Batters and Dredges for Deep Frying (튀김)

Why do we coat ingredients in something before we deep fry?

You can use dredges and batters when deep frying to coat the outer layer of the ingredients. There are some benefits to doing this. 

• You can retain the moisture of the ingredients.
• You can add extra flavor and enhance the appearance through a golden coating.
• Dredging helps to make a drier surface on the ingredients, which allows for even browning.
• Finally, by using batter and dredges, you actually prevent too much fat and oil from absorbing into the ingredient. It protects the ingredient.

What do we want to achieve when we deep fry ingredients?

• We want an even and uniform coating on the outside of the ingredient that isn’t too thick and overwhelming that it takes away from the flavor of the ingredient being fried.
• We want the coating on the outside of our ingredient to stick and not fall off when fried.
• Depending on the ingredient, we want a golden-brown color on proteins and a light gold color on fried vegetables.
• We want the center of the ingredient to be at the correct, safe internal temperature by the time the outside of the ingredient is at the correct color.
• We want the outside to be crisp and not soggy.
• Finally, you want to have the ingredient be well seasoned inside and out.

Batter and Flour/Powder Dredges

You can use batter, dredge, or do both to get your desired texture when deep frying.

Batters:

A batter is a semiliquid mixture containing flour and starch. It should not be thick; it should be a little watery to coat a spoon. When the batter is made, as time goes by, there will be more gluten produced, so it should be used to fry right away. If you have to make a lot of fried food, then it’s better to make small batches of batter several times. If you want to make sure that the batter doesn’t come off for vegetables, fish, and or sweet potato, you need to dry them before putting them into the batter.

Some people use eggs in addition to water and flour when making a batter but only add eggs if you plan to use the batter right away. If you plan to store the batter, do not use egg, or it will lead to a non-crispy batter. You can add some baking soda to the batter to make it last longer when eggs are added.

Dredges:

Dredging is coating an ingredient in flour or powder and shaking off the excess to make a drier surface. You can season the dredge with various spices and or mix different flours and starch to achieve your desired look. Dredge by placing the powder in a bag, then adding the ingredient and tossing it before shaking off the excess powder. You can also use a shallow pan and place in the powder, coat, and then shake off excess.

Which Goes First?

You can use either a batter, dredge, or both when deep frying. Which step (either dredge or batter) you do first will give you a different texture and look. 

• Flaky Look: if you want that flaky, crispy look, then dip the ingredient in batter and then dip it into the flour/powder dredge.

• Corndog Look: If you want that almost funnel cake/corn dog coating look, then dip your ingredient in flour, then dip it in the batter. This also makes the batter stick to the ingredient better because the surface is drier.