Originally published @Factoidz.com.
Breadings and batters are often used to coat foods that may be fried, such as vegetables (fried zucchini, fried mushrooms, onion rings, etc), seafood and meats (fish, shrimp, pork chops, chicken, etc), and even cheeses and other things (mozzarella sticks, jalapeno poppers, etc). How do you know whether to use a breading or a batter? What's the difference?
Appearance, Texture, and Basic Information: Breadings and Batters
Breadings and batters add flavor, texture, and a thermal buffer between the hot oil and the food when frying coated foods. Breadings are often considered "dry coatings" and often use some type of bread
crumb as the coating. Batters are considered "wet coatings." One of the big differences between the two isn't necessarily the flavor, ingredients, or health values of one over the other, but the battered foods must be deep-fried, whereas the breaded food can be either deep-fried or pan-fried (or even baked). Also, the basic preparation to coat the food is slightly different.Finished products with any type of coating, whether it is battered or breaded, look very similar. Often there is a golden crispy crust on the food when it's been battered or breaded. The breaded food may look slightly more textured due to the crumbs used as the coating, whereas the battered foods may have a slightly smoother appearance, although both look very similar.
Ease of Preparation (with Recipes)
I personally hate breading anything and prefer to use a batter when possible. I find a batter to be much easier and quicker to coat the foods. I have breaded foods before and find it time consuming and even annoying. Some people do enjoy the process, however, and find it relaxing and therapeutic. It all depends on the person, as with most other things! Obviously the breading is more versatile and can be baked rather than fried, so that's one huge advantage over batter.
To coat foods with a batter for deep-frying, simply prepare the batter and then place a few pieces of the food into the batter to coat it fully. (If using larger pieces of food, coat one piece in the batter at a time.)
To coat foods with a breading for deep-frying, pan-frying, or baking, dredge a piece of food in flour with one hand and gently shake off excess flour. Use the other hand to dredge the food through the beaten egg or whatever wet mixture you're using. Use the other hand to coat the food in the final mixture of bread crumbs (or cracker crumbs or whatever you are using). Be sure to use one hand to handle the food in the dry ingredients and the other hand solely to dredge in the wet ingredients. This will make it easier to bread all your food without creating as much of a mess or a hassle, and save you some frustration (and prevent your fingers from becoming breaded!).
A basic batter recipe is: mix one up of flour, a few dashes of salt and pepper (about half a teaspoon), and about two cups of water; set aside to rest for at least 20 minutes before using. By allowing the batter to rest in this recipe, it gives the grains a chance to break down a bit, which will help it hold together better. Another basic batter recipe is: mix about 3/4 cup of flour with 2 tablespoons baking powder, a few dashes of salt and pepper, and about a cup of water. Whisk until smooth and use soon after making, do not let this mixture rest as in the first recipe. Finally, many rave about beer batters. here is a basic beer
batter recipe: place 3/4 cup flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Gently whisk in 1 cup of beer until smooth. Use immediately. (A non-alcoholic version can be made with club soda, although the alcohol will mostly cook out when heated.) Note: with batters, obtain the best results by being sure food has been patted dry before coating. Additionally, it might be easier to sprinkle or coat with a small amount of flour before dipping foods in the batter.A basic breading recipe: flour for initial dredging, beaten eggs or other wet mixture for second coating, and bread crumb mixture for final coating. Bread crumb mixture can be about 1 1/2 cups bread or cracker crumbs (or whatever you want to use, even corn flakes or other grains), about 1/2 cup flour, a few dashes of salt and pepper (and whatever other seasonings you like). Vegans and those who do not want to use eggs can also enjoy breadings. There are many commercial egg substitutes that can be used. An even easier way is to use soy milk/almond milk/rice milk in place of the egg. Dip the food to be breaded in the flour to get a thin, even coating on the outside of it. Afterward, dip in the milk (so the coating becomes like a paste), then completely coat the food item in the breadcrumbs mix.
Of course, for certain foods you can alter the spices to suit your personal tastes and needs for the food being coated. For example, if craving spicy mozzarella sticks, add a few dashes of cayenne pepper or hot sauce to your batter or breading mix; if you want to fry some carrots or apples and want a sweeter batter or breading, add a touch of sugar or cinnamon to the mix.
Nutritional Value of Breadings and Batters
Many people think if you pan-fry something with a breading that it's healthier than deep-frying using a batter. This isn't necessarily true. When foods are fried, some of the vitamins (such as vitamin E) are lost. Conversely, when foods are steamed, boiled, or stewed, many of the B vitamins, minerals, and vitamin C are lost. Eating raw is always going to retain more of the nutritional value of the food. That being said, according to Livestrong.com: "Frying enhances the natural taste, color, texture and shelf life of vegetables. It cooks food quickly, leaving less time for loss of nutrients. Frying can add lots of calories to your meals, however. It also can destroy vitamins and minerals and produce toxins in your [foods]."
Be sure to fry your foods at temperatures between about 350 to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (about 175 to 190 degrees Celsius). This will keep the foods from absorbing excess oils. Briefly cooking (for a few minutes) in the deep-fryer will allow the food to virtually steam itself cooked while maintaining a crispy outer texture and a delicious soft or firm texture inside. Do not reuse your oil more than a few times, as certain toxins can start to form with repeated use of reheated frying oil. Enjoy fried foods as an occasional treat, not a daily staple in your diet.
Sources
personal opinion and experience
LIVESTRONG.COM: Nutritional Value of Fried Vegetables
Bread & Batter