cook crumbed meats of any kind??

[Spiritwolf]

I just want to know how everybody cooks their breadcrumbed meats. Everything from Chicken to steak, to Pork,to fish,to veal,anything that can be crumbed. If I do mine on hot heat with oil+Butter my crumbs burn, But if I do it on Low heat,the oil soaks into the crumbs, that is not tasty, so, is there an easy way, without burning the crumbs and without having oil soaked crumbs, but making sure the meat or steak or my chicken Breast is cooked all the way through without being under or over cooked. I cook a lot of Chicken Kiev and as you know, they are a thick piece of meat, should I try the oven cooking after I have pan fried a bit till Golden, if so how long would certain pieces of meat take to be done in the oven, Like Chicken Kiev for instance. I keep burning the crumbs, it doesnt matter how low or high the temp. is, It is a bit hard to calculate how long to cook for, Can any one HELP PLEASE!!!! Maybe a new style of cooking them or a new recipe, and please I am not talking about minced meat, where you have to keep grounding it and squashing it , till it crumbles, like in Spagg Bol, it is a piece of meat, Steak or Chicken, not a Mince. Thanks Everybody

[KYHeirloomer]

First off, consider your choice of oil.

Butter, for instance, is a low-heat oil. That is, it burns readily, unless you clarify it. Clarified butter has a higher heat rating because you've removed the solids.

Olive oil, too, is a low-heat oil, whereas things like peanut oil and soy oil are high heat.

If you use a low-heat oil, and it burns, that burnedness (is there such a word) can transfer to whatever is being cooked.

Second, rethink what you are pan frying. Usually, breaded & pan fried foods are thin, and cook relatively quickly. For instance, a veal scallop, or beaten chicken breast can be breaded and pan fried because it cooks rapidly. On the other hand, I would not consider pan frying Chicken Kiev until done. Rather I would brown it on the stovetop, then finish it in the oven.

Next, how much oil are you using? Pan frying is not a skimpy version of deep frying. You don't want a heavy layer of oil. Instead, a thin layer---often just enough to cover the bottom of the pan---is all it takes. If you're using a half inch of oil, for instance, than you probably have too much.

Finally, check your breading choice. Some "crumbs" just naturally burn faster than others. Maybe you have to change brands or types of bread crumbs? Or shift to flour, or a flour/crumb mix. Or other breading altogether.

Why don't you be a little more specific as to your technique. Maybe we can focus on what's going wrong if we know exactly what you are doing.

[Mama Mangia]

First of all - heat your pan, then heat your oil/fat before frying. If your oil/fat is not the right temp, you will just absorb all of it giving you grease to eat.

That doesn't necessarily mean HIGH heat - too high and you'll burn anything.

Also - what kind of a pan are you using? Heavy bottomed skillets should be used. Thin, cheapie pans are not good for cooking anything.

Depending on what you are breading - you can prepare and freeze for a bit so help keep the crumbs on.

Some things will also do well on a sprayed baking sheet in the oven.

[Mama Mangia]

Here's an easy method to try:

First, dredge your meat/fish/etc. in flour/seasoned flour (or flour/cornstarch), dunk in your egg wash (egg/water or egg/milk) and dredge through your crumbs (bread/cracker/cornmeal/etc.) pressing into the crumbs so that they adhere.

Many times you go back to the egg wash and dredge through the crumbs again, pressing well.

Place in a single layer and let dry for about 1/2 hour; this gives your coating a chance to adhere better and it will stay on better during the cooking process.

You can even use just flour or a combination of flour and cornstarch to make a light crispy coating. Although it is not exactly "breading" but a coating. But it does hold in the moisture nicely.

Once cooked, place in a single layer in preheated LOW oven until the remaining pieces are cooked - if need be.

[Cook Chatty Cathy]

Hi Spiritwolf! Were you able to try some of these suggestions and get the results you were looking for? I do hope so. I have been wondering where you disappeared to, we miss hearing from you. Come back & say hello! Hope you are well & the 3 kiddies are all doing well too.