do either of you think you would notice a change if you swapped methods?

I just went and looked at Vera's zucchinis she just did and it was flour, egg wash and bread crumbs. Zucchini is something I have always had trouble getting the breading to stick to, but I've only done zucc using egg wash, breading. Maybe I need that initial layer of flour to help the egg like you said Peeps. Or in Barb's case, the crumbs, the egg wash and the crumbs again.

Flour will absorb some of the moisture in the food you are breading which will help it stick. When I bread something I usually put it in the refrigerator after doing it and before frying or baking it. It helps the breading stay on as well.
 

chowhound

New member
Well it seems like where I am lacking, and I think I read your post correctly Joe, is basically it is dry, wet, dry. Whether using flour/cornstarch for the first dip or the breading/ crumbs and double dipping the food pieces. I never had a problem with the coatings on my chicken, both city or real, but I'm going to try the dry, wet, dry method on my zucchini tonight and see if I can get an improvement in the breading sticking.
 

chowhound

New member
Good point, Joe. I remember my mother letting the pieces of zucchini set up before putting in the oil.
 

homecook

New member
Flour will absorb some of the moisture in the food you are breading which will help it stick. When I bread something I usually put it in the refrigerator after doing it and before frying or baking it. It helps the breading stay on as well.

I do that as well.
 

joec

New member
Gold Site Supporter
I also generally go dry, wet, dry also. I have also done wet to dry like a tempura type batter for example. In this case it is flour or corn starch mixed your liquid usually a seltzer/beer for example then to a breading which can be flour, bread crumbs, crackers etc. This make for a thinner batter though and isn't suited for chicken for example but will work OK on vegetables. I use it often on onions or shrimp for example.
 

lilbopeep

🌹🐰 Still trying to get it right.
Site Supporter
Homecook, Peeps, is this something you both have always done this way? Do either of you think you would notice a change if you swapped methods?

I just went and looked at Vera's zucchinis she just did and it was flour, egg wash and bread crumbs. Zucchini is something I have always had trouble getting the breading to stick to, but I've only done zucc using egg wash, breading. Maybe I need that initial layer of flour to help the egg like you said Peeps. Or in Barb's case, the crumbs, the egg wash and the crumbs again.
my mom and aunts always did flour, egg with the grated cheese in it, crumbs. when i was on my own the first thing i did was put the cheese in the crumbs (because it didn't stick when it was in the egg you wind up left with a bowl of egg coated cheese when done dipping, i asked why they did it that way and was told that mama did it like nana did it.) and i cut out the flour step. it was a disaster!! the egg just dripped off and the crumbs didn't really stick and then fell off in the oil. so i put the flour back into the process. the first dry coat is important whatever it may be.

when i make fried chicken bone in parts or strips for fingers (with or without skin) i only use seasoned flour (sometimes i add cornstarch and baking powder or baking soda to the flour) to coat. but when i do cutlets i do the dry/wet/dry. but see its the first (or only) coat of dry that is key.

i don't put in the fridge after dusting/coating/breading but i do allow to sit at least 10 - 15 minutes before frying.
and with fried chicken i reshake in flour after the rest and just before the fry.
 
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rickismom

Low Carb Home Cook
Site Supporter
I just use wet/dry - maybe that's why my coating falls off sometimes when I turn it?
 

ChowderMan

Pizza Chef
Super Site Supporter
as many have alluded, the theory I've always heard is that the 'breadee' needs to be dry so the 'glue' aka 'wash' adheres to the 'breadee' and then the 'breading' will glue itself to the 'breadee'

I can confirm, if chicken - for example - is water wet, an egg wash does not actually stick to it so well. I've tried patting it dry, better. flouring seems to get absorb the surface moisture allowing the egg wash to stick more consistently.

when I'm in a rush, I don't flour first but I do a much more thorough egg washing - usually with a pastry brush to get a good coating. frankly, not sure it's all that much faster.....

I like to do the double breading for fried chicken and some vegetables - eggplant in particular. gives a thicker crunchier coating - using (approximately) a 60/40 flour/cornmeal breading...
dredge, wash, bread, allow to air dry 10 minutes, repeat wash/bread and air dry again. time consuming but makes for good results:
 

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rickismom

Low Carb Home Cook
Site Supporter
as many have alluded, the theory I've always heard is that the 'breadee' needs to be dry so the 'glue' aka 'wash' adheres to the 'breadee' and then the 'breading' will glue itself to the 'breadee'

I can confirm, if chicken - for example - is water wet, an egg wash does not actually stick to it so well. I've tried patting it dry, better. flouring seems to get absorb the surface moisture allowing the egg wash to stick more consistently.

when I'm in a rush, I don't flour first but I do a much more thorough egg washing - usually with a pastry brush to get a good coating. frankly, not sure it's all that much faster.....

