Crumbed chicken/pork/fish

APoc184

APoc184

Honorary Master
Joined
Sep 6, 2008
Messages
24,942
Reaction score
13,319
Location
Tshwanetoria
What is the secret to getting a nice thick layer of crust around chicken, pork or fish?

Like the chicken schnitzels at Woolworths?

I love doing crumbed chicken fillets but my crust layer is so much thinner than those at the shops. Not that mine are bad, in fact I think they taste much better because I make my own seasoning mix. But it would be nice to have a thicker crust with the moist chicken inside.

The process I follow is: (each fillet is done individually)

** Flatten chicken fillets
** Throw fillet in a bowl filled with flour, salt, pepper, garlic, coriander and some BBQ spices. Make sure every part is covered in flour.
** Lightly shake excess flour off and then transfer to a bowl with lightly beaten eggs inside. Make sure every part is covered in egg.
** Transfer fillet to a bowl filled with bread crumbs and a little bit of salt (I use the Bokomo brand) and cover generously until there are no more moist parts.
** Transfer to a plate and refrigerate for at least one hour.
** Fry in shallow oil on medium/hot until golden brown and crispy.

It is always delicious with a sweet chilli or pepper sauce and baked potatoes but my crust layer is extremely thin and I would like it thicker.

What am I doing wrong? Is it perhaps the bread crumbs that are too fine. I have tried homemade breadcrumbs but to me it seems to end up the same.
 
my SO used the box crumbs ...chilli one and its good

my mum uses the flour method and also good ...but cant remember if either uses egg
 
I use the blue packet in this picture:

Will add chilli powder and paprika if the wife is not eating along. She does not like spicy food.

cru.jpg
 
Those are fine crumbs and they never form a thick layer. Your breading station steps are perfect, so it's not anything that you're doing wrong. You need a thicker crumb size - panko crumbs are perfect and you can get them at Asian markets. I paid R50 for a kilo the last time.

If you have to use the fine stuff, then double coat it. Allow the first coat to set in the fridge (btw for others: this is an essential step to ensuring that the crumb binds to the meat and doesn't just fall apart when you cut into it) then repeat the breading steps. Then refrigerate for another half hour.

You don't need to refrigerate for as long as you are. 20 to 30 minutes is fine...
 
From thriftyfun comments section:

"I, too, heard that cornstarch mixed in with the flour helps, along with refrigerating it for at least 30 minutes before frying."

Nigella suggests using buttermilk in a bag to marinate in the fridge before stripping a bit of the buttermilk and then dipping in crushed bacon kips before frying.

My gran always said it had to "set" in the fridge before you fry. I have even used fish with a spiced mieliemeal crust. As long as the fish is coldish, it works.
 
Make your own crumbs. Get some good quality bread, make croutons, toss in food processor with seasoning and you're good to go. If you want a thicker crust you'll need bigger crumbs. Those Bokomo ones are very fine
 
DJ... said:
Those are fine crumbs and they never form a thick layer. Your breading station steps are perfect, so it's not anything that you're doing wrong. You need a thicker crumb size - panko crumbs are perfect and you can get them at Asian markets. I paid R50 for a kilo the last time.

If you have to use the fine stuff, then double coat it. Allow the first coat to set in the fridge (btw for others: this is an essential step to ensuring that the crumb binds to the meat and doesn't just fall apart when you cut into it) then repeat the breading steps. Then refrigerate for another half hour.

You don't need to refrigerate for as long as you are. 20 to 30 minutes is fine...
Click to expand...

Aahh. So you can double coat them?.

I was always a fraction do that the egg would screw up the first coat if I did a second.

I will try the double coating next time or start looking for a bigger sized crumb.

What are the rules regarding dried and moist crumbs from fresh bread? Will it make a big difference?
Only reason I do 1 hour in the fridge is because it gives me enough time to finish all the other stuff that goes on the plate.
 
zeebee said:
From thriftyfun comments section:

"I, too, heard that cornstarch mixed in with the flour helps, along with refrigerating it for at least 30 minutes before frying."

Nigella suggests using buttermilk in a bag to marinate in the fridge before stripping a bit of the buttermilk and then dipping in crushed bacon kips before frying.

My gran always said it had to "set" in the fridge before you fry. I have even used fish with a spiced mieliemeal crust. As long as the fish is coldish, it works.
Click to expand...

Cornstarch won't give you a thicker crumb result. Only a thicker crumb will do that, or double breading. Buttermilk is used for the acidic nature of it - it helps to breakdown protein structures and assists in browning to an extent.

Setting it in the fridge also won't give you a thicker crumb, but it will bind the crumb to the meat, as the egg proteins bind with the meat at cool temperatures...
 
APoc184 said:
Aahh. So tou van double coat them?.

I was always a fraction do that the egg would screw up the first coat if I did a second.

I will try the double coating next time or start looking for a bigger sized crumb.

What are the rules regarding dried and moist crumbs from fresh bread? Will it make a big difference?
Click to expand...

Dried crumbs work best. You'll be pleasantly surprised when you first use panko - it is far, far better than any other commercial crumb on the market. And no, as long as the first coat is set properly in the fridge, the second egg coat won't damage it at all. The viscosity of the egg won't really allow for penetration of the meat like, say, water would...
 
Saw a guy do southern fried chicken the other day and he chucked small blobs of buttermilk into his flour/crumb mixture to get that uneven chunky effect.
 
Last edited:
Thanks for all the advice guys.

I will be on the look out for those thicker crumbs.

And may I just add that with a little bit of experimenting, making your own seasoning mixtures are crucial to enjoying your cooking.

My next little mission will be to make my own corn dogs. Just need to get decent sausages before I try it.
 
APoc184 said:
And may I just add that with a little bit of experimenting, making your own seasoning mixtures are crucial to enjoying your cooking.
Click to expand...

I still wanna try making my own spicy/hot deep fried chicken, can't be to hard to beat kfc.
 
ponder said:
I still wanna try making my own spicy/hot deep fried chicken, can't be to hard to beat kfc.
Click to expand...

Trick with KFC is fine white pepper, salt, a tiny amount of ginger and garlic powder. Be generous with the white pepper. IMO tastes similar...
 
@Klipspringer: I would also like to know. But we'll have to season it well. Won't it be too hard for good crumbs though?
 
Last edited:
DJ... said:
Trick with KFC is fine white pepper, salt, a tiny amount of ginger and garlic powder. Be generous with the white pepper. IMO tastes similar...
Click to expand...

APoc184 said:
Will they also Zing two times like KFC?
Click to expand...

I've seen some stuff made on TV that looks like it will put kfc to absolute shame. Maybe I should go hunt for some recipes.
 
ponder said:
I've seen some stuff made on TV that looks like it will put kfc to absolute shame. Maybe I should go hunt for some recipes.
Click to expand...

A lot of the time I see different recipes and just make up my own as I go along by combining bits and pieces from those recipes.

Always a few failures before you hit the sweet spot :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X