Shake 'N Bake and other prepared coating mixes

[FeChef]

Don't buy shake n bake. The no longer provide the bag to "shake" the chicken or pork chops in. And they upp'ed the price to almost $5 a box. I buy store brand that includes a bag and its like $1.69 a box.

[MaryIsobel]

8 minutes ago, FeChef said:

Don't buy shake n bake. The no longer provide the bag to "shake" the chicken or pork chops in. And they upp'ed the price to almost $5 a box. I buy store brand that includes a bag and its like $1.69 a box.

About a year ago I sent my husband (off-leash ha-ha) to the grocery store and though it wasn't on my list he came back with a 2-pack of Shake 'n Bake because it was "on sale." It got tucked away in the pantry until today. It did have the shaker bag. I have to admit that I couldn't leave well enough alone and while doing dinner prep, I added some panko, some parm and a couple of spritzes of olive oil to make up for the extra breadcrumbs.

 

[FeChef]

1 hour ago, MaryIsobel said:

About a year ago I sent my husband (off-leash ha-ha) to the grocery store and though it wasn't on my list he came back with a 2-pack of Shake 'n Bake because it was "on sale." It got tucked away in the pantry until today. It did have the shaker bag. I have to admit that I couldn't leave well enough alone and while doing dinner prep, I added some panko, some parm and a couple of spritzes of olive oil to make up for the extra breadcrumbs.

 

I don't add extra breadcrumbs because it changes the final texture from "baking" but i do pre season my pork chops with Lawry's seasoning salt and let them sweat for 30 min prior to tossing in the bag with the "bake" mix. I go very lightly with Lawry's as its pretty salty, but man does it kick them up a notch.

[MaryIsobel]

9 minutes ago, FeChef said:

I don't add extra breadcrumbs because it changes the final texture from "baking" but i do pre season my pork chops with Lawry's seasoning salt and let them sweat for 30 min prior to tossing in the bag with the "bake" mix. I go very lightly with Lawry's as its pretty salty, but man does it kick them up a notch.

I don't use Lawry's - as it tastes like not much more than salt to me but I did contemplate some additional seasoning but decided that I would be taking away from the original which was what I was craving. As I mentioned the craving was out of the blue. Thankfully I am far enough on the path of life that I could rule out pregnancy!

[FeChef]

6 minutes ago, MaryIsobel said:

I don't use Lawry's - as it tastes like not much more than salt to me but I did contemplate some additional seasoning but decided that I would be taking away from the original which was what I was craving. As I mentioned the craving was out of the blue. Thankfully I am far enough on the path of life that I could rule out pregnancy!

As ive mentioned, i go very light on the Lawry's, but I always found "find your own bag and shake n bake" to be a bit bland for my taste. A light sprinkle on both sides of a pork chop really brings it to the next level. You could make your own Lawry's without salt if you think theres enough salt in the original mix. Its basicly sugar, celery seed, onion powder, and garlic powder. Might be some white pepper in their too.

Edited September 25, 2023 by FeChef (log)

[IndyRob]

1 hour ago, FeChef said:

Don't buy shake n bake. The no longer provide the bag to "shake" the chicken or pork chops in. And they upp'ed the price to almost $5 a box. I buy store brand that includes a bag and its like $1.69 a box.

Or, just supply your own bag and spice/flour mix for 29 cents.

[FeChef]

3 minutes ago, IndyRob said:

Or, just supply your own bag and spice/flour mix for 29 cents.

They use a special breadcