Restaurants that serve fried foods recognize the importance of fresh breading. The taste. The texture. That satisfying crunch.
That last element is critical because people, it turns out, crave crunchiness in their foods. “For non-gustatory, non-olfactory stimulation, people prefer crunchiness,” said smell and taste researcher Alan Hirsch.
“Sound affects the experience of food,” added gastrophysicist and professor Charles Spence. “We don’t like soggy crisps even if they taste the same. Missing the sound is important.”
So much of the experience of eating is tied to the breading that coats the food. But restaurants may overlook the critical role that proper breading techniques play in maintaining food quality — and profitability.
There’s no one size fits all when it comes to breading
Different foods require different breading mixes to achieve the desired appearance, texture and flavor. A breading that makes a perfectly crisp chicken tender, for instance, might not yield the same results for bone-in chicken pieces.
Other foods can also require distinct breading mixes. Onion rings, for instance, turn out better when coated in a breading with a higher percentage of corn starch, which allows the breading to stick to the onion slice better. You know how you can bite into an onion ring and accidentally pull the whole onion slice out of the batter coating like it’s a sleeve? The right mix of corn starch helps fix that.
In addition to the critical crunch, various breading mixtures can also impact presentation, providing just the right texture and appearance for nuggets or a fried chicken filet.
And, of course, different breading recipes are a key way restaurants can add flavor profiles to their menu, introducing hot or Cajun flavors or other variations. If your operation runs more than one breading mix, how you blend each one matters as much as what goes into it. See whether your blending process holds up across every batch and flavor.
Breading handling don’ts
Despite the importance of breading, operations may neglect proper breading techniques, leading to inconsistencies and quality issues in the final product.
Different breading mixes must be handled entirely separately — for everything from storage through breading and sifting — to prevent cross-contamination of ingredients.
If an operation chooses to use the same sifter for both mixes, the equipment must be completely cleaned between uses. Otherwise, ingredients from the mixes will start to blend together, leading to a loss of distinctiveness between mixes, which can hurt breading performance and flavor and negatively impact the final food product.
Using the same equipment can also lead to an excessive amount of waste. Workers may bread a batch of food and head to the fryer with it while it’s fresh. Bread and cook the second food item around the same time, tossing the leftover breading from the first batch and replacing the second breading. Failing to consider these processes when planning for additional menu items can lead to waste, higher labor demands, slower throughput and poorer-than-desired food quality.
Elevating the breading experience
To serve a unique and appealing menu, restaurants must ensure they have the right processes and equipment to manage ingredients effectively and cost efficiently.
Fully cleaning equipment between breading sessions is typically too time-consuming for a busy kitchen, so consider setting up separate breading stations with the necessary equipment for handling different mixes. That could include a basin for breading and manual sifter — or an alternative like the Breader Blender Sifter (BBS) from AyrKing.
The BBS saves labor, reduces ingredient waste and improves kitchen performance, helping kitchens introduce new food items and keep diners coming back for more. By creating two breading stations, each with its own BBS, kitchens can easily separate breading without incurring more labor or rising ingredient costs from discarded breading.
For operations seeking to further enhance efficiency and consistency, the DrumRoll automated breading machine offers a compelling solution. This machine automates the breading process by gently tumbling products to ensure a uniform coating, reducing ingredient waste and labor costs. By integrating the DrumRoll with existing breading stations, kitchens can maintain high-quality output while streamlining their workflow.
The right BBS setup comes down to your volume and available space. Answer a few questions about your process and get matched with the right configuration, whether that’s a standalone BBS, a BBS Mini for lower-volume applications, or a full DrumRoll pairing.
The BBS Mini — offering the same functionality in a smaller size — is a convenient and space-saving alternative for introducing a limited-time offer or to support a lower-volume dish.
Restaurants that utilize multiple breading mixes may also want to consider color coding or other highly visible markers to distinguish the variations. This visual designation should be applied to everything from storage bins to sifting equipment and more.
Want a starting point you can explore on your own time? AyrKing’s Food Prep Platform walks through your breading, blending, and sifting process and recommends equipment built around your operation. No sales call required.
For more ideas on how to make your equipment highly functional and efficient, contact the food prep specialists at AyrKing.
