What Is Dredging?
Dredging means coating food lightly in a dry ingredient, usually flour, cornmeal, or breadcrumbs, before cooking, most often as the first layer in a multi-step breading process.
More detail
In a classic three-step breading (flour, then egg, then a coarser coating like cornmeal or breadcrumbs), dredging refers specifically to that first flour layer. The thin, dry coating gives the wet egg wash something to cling to, which in turn gives the final coarse layer something to bind to, each layer depends on the one before it.
Where it's used
Common for fried foods like fried green tomatoes, fried chicken, and schnitzel, and for lightly flouring meat or fish before pan-searing to help it brown evenly.
Substitutes
No real substitute if a recipe calls for it specifically, the coating is what gives the fried food its crust. In a pinch, a shaker bag (the dry ingredient and flour, shaken together in a bag) works instead of a shallow dish.
FAQ
Do I have to dredge in a separate dish?
It's easiest with a shallow dish or plate so you can press each piece into an even, thin layer, a deep bowl makes it harder to coat evenly and easier to clump the flour.
What happens if I skip the dredging step in a breading?
The egg wash won't have anything to grip, and the final coarse coating tends to slide off or clump unevenly instead of forming a solid, even crust.
