A lot of individuals do not realize that breadcrumbs serve a variety of functions. You can use these for cooking and adding texture and flavor to different foods like pizza, fried chicken and many more. It is actually cheap and easy to start, considering that you have the right remains with you. Here are some tried and proven tips from the experts to help you.
About Breadcrumbs
Breadcrumbs are used in several food recipes like casseroles and fried foods. You can buy breadcrumbs, but you will find that making your own leads to less waste and more savings. You also get the advantage of added flavor, since you get to pick the contents to work with. You get rid of unwanted chemicals and preservatives the store-bought types offer. Homemade fresh breadcrumbs are on the top of every baker’s preferences.
Starting Steps
Gather all your ingredients and tools to start making breadcrumbs. You can make breadcrumbs from virtually any type of bread. You can also mix different kinds of bread. It is an excellent way to use up leftovers, stale bread and the ends of a bread loaf. Remember that you can still taste the flavor and seasonings of the original bread if you consume the crumbs. You need 4 regular slices of bread or a cup of crumbs. Other tools you need include a food processor to turn the bread into crumbs, a knife and a blender. Blenders will save you time and energy to make uniform crumbs, but you can also do well with a basic knife.
Making the Crumbs
Using slices of white bread and trimming the crusts off it will result to uniform breadcrumbs. If you have soft bread, you can leave it on the counter for 2 hours to make it easier to cut. This is useful if you have a food processor or a blender, since soft bread can get gummy inside the machine. You can also place the bread inside a warm oven, until it becomes mildly toasted. Do not overdo the process, however. There is a fine line between the perfect toast and badly burnt bread. Always observe the heating process.
Cutting and Preparation
Cut the bread into small crumbs. Make the smallest pieces possible, especially if you are working with a knife. When using a food processor or blender, tear the bread into small pieces then feed these to the machine one piece at a time. Do not over fill the blender or processor to keep the blades from getting stuck. Pulse the machine until you get the ideal size of breadcrumbs. Add the needed seasonings for flavor such as cheese, herbs and spices. The seasonings should complement the recipe you are trying to follow.
Final Tips
Making a large batch of breadcrumbs will help you save time and energy. Store the extra in a zip-top bag then store inside the freezer. You can easily thaw these in the future if you need to use them. Compare the different flavors and experiment to make your own personalized recipe.