batter staying on veggies

[Mama Mangia]

Here is a copy of a PM I received - and instead of answering in another PM - I noticed this thread and felt it should go here -

"Mama -

Can you please tell me how to keep the batter on my veggies when I fry them? It always seems to fall off!"



A common problem!

First, make sure your veggies are dry - meaning - wipe any excess water from washing/rinsing or any moisture that may be on them.

Second, make sure your batter is thick enough - thin batters do not stick. Make sure that after dipping your veggies in batter you allow the excess to drip off.

If you want to help a batter to stick you can toss your veggies in a bit of flour or rice flour (lightly) to help the batter stick.

Some have found that placing veggies on a tray and placing in the freezer to freeze before frying helps. By allowing them to "sit" for a while will help breadings and batters to stick on many foods - veggies, fruits, meats, fish, etc. 15 - 30 minutes should do it.

Some batter recipes will stick better than others. For instance - you can make a batter that will stick by using chick pea flour and water. The chick pea flour will absorb the water to the point that you will have to add more!

Always make sure what you are coating is dry, if dipping in flour first, be sure to shake off excess.

If using a deep fryer basket - place the pieces in individually so that they do not clump together - that will help. Even if using a pan or pot ont he stove top - place pieces in individually.

Some feel that tempura batters work much better.

I hope this helps!



Mama

[aeiou]

How do the restaurants like KFC, Popeyes, Roy Rogers, etc make their fried chicken? Their chicken comes out with a really thick and crunchy outside? Do they dip the chicken in the batter and then let it rest for a while and then dip it again and let it rest before they cook it? If it is not the method of battering the chicken is it the deep fat fryer or pressure cooker they use that makes it come out so thick and crunchy?

How do you personally fry your chicken - deep fat fryer, pressure cooker, pan fried, or baked in oven?

[Mama Mangia]

aeiou - all of the above - except pressure cooking. My #1 favorite way of cooking chicken that is breaded - in my cast iron skillet in about 3/4 - 1-inch of hot oil. I sometimes use a very simple breading made with breadcrumbs and seasonings - dip in milk, shake off excess, coat with crumbs - pressing to adhere, shake off excess and let sit about 20 minutes while I am breading the rest and heating my oil. Place pieces (not crowding - it is not unusual for me to use 2 cast iron skillets) carefully in hot oil and let brown before turning. I may lose a bit of breading - but not much. Baking in the oven can be a bit trickier - especially if the coating sticks to the pan. Try oiling or spraying a rack inside the pan/baking sheet - that will help. I prefer the cast iron skillet to deep frying pieces of chicken. Wings or strips/nuggets can go in the deep fryer - but I prefer the old cast iron way of doing it.

Some places add chick pea flour to their batters, many use a pancake-like batter. Dry and flour the meats first - lightly flour and dip in your batter. Many places will flash-freeze at this point - then they cook their chicken pieces frozen.

Double coating - by that I mean, dry, flour, dip in milk or eggwash, shake off excess, coat with breading, shake off excess, dip lightly back in eggwash or milk, press again in coating - let sit on rack 15 - 30 minutes -then fry.

Be sure that your oil/fat is at 365 - 375* F. If not you will be absorbing oil, and you will lose your breading/batter.

Use a good set of tongs to turn - and don't be so eager to turn - let the pieces brown. Once brown on one side - turn to brown the other side - then you can turn the pieces 1/4 of the way to be sure your pieces are cooking properly. Turn gently.

A good deep cast iron pan that has been well seasoned works best - make sure you have enough oil in it - 3/4 - 1 -inch - and be carefull that it isn't too much and it overflows from the pan!!!

Sometimes you need to add additional shortening or oil to the pan when making bigger batches - do not add while there are chicken pieces in the pan. And wait again for the temperature to return to the 365 - 375* mark before adding any more pieces.

If deep frying - you can only do a couple pieces at at time - if not one or two because of the size of the pieces. Over crowding and you will lose the batter/coating. Deep fryers just aren't big enough!

For extra crunchiness you can always try ground corn flakes/cereal/crackers/matzoh.

Your chicken can come out crispy in the oven, deep fryer, skillet - so it doesn't really matter.

You can try using a pancake batter also.

Sorry to get long winded - but I hope this helps - don't be afraid to ask if you need something.

[KYHeirloomer]

Just want to reiterate a couple of points Mama made, because they need stressing.

1. The secret to frying is temperature. Reason frying has gotten a bad rap from the health people is because they fry at too low a temperature. Instead of immediately sealing (same as a sear) the surface, the food absorbs the oil. Result: A soggy, oily, unhealthy mess. At no time should the oil be allowed to drop below 350. Mama's range of 365-375 is ideal.

2. Losing breading. There are two reasons for this. Either the food wasn't prepped right (such as dipping wet food into a batter), or---get ready for it---the temperature wasn't high enough. If you continue having problems, try dusting the food with cornstarch before breading.

3. Skillet frying. There are only two ways to skillet fry chicken: in cast iron and I forget the other. As you should. There are several reasons why cast iron makes sense, and just as many reasons why other materials don't. And, btw, if you lose breading while pan frying it's because you were impatient. Once the breading has cooked properly it will automatically free itself from the pan. And it will cook properly providing---all together, now---the temperature is where it belongs.

Oh, and did I mention that you need to keep the oil hot?

[lifecooks]

Yesterday my grown daughter reminded me that I was the person who taught her to heat the pan before putting the oil in and to heat the oil before putting the food in. If you follow those two rules, you will note an improvement in your frying. food won't stick. No explanation - just do it.

[Mama Mangia]

Just a thought - today everyone is in a hurry for everything. Microwaves are a big thing in many households. Many have forgotten - or have not learned - the basics of good home cooking. It takes time to make some dishes, and to make them the way they should be made. In this lifetime I have seen some horrid things done by cooks in kitchens. Many of them just don't know better. Too bad Home Ec isn't a strong requirement in 7th and 8th grade anymore. At least in school they would learn the basics and the proper way of doing things - as well as FOOD SAFETY, contamination, cross-contamination, etc. We need to start teaching that again. Also - many do not understand basic cooking terms - let alone how to do them - like sauteing, braising, poaching, etc.

[sourava]

Amen!!! We need everything roght away, and everything from the microwave. I remember helping in my grandma's kitchen as she prepared all day for a family get-together, and I learned more than cooking, I tell you.

[KYHeirloomer]

Sometimes special interests add to the confusion, particularly when it comes to terms and techniques.

If, for instance, I see one more "healthy" recipe that tells me to "saute in a little wine", I'm going in the corner and spit up.

[DCMerkle]

Just a thought - today everyone is in a hurry for everything. Microwaves are a big thing in many households. Many have forgotten - or have not learned - the basics of good home cooking. It takes time to make some dishes, and to make them the way they should be made. In this lifetime I have seen some horrid things done by cooks in kitchens. Many of them just don't know better. Too bad Home Ec isn't a strong requirement in 7th and 8th grade anymore. At least in school they would learn the basics and the proper way of doing things - as well as FOOD SAFETY, contamination, cross-contamination, etc. We need to start teaching that again. Also - many do not understand basic cooking terms - let alone how to do them - like sauteing, braising, poaching, etc.

I learned cooking and baking in my grandmother's kitchen. I love making things from scratch and have taught my son and daughter to do the same. Microwave cooking to me, is great for heating up left-overs, but not for the real kitchen work.

DCMerkle

[Mama Mangia]

DCMerkle - you have fond memories! I have them too! And it is something you will always cherish - and your children will do the same!!