Tell me about panko crumbs

My daughter has mentioned them as being used a lot at a place that she used to work at. She said they came from Sysco, and I thought that they were just a brand name. I recently saw and bought a small container at my store. Panko, I guess is just a generic name for Japanese style crumbs. They are very good, and really improved some fish that I baked as compared to the "Italian" crumbs that I have used in the past. Have I just been "out of it", or have they generally been used only in professional kitchens?

Lleechef introduced us to Panko 'Breading' when we visited Alaska last Spring. Since then we found them at Jungle Jim's and now at our local Walmart. Very inexpensive, and you are correct--they make great breading for fish ! Lighter than most coatings (almost tempuri light) but breading not batter ! We love the stuff!

We used them in place of Italian bread crumbs as a coating for baked pork chops. Yum. Very light.

we tried them last week as "breading" for the fried green tomatoes in our green tomato BLT's---real good!

Panko is generic for the style of Japanese breading. Available in most supermarkets in the Asian section. Lighter and a bit coarser than "regular" breadcrumbs, and gives a bit more texture. Used in a lot of Japanese fried meat dishes such as katsudon and tonkatsu, and in tempura-style frying, but with the breadcrumbs instead of batter.

I brush salmon filets with honey mustard and then coat in panko bread crumbs. Then I bake for about 20 minutes. They are great for "oven frying."

My understanding is that Panko crumbs are much drier than standard bread crumbs. Hence you get a "lighter" finished product.

Most panko is processed with honey and vegetable oil, which makes an extra cripsy coating when fried.

Panko really is different from those other bread crumbs. I get a beautiful finish on my fried foods when I use those in the breading. I can't find them anywhere here in eastern Ohio, and even the Giant Eagle, which has a great ethnic section, sells only little tiny boxes at about $2 apiece. But if you go to orientalpantry.com that nice lady will sell you a big bag at around $4.

Shortchef,
Next time you're in Cincinnati, Head for Jungle Jim's. Good sized bag for 99 cents !!!

Shortchef,
Ask your favorite Oriental restaurant where they get their provisions; most medium sized towns have an Asian grocery somewhere in town. They never seem to advertise, so you might not be aware you even have one. I'm going to guess that you'll find prices perhaps half the price for items you've purchased before.

Hey guys, thanks for the tips. Unfortunately, Steubenville doesn't have much in the way of Oriental groceries (although the selection of Italian goodies is incredible!) I haven't tried our Wal-Mart, thinking that: Lord, they'll never carry anything that exotic; but I'm going to make one last-ditch attempt. I haven't gone to Concinnati yet, it's more than four hours away, but when I get there I'll check that one out. Regards.

Try Fisher's in the Canton area or Heinen's if you get up to Cleveland. Also, Buehler's with about eight differet locations in central Ohio.

A Mapquest search turned this up which might be a long shot but then again.....
Port Orient
2205 Market St, Wheeling, WV (21.44 miles away)
304-232-2191
Map | Directions To | Directions From

I second the Jungle Jim motion; that store has everything!!!

Hey, Wheeling will work! Thanks a bunch--I might just take a roadtrip today. I had forgotten that awhile back, someone did tell me about there being an Oriental grocery in Wheeling but it completely slipped my mind. I'll let you guys know what else they have that's interesting, once I go.

As we usually make our own breadcrumbs at home from french or Italian bread, we would like to know if anyone can tell us how to make the Panko style crumbs at home. Is there a special kind of Japanese bread, or is it just the technique used in preparing the crumbs?

cheers, John

I saw these style breadcrumbs at Sprout's last nite... my fiance asked me if they would work to fry zucchini and I had no idea! Anyone know and if so how do you do it???

Coat your Squash with something to help the Panko stick to the veggie...milk/egg or maybe a mustard (as mentioned above) or BBQ sauce or whatever works for you..coat the squash in the crumbs and fry away !!

Try it on mushrooms too. They turn out great.

Okay, I'm hungry... bad to read this prior to lunch time

I've never even though of BBQ sauce then crumbs... that sounds awesome!

I admit, I've never made a home batter for frying ::hides in corner::... I usually buy the box of beer batter from Wally World and all I have to add is water and go from there, but I'd prefer to make it myself and experiment!

Saw a TV show about making them on Food Network. In Japan they freeze dry bread which is white, dense and thinly sliced. They then shred the freeze dried bread slices with specially designed shredding machine.

How many of you out there own a freeze dryer? Guess I'll have to settle for the packaged product from my local supermarket.

Cheers, John

quote:

Originally posted by shortchef

Hey guys, thanks for the tips. Unfortunately, Steubenville doesn't have much in the way of Oriental groceries (although the selection of Italian goodies is incredible!) I haven't tried our Wal-Mart, thinking that: Lord, they'll never carry anything that exotic; but I'm going to make one last-ditch attempt. I haven't gone to Concinnati yet, it's more than four hours away, but when I get there I'll check that one out. Regards.

Believe it or not, I've found Pankow bread crumbs at the Foodland in Tiltonsville. They can be found in the "DeLallo" Italian food section at the front of the store.

Reisbeck's in Wintersville carries the DeLallo brands too, you may want to check the selection there.

It is tough finding some "special" ingredients in the Ohio Valley.

I travel frequently to Columbus, Pittsburgh, and Cleveland and never miss an opportunity to pick up stuff when I go.

I just wish we could get a "Trader Joe's" somewhere close by. I shop there when I'm in Columbus.

I have an Alton Brown book and I recall him saying something about Panko crumbs bieng "electrified" when they are toasted. I will look it up again after work.

Funny thing is they are called American crumbs in Japan. But then again Benihana is from NYC in Japan and from Tokoyo in NYC.

quote:

Originally posted by annabellee

Doesn't anybody else find that panko crumbs burn up so much faster than regular American bread crumbs? I tried making tonkatsu (pork cutlet) with them and those panko bits turned a dark brown color on me before the meat was even close to cooking. I always have to just end up using regular bread crumbs instead, they take a much longer time to brown.

Annabel Lee
www.giftlinx.com

Maybe you're frying at too high a temperature. I make tonkatsu often and chikenkatsu (chicken cutlet) as well and never go higher than 325' - 335'. It doesn't burn before the meat is done. Because of the honey and butter already in the crumbs it does have a propensity to brown faster.

Thanks for the advice zataar! I have a tendency to deep fry stuff at a higher heat because when the oil temp is too low food comes out so greasy! Which I can't stand! But looks like I'll have to give panko another try!

Annabel Lee
www.giftlinx.com

I don't know if it was mentioned above, but my understanding is that Panko, which I use alot, is rice based as opposed to wheat based bread crumbs.

quote:

Originally posted by BTB

I don't know if it was mentioned above, but my understanding is that Panko, which I use alot, is rice based as opposed to wheat based bread crumbs.

Sorry, but panko is not made of rice, it's made of wheat bread. In the process of making panko, it is shredded (rather than ground like regular bread crumbs). Thus coating the food with "shards" of bread which do not retain oil and fry up very crispy.
American companies make panko but the best panko comes from China or Japan.

quote:

Originally posted by shortchef

Hey guys, thanks for the tips. Unfortunately, Steubenville doesn't have much in the way of Oriental groceries (although the selection of Italian goodies is incredible!) I haven't tried our Wal-Mart, thinking that: Lord, they'll never carry anything that exotic; but I'm going to make one last-ditch attempt. I haven't gone to Concinnati yet, it's more than four hours away, but when I get there I'll check that one out. Regards.

Yo Steubenville! My in-laws are in Marietta. Where do you find good food (Roadfood or otherwise)?

Cathy