
Furthermore, dredging adds another layer of flavor to the fish and gives it a more enticing texture.
It also helps the fish cook more evenly and seals in the moisture in the fish, ensuring that it doesn’t become tough. The flour creates a thin barrier between the fish and the pan, reducing the probability of the fish sticking to the pan. Frequently Asked Questions Why Dredge Fish? One cannot make crispy onion rings without breading the rings first.
The outer coating and inner dredging seal in the moisture of the fish, preventing it from becoming dry or tough.īesides fish, you can bread meat like chicken and also vegetables. The crunchy outer coating elevates the flavor of the fish. The breadcrumb or cornmeal coating keeps the fish from sticking to the pan. The seasoning in the dredging makes the fish a lot more flavorful. The Importance of Breadingīreading fish makes a big difference to the dish: Some recipes call for the fish to be coated with cornmeal instead of breadcrumbs. In the breading process, the fish is first coated with flour, given an egg wash, and then covered with breadcrumbs. Always dredge your fish right before you cook it, and remember to tap off the excess flour and discard it.Īs mentioned earlier, dredging is lightly coating fish with a dry ingredient like flour.ĭredging is a step in the process of breading. The coating will get soggy, ruining the look of the dish. A light and even coating will ensure that the fish has an appetizing golden-brown appearance and develops a delicious inner layer when fried.ĭredging fish long before frying is not a good idea. If you forget to shake and pat off the excess flour, the coating will become pasty and gummy when you subsequently give the fish an egg wash and breadcrumb-dip.Īfter you tap the flour off, the fish should be lightly but completely coated. Doing this will remove the excess flour from the fish. Remove the fish from the flour and shake it gently over the dish or the bag. After the fish is liberally covered with flour, turn the fish over to coat the other side. Take the fish and drench it in the flour-filled dish (or bag). Make sure you season the fish with liberal amounts of salt and pepper. Seasoning the fish makes it a lot more flavorful than the seasoning in the flour does. Grab some paper towels and pat the fish off with the towels to absorb excess moisture. If you like a little bit of heat in your food, you can add paprika, chili powder, or even chili flakes to give the fish a touch of heat. If you want your fish to taste better and have more flavor, add garlic powder and fresh (or dried) herbs of your choice to the flour. Spread flour generously in the dish, and season it with salt and pepper.
Using the wrong type of plastic bag can be dangerous since the dyes, glues, and other chemicals may get absorbed by the flour and fish. Regardless of what kind of bag you use, though, ensure that it is food-safe. If you have paper bags lying around, you can go ahead and use one for dredging fish. You don’t have to use a plastic bag to do this. However, if your bag is smaller or the pieces are big, it’s best to coat pieces one at a time.
With a large bag, if the pieces of fish you have are small, you can coat multiple pieces in one go. With a large food-safe bag, all you have to do is add the flour to the bag and shake or roll the fish in the bag to coat it with flour all over. Many home cooks prefer using a large bag over a dish to dredge meat, fish, and vegetables because they find it a lot easier to do. Using a pie plate is the right way to go, but if you don’t have one at hand, you could use any dish that’s wide enough. Before getting the ingredients together, find a shallow dish that’s wide enough for the fish.