To prepare breadcrumbs you will need the following products:
- pieces of bread;
- salt;
- vegetable oil;
- garlic and other spices for taste.
To prepare the grind, you need a high-quality food processor, which allows you to make your own breadcrumbs in a few seconds.
Cooking technique, how to make breadcrumbs yourself?
You can use different methods in preparation: some crumble the bread directly with their hands, others dry it first, and only then use a food processor. You need to choose a more acceptable option for yourself, but what follows is a simple and traditional way of preparing the product.
So, how to make your own breadcrumbs at home:
- First you need to preheat the oven to 180 degrees and place the prepared pieces of bread on a clean baking sheet. They can be crushed by hand, which reduces the cooking time.
- Sliced pieces of bread measuring 10-15 cm are dried on one side for 10 minutes. Then the crackers are turned over and dried for another 10 minutes. The cooking time depends on the oven and the thickness of the pieces - you need to get crackers for subsequent grinding in a food processor.
- Grind the crackers in a food processor until they form characteristic crumbs.
- Next, use a Dutch oven or frying pan. Pour a little vegetable oil onto the bottom - as much as is used for frying the dish.
- Pour crackers onto hot oil and start frying.
- Garlic squeezed out of a press, salt and other spices are added to the mixture if desired.
- Fry the crackers until golden brown and have a characteristic spicy smell.
There are other ways to make your own breadcrumbs. There is nothing complicated here - it is better to store ready-made crackers in a glass vessel or in a plastic container. Rusks are used for frying cutlets and other meat and fish dishes.
Sometimes crackers are needed for baking, then salting and adding spices should be approached carefully. It is better not to use spices at all or to prepare two versions of breadcrumbs.
Have you ever wondered what commercial breadcrumbs are made from? Naturally, no one bakes bread separately and then dries it, crushes it and packages it. To put it mildly, they use not very fresh baked goods, often expired, moldy, as well as crumbs and trimmings.
Another thing is homemade breadcrumbs! Fresh, crispy and aromatic, they are much better than store-bought ones, store well and are suitable for deboning cutlets, meat, fish, vegetables, etc. They are also a great way to “recycle” slightly stale yesterday’s bread. Therefore, it is definitely worth making breadcrumbs at home, with your own hands. Moreover, the recipe is elementary and will take a maximum of 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- white bread 500 g
- salt and seasonings optional
How to make your own breadcrumbs
- You can prepare breading from loaf, baguette and other savory baked goods. You can mix different types of bread. At the same time, it is important that the crusts are not very dry, or, as the common people say, “wooden.” The fluffier and softer your baked goods, the more tender and crunchy your breadcrumbs will be. Yesterday's loaf is perfect, not soft, but not too dry. Well, or you can gradually collect the crusts, putting them in a separate container in the refrigerator - there they will not dry out. As soon as at least 500 grams have been collected, you can cook the breadcrumbs in the oven. I prefer to use homemade bread - the crumbs from it are very crumbly and tender, and smell delicious of milk.
I cut the loaf into approximately equal-sized pieces of 1 centimeter - this is the ideal thickness so that the bread dries out in the oven and does not burn. By the way, we don’t need all the crumbs that will fall out when cutting, they will burn and make the crackers bitter, so remove them without regret.
Place the slices on a baking sheet lined with parchment - in one layer, for even drying. There is no need to lubricate the paper.
Preheat the oven to 150 degrees and bake for 10 minutes. Then I take out the baking sheet, turn it over to the other side and bake for another 10 minutes. The slices will dry out and brown a little.
Now they must cool down so that it is convenient to break them with your hands into smaller pieces that can easily fit into the blender bowl. If you don’t have such a container with a metal knife attachment, you can grind the crackers in a meat grinder, food processor, or simply put them in a bag and roll them with a rolling pin.
I use a blender, grind the bread in 3-4 button presses - “turbo” mode (if there is no pulse mode, run the blender at medium speed for 10 seconds). The result is small, dried crumbs. You can adjust the degree of grinding yourself by increasing or decreasing the operating time of the equipment. If breading is needed for fish or nuggets, a coarse grind is suitable. If the crackers will be used for deboning, for example, chicken fillet, you need to chop them very finely.
I pour the finished crackers into a clean and always dry jar. And I store it under a tight-fitting lid so that they don’t get damp or moldy.- If you wish, you can add salt and your favorite seasonings - you will get a ready-made aromatic breading. But it is better to use it as soon as possible, within 1 week. In their “pure” form, without additives, breadcrumbs are stored better and longer, about 1 month, always in a dark, cool and dry place, without the slightest moisture.
Experienced housewives know that cutlets, fish and other products in breadcrumbs turn out very tasty. The golden crispy crust and juicy tender filling will not leave anyone indifferent. But sometimes you don’t have breadcrumbs on hand. Because of this, you should not cancel the preparation of delicious chicken or vegetables with a crust. Every housewife should know how to make breadcrumbs at home.
