What Does Dredge Mean in Cooking?

Have you ever encountered a breaded dish with an unsettling pocket of air between the food and the breading, making it easy to lift off? This phenomenon occurs when you fail to dredge before breading. But why add an extra step in the first place? The answer lies in coating the food with flour initially, which helps the breading adhere better. In fact, when breading, it's essential to always dredge with flour.

But what is dredging and breading exactly? Dredging involves lightly coating food with flour, breadcrumbs, cornmeal, or other dry ingredients before frying. On the other hand, breading requires moistening the food with liquid (such as milk or egg) before coating it with breadcrumbs, flour, cracker meal, or other crunchy toppings.

It's important to note that dredged food may or may not be breaded. The process is relatively simple, and the most challenging part is often avoiding a mess! By following a few basic steps, you can achieve delicious results like pork schnitzel or crispy fried chicken thighs. Mastering a fundamental dredging and breading technique will unlock a world of recipe possibilities for you.

In conclusion, dredging is an essential step in cooking that helps ensure the perfect breading. With practice and patience, you'll be on your way to creating mouthwatering dishes that are sure to impress friends and family alike.

What does dredge mean in cooking