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If I'm making my own seasoned bread crumbs, I'll add salt then because it will stick to the butter and other ingredients. Otherwise, I finish with salt after frying.
I know some chefs salt the flour but I think I have more control salting the meat.
ChefOno, do you have a ratio with respect to salt for making your own seasoned bread crumbs, or do you just salt to taste?
I don't think you can transfer that information to your panko because the seasonings include shallots, garlic and herbs; the whole mixture needs to be in balance. Is there any reason you can't season after cooking?
I'd have to ask what are you making? There's no hard answer here as it can change depending on the dish; was it brined before like a chicken or pork cut? or a Fish breaded and fried?
You have to use your judgment there as each element can often it's own salt to the mix.
ChefOno, yes, I thought of that just as I pressed "submit"!
I don't know where I got the idea that I should salt breading before cooking. Perhaps I was generalizing from a specific recipe without realizing it. Also, at some point think I must've waited too long after cooking to salt b/c I had this idea that the salt would just bounce off the coating if I did that. If that won't happen, then I'll try that.
Sam1148, yes, that makes sense. I've just gotten frustrated lately with a bit of inconsistency in the seasoning department due to lack of experience. But there's no substitute for experience other than experience, I guess.
P.S. Sam1148, specifically I was wanting to bread and pan fry some eggplant (and I know that brining the eggplant in salt will provide seasoning, but I've had the dish with no seasoning in the breading and it tasted totally bland to me). I was also thinking of this as a general question but I see it might not be applicable as such.
Eggplant is kinda tricky. The small Japaneese or Asian types typically don't need much attention as their seeds very tiny and not bitter. For those I'd just lightly salt them and slice into 'french fry' cuts. And use a tempura batter to fry. The larger ones with dark seeds can usually require some salting and resting, rinsing and drying with some towels to remove the salt/brine...a dry salt not a technical brine. I'd treat them like steaks..with a 45 min kosher salt seasoning. (it takes that long to let the salt move moisture out and then back in with the salt to season) And a bit of salt in the breading mixture. As for ratios, I usually go 1/2 tsp salt to 1 cup of breading...but then again I really love salt.
To expand a bit on my answer. Look up "wondera flour" it's a old product sold in shaker top blue tubes in your baking section. "Instant Flour" as it's sometimes called.
It's extremely handy to keep on hand, especially for things that need a light dusting of flour. Especially good for fish and chicken. It also incorporates very well to thicken a sauce while cooking the sauce when warm.
It's all the rage now with 'modernist' cooks that have rediscovered it...but grandmothers used all the time in the 60's and 70's for fish, chicken cutlets and sauces.
http://www.food52.com/blog...
Thanks so much for all the great information -- I found the Wondra flour today at Target, btw, and am looking forward to trying it out. I am so appreciative of this hotline!