Kitchen Basics, Lesson 4, Standard Breading Procedure

photo by Barbara Bonisolli

Or, SBP as it's known to most cooks, is one of the fundamental lessons in the kitchen. As a young culinary student myself, I was shocked when so much classroom time was devoted to mastering the subject. Shouldn't it be common-sense? A little egg… a little crumb… some heat and voila, done!? Turns out, there's a little more to it than that.

There are three basic components in SBP. They are flour, eggs, and breadcrumbs - in that order.

First is the flour, which should always be all-purpose. Cooks will sometimes season this with salt, pepper or spices for extra flavor. That is optional.  

Next, are the eggs. Traditionally, this is a mixture of cream and eggs. Cream will make for a heavier crust. If you prefer not to use cream, you may substitute milk, or even water. The crust will be a little bit lighter as a result if you do. Whatever you decide, make sure to always beat the eggs until well-blended. 

Breadcrumbs are the last treatment. You may use store-bought, or make your own by grinding bread in a food processor. I like to use Panko, which is a flaky, Japanese breadcrumb.

Your station should like like this:

Notice how the raw ingredient is to the far left, followed by the flour, eggs, breadcrumbs, and finally the finished tray on the right. It is important to set this whole station up before you begin breading..

Organizing and arranging all of your ingredients before you begin cooking is known as mise en place. A french term which roughly translates to having "everything in place."

After you're all set up, you may begin to bread. Designate your right hand to be your "dry" hand, and your left hand to be your "wet" hand.

With your dry (right) hand, pick up your ingredient to be breaded and toss it around in the flour. Make sure it is entirely coated. Remove it from the flour and shake and pat it to remove any excess flour.

Drop it into the egg wash. Use your wet (left) hand to lift it out of the eggs and let the excess drain off. Then drop it into the breadcrumbs.

Using your dry (right) hand, pack on the breadcrumbs until they are evenly distributed. Then, lift the ingredient out and shake off any excess. 

Place the breaded item onto a prepared tray, and repeat this process until everything has been breaded.  


Feel free to experiment! Add buttermilk to the eggs for a tangy and moist breading. Or grind day-old brioche, sourdough, whole wheat, even pita bread for homemade breadcrumbs. The options are endless, and always delicious.


illustration patterns by sonia delaunay

Comments

[Jenna]

Mary taught me this a few months ago, and boy has it changed my life! Who knew I was doing it wrong all these years? Everything tastes so much better now :)