Standard Breading Procedure

  • Season the food before applying any coating.
  • Use a starch like flour or cornstarch, to lightly dredge or dust foods before they are dipped in an egg wash.
  • Make an egg wash by blending eggs (whole, yolks, or whites) and water or milk. A general guideline calls for about 2 fl oz/60 mL milk for every 2 whole eggs. Some items are dipped into milk or buttermilk before they are breaded, rather than in egg wash.
  • Bread crumbs may be dry or fresh. Fresh white bread crumbs (called mie de pain in French) are prepared by grating or processing finely textured bread, such as white Pullman bread with the crust removed. Dry bread crumbs (called chapelure in French) are prepared from slightly stale bread that may be further dried or toasted in a warm oven. Panko (Japanese bread crumbs) has become very popular. These breadcrumbs are coarser than standard bread crumbs and create a crunchy crust when fried.
  • Other ingredients may be used in place of or in addition to bread crumbs. Options include nuts, seeds, shredded coconut, cornflakes, potato flakes, shredded potatoes, grated cheese, ground spices, garlic paste, and chopped herbs.
  • Blot the food dry with paper towels and season as desired. Hold it in one hand and dip it in flour. Shake off any excess flour and transfer the food to the container of egg wash. Switch hands, pick up the food, and turn it if necessary to coat it on all sides. Transfer it to the container of bread crumbs. Use your dry hand to pack bread crumbs evenly around the food. Shake off any excess, then transfer the food to a rack set over a holding tray. Store breaded food in single layers, but if you must stack the pieces, use parchment or waxed paper to separate the layers.
  • Discard any unused flour, egg wash, and bread crumbs. The presence of juices, drippings, or particles of the food you just coated will contaminate these products, making them unsafe for use with other foods. Even sifting the flour or crumbs or straining the egg wash will not be sufficient to prevent cross contamination and eliminate the potential for food-borne illness.