Bought crumbs will never compare to homemade crackers. Plus, you don't have to throw away stale bread. Making breadcrumbs doesn't require much effort and doesn't take much time.
Crackers from a loaf
From the French "breading" means "sprinkle with bread crumbs". You don’t have to buy breadcrumbs; you can make them at home if you have some leftover loaf. This is not only economical, but also useful - you will be confident in the quality of the product.
How can you make breadcrumbs from a loaf?
If you don't have a blender, use another method.
- Finely chop the loaf into a plate and dry in the microwave or oven for no more than 5 minutes.
- They need to be stirred every minute to prevent them from burning.
The pieces should not be too hard, because you will need to crumble them. If you know how to make breadcrumbs in the microwave, you will be able to please your family with delicious dishes with a crispy crust at any time.
Rye crumbs
Brown bread crumbs give cutlets and nuggets a piquant taste. They can be alternated with white ones to diversify the taste of dishes.
How to make breadcrumbs from bread?
It's not difficult at all:
If you have a food processor, it won't be difficult for you to figure out how to make breadcrumbs at home.
Place the pieces in a food processor and grind to desired consistency. To improve the taste, you can add a little olive oil, salt or garlic. Basil gives a special aroma. Fry over high heat for a couple of minutes, stirring constantly.
The taste and aroma of crackers is greatly influenced by the type of bread. Rye crumbs have a richer taste. You can mix black and white bread.
Housewives use breadcrumbs to prepare various dishes. Cutlets or fish fried in breading look attractive and turn out delicious. Don't rush to buy breading in the store, try making breadcrumbs yourself. But these are not just crushed pieces of stale bread. Be careful when preparing it, and you will receive a product, the quality of which will determine the taste of the dish prepared with breadcrumbs.
Before preparing breading, listen to these useful tips:
- Make breadcrumbs from any bread that is stale but not moldy. Its variety affects the taste of crackers. Brown bread crumbs have the richest flavor, but the crackers turn out dark. Mix different types of bread;
- collect the pieces of bread in advance. Do not store leftover stale bread for breading in a bread bin or bag. Ready-made crackers may have a musty smell. Cut the bread into pieces and place on a baking sheet. Place the baking sheet where it will not interfere with you - in the microwave, oven or on a cabinet. Cover the top with clean gauze. The pieces will dry quickly and turn them into breading;
- Store bread slices in the freezer. If a lot comes together, start preparing the breadcrumbs;
- Do not store rusk bread for more than three days.
How to make breadcrumbs from loaf or white bread
Prepare a loaf, any white bread or unsweetened roll. From 500 g of loaf approximately 300-320 g of breading comes out. Cooking process:
- cut the crust off the bread;
- cut the loaf into medium-thick slices;
- line a baking sheet with parchment paper;
- place pieces of bread on paper;
- preheat the oven to 160 degrees and place a baking tray with breadcrumbs there;
- dry the bread in the oven at 180 degrees for 20 minutes. After 7-10 minutes, open the oven and turn each piece of bread over to the other side. Make sure that the future breading does not burn, otherwise you will get bitter crackers;
- take out the baking sheet and let the crackers cool;
- grind the crackers using a method convenient for you. Use a food processor or blender, put it in a bag and run it through with a rolling pin, or use a meat grinder for this purpose;
- sift the crushed bread through a sieve, and re-grind the large pieces. If desired, add salt, favorite seasonings or spices to the bread crumbs - get a fragrant breading;
- pour the finished breading into a clean, dry glass container, cover tightly with a lid and use as intended.
How to make breadcrumbs from brown bread
Breadcrumbs made from black bread will give nuggets and cutlets a piquant taste. You can mix black and white bread. Cooking process:
- preheat the oven to 150 degrees;
- cut the crust off the bread and cut into slices;
- Place the pieces of bread in one layer on a baking sheet and place in a preheated oven;
- dry for 10 minutes and turn over to the other side;
- keep in the oven for another 10 minutes;
- Grind the crackers into crumbs using a blender or food processor.
While chopping the bread, you can add garlic, salt, a little olive oil or basil, which will add a subtle aroma. After grinding, fry the breading in a frying pan for a couple of minutes and stir constantly.
How to Make Breadcrumbs by Freezing
Some recipes call for fresh bread crumbs for the breading. You can immediately grate the bread and dry it, or use this recipe:
- cut the bread into slices;
- trim the crust from the slices;
- place the bread slices in a freezer bag and seal it;
- place the bag in the freezer;
- Take the frozen bread out of the freezer and grate it. It's easy and the crumbs will come out smooth. If frozen bread does not separate well, separate the slices with a knife. Use breading as intended.
Do not make breadcrumbs for future use. When stored for a long time, breading loses its taste and aroma. Eat the dish in breadcrumbs immediately until a crispy crust forms on it.