I like to do the double breading for fried chicken and some vegetables - eggplant in particular. gives a thicker crunchier coating - using (approximately) a 60/40 flour/cornmeal breading...
dredge, wash, bread, allow to air dry 10 minutes, repeat wash/bread and air dry again. time consuming but makes for good results:

Are those fried green tomatoes?
 

ChowderMan

Pizza Chef
Super Site Supporter
>>FGTomato

nope, it's eggplant <g>

lower right you can see a bit of skin color. my bad....

based on messages 'you don't have to peel it' - I tried it. my bad . . .
I don't care for the stringy texture of the skin.

I like to pan fry for color&pretty, then pop into a hot oven for just a couple minutes (time&temp depends on what else may be ovening...) - I find it easier to control "done-ness" - I don't like it mushy&gooey.
 

JoeV

Dough Boy
Site Supporter
Yoos guys would have to mention fried green tomaters. I'm almost 59 and I've never had them. Soooooooooooooo....

Sliced one from the garden and dusted a little S&P, then did the flour, egg wash (with milk) and fine cornmeal...

P1020058.jpg


Then into the hot tub filled with bacon grease for about 3 minutes per side...

P1020059.jpg


And Bingo! Fried green tomaters with the breading still intact.

P1020062.jpg


I took my first bite and found them to be somewhat lacking in flavor, so I put a couple of drops of Louisiana hot sauce on the next bite, and found that to be very complimentary. I them poured out a little Sweet Baby Ray's original and dipped the next bite in that along with a few drops of the hot sauce, and I mean to tell y'all I'm in heaven. What a great combination of flavor and textures to this old man's palette.

'Scuse me, but I'm headed back to the garden for more of these babies. :thumb:
 

joec

New member
Gold Site Supporter
I had a fried green tomato, bacon and lettuce sandwich in Blowing Rock, NC last time I was there and boy was it good. I'm not sure of the sauce they used on it but it looked like thousand island but more bit to it. Perhaps thousand islands with hot sauce added to it.
 

Cooksie

Well-known member
Site Supporter
Those fried tomatoes do look really nice. Try a little vinegar-based pepper sauce on them too.
 

rickismom

Low Carb Home Cook
Site Supporter
Yoos guys would have to mention fried green tomaters. I'm almost 59 and I've never had them. Soooooooooooooo....

Sliced one from the garden and dusted a little S&P, then did the flour, egg wash (with milk) and fine cornmeal...

P1020058.jpg


Then into the hot tub filled with bacon grease for about 3 minutes per side...

P1020059.jpg


And Bingo! Fried green tomaters with the breading still intact.

P1020062.jpg


I took my first bite and found them to be somewhat lacking in flavor, so I put a couple of drops of Louisiana hot sauce on the next bite, and found that to be very complimentary. I them poured out a little Sweet Baby Ray's original and dipped the next bite in that along with a few drops of the hot sauce, and I mean to tell y'all I'm in heaven. What a great combination of flavor and textures to this old man's palette.

'Scuse me, but I'm headed back to the garden for more of these babies. :thumb:

I've never tried them either! For some dumb reason, I thought it was a special kind of green tomato that had to be used...am I mistaken? :oops:
 

joec

New member
Gold Site Supporter
Nope just a green ripe tomato really. Tomatoes come in green to red with some in between and often the same species or type. Just that it is rip is about the only requirement.
 

chowhound

New member
Nope just a green ripe tomato really. Tomatoes come in green to red with some in between and often the same species or type. Just that it is rip is about the only requirement.

I didn't know that either. I didn't know a tomato could be green, yet ripe. I always assumed fried green tomatoes were made from unripened ones, which is probably why my one attempt at making them failed miserably...
 

VeraBlue

Head Mistress
Gold Site Supporter
The layers, when it comes to fried chicken, are for layers of flakiness. When I do 100 pounds of fried chicken (well, actually, I make someone else do all the work...) I let the chicken sit for a day in seasoned buttermilk. Then, dip it in highly seasoned flour, set on a pan. Shortly, the flour will turn to a paste like substance on the chicken, making it wet again. Dip it again into the seasoned flour, and then fry.

The multiple layers you're talking about, flour egg, flour, etc...are simply to make a thicker coating. It's preference in most cases. In others, dredging in flour first gives the egg something to cling to, which gives the bread crumbs something to cling to.
 

homecook

New member
Hey chow!! So how did you do your zucchini?? flour, egg, crumbs? or crumbs, egg, crumbs? Did it work well for you?
 
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