How to Make Breading Stick to Fried Food

Using proper breading techniques keeps the coating on the food rather than floating in the oil.

Fried chicken without the crunchy coating might as well be baked. Besides causing you frustration, breading that falls of foods when you're frying them can burn and taint the oil. The build up of steam created when hot oil hits the natural moisture in foods literally blows the breading right off. You can avoid this by following a tried-and-true breading technique.

Things You'll Need

• Paper towels
• Flour
• Beaten egg
• Breading, finely ground
• Baker's cooling rack
• Baking pan

Instructions

1. Dry the food you're preparing to fry by lightly patting it with paper towels.

2. Dredge the food in flour to coat it on all sides and absorb excess moisture. Shake off the excess flour.

3. Dip the floured food in the beaten egg and cover it completely. Hold the piece of food over the dish containing the beaten egg and allow the excess to drain off.

4. Dredge the food in finely ground breading of your choice. Fine crumbs stick to the food in an even coat better than large crumbs.

5. Place the food on a baker's cooling rack set inside a baking pan.

6. Rest the breaded food for at least five and up to 10 minutes to let the breading set.

7. Fry the food in small batches in sufficiently preheated oil.

8. Drain the food on a baker's cooling rack over a baking pan before serving it

References

• "Professional Cooking"; Wayne Gisslen; 2006
• "Cookwise"; Shirley O. Corriher; 1997
• "The Science of Good Food"; David Joachim, et al.; 2008
• "Good Eats: The Early Years"; Alton Brown; 2009