If breading seems like a simple and insignificant cooking step to you - simply because it is indicated so in the recipe, then this is a big misconception. Breading can not only give a dish an appetizing golden brown crust, but also preserve the juiciness of the product, impart a new original taste, aroma and even consistency.
A little theory...
Breading– these are certain crushed products or a mixture thereof, which are used for coating meat, fish, vegetable preparations/semi-finished products, dough products, fruits, cheeses before frying or baking.
Breading is a very important component of the dish. When frying in a pan, food loses moisture, juiciness and softness, and can burn and change its shape. Breading acts as a protective shell, which prevents the evaporation of liquid from products, helps maintain the juiciness of the finished dish, maintain the shape of the products and give familiar dishes new shades of taste.
There is a great variety of breadings, and it's not just flour or breadcrumbs. If you thoroughly understand all types of breadings, then the same dish can be prepared in different ways without changing its basic composition, but using only different breadings.
What kind of breading is there?
The championship is occupied by crushed dried bread, that is, breadcrumbs.
You can buy them at the store or make them yourself at home by shredding dried leftover bread (this will save money and give stale bread a second life). And if you add certain spices to breadcrumbs (for example, ground dry garlic), you can get an excellent flavored mixture. It can be cooked very tasty.
Most often, breadcrumbs are used for coating schnitzels. Bread coating protects the product from drying out, preserves the delicate texture of the product and gives a crispy golden brown crust.
Flour
Second place flour. And not only wheat, but also corn, rice, buckwheat and oatmeal. Depending on the type of flour used for breading, the overall appearance of the dish changes.
Flour breading is more tender and soft. It does not give a hard crust like breadcrumbs, and does not significantly affect the taste of the finished dish. 
Vegetables, meat and fish fried in rice flour will be incredibly tender and tasty.
Oatmeal, on the contrary, gives dishes a more interesting new taste.
Cereals
Cereals– an excellent type of breading. You can use not only the usual cereals, for example, semolina or oatmeal, but also their flakes - buckwheat, rice, etc. Products breaded in cereals are obtained with a dense “openwork” crust, so dishes can be baked in the oven without fear that they will be dry in the middle - the dense crust protects the products from loss of moisture. Chicken legs and cutlets cooked in oatmeal breading look very impressive.
Liquid breading
This may include a beaten egg, separately beaten white or yolk, as well as batter, that is.
Dishes breaded in liquid ingredients acquire a soft, airy layer and a delicate taste. For example, they turn out very juicy and soft.
Chopped nuts
If you roll meat, fish, vegetables and other products in nut crumbs, you can get a more nutritious dish with new bright notes in taste. For example, .
Cheese breading
Gives dishes a spicy taste. But this is a very capricious topping that can stick to the pan, so grated cheese is often mixed with flour, starch or bread crumbs so that the breading sticks better to meat (for example) and fish products, as well as vegetables.
Miscellaneous unusual
Don’t forget to also experiment and add additional ingredients to the breading: lemon zest, cinnamon, turmeric, dried herbs (rosemary, thyme, dill), dried garlic, ginger and herbs.
A small amount of such additives can emphasize the taste of the dish, add spiciness, piquancy and an original flavor. The main thing is not to overdo it and add everything in moderation.
But for the breading to stick well to the food, it is not enough to simply roll the product in breadcrumbs or sesame seeds. Need to know…
Rules for perfect breading
So, in order to coat food well with breading you need soak them in liquid ingredients– butter, milk or beaten eggs. The most commonly used mixture is an egg with milk, or kefir, or cream - egg ice cream . This mash coats food well.
The fact is that during heat treatment, the protein coagulates, forming a thin film that protects the dish from loss of moisture, and bread crumbs, chopped nuts or other breading serve as an additional barrier through which less oil is absorbed into the product, the juiciness, original taste and product shape.
Breading can be single, double or triple.
Sometimes it is enough to soak the products in egg and roll in flour or breadcrumbs. But if you need to get a denser crust, then it is better to cover the product with egg wash, roll in breading and repeat this procedure 2-3 times. For example, dip a chop in egg, roll in flour, dip in egg again and coat well with breadcrumbs or flour - you get double breading.
As a rule, breaded products are fried in a frying pan with a lot of oil. In order to remove excess oil, finished products can be placed on a paper towel or napkins. You can also bake breaded foods in the oven - you will get a less fatty dish with a crispy crust.
More Breaded semi-finished products can be frozen and then fry in a frying pan. But it should be remembered that not all breading tolerates defrosting well. Thus, products breaded in flour should not be defrosted first, so that the flour does not become soggy and stick to the surface (board, plate, etc.) - it is better to slowly fry them while frozen.
Don't be afraid to experiment in the kitchen and try new combinations! Let the use of different breading options be a good experience in achieving culinary mastery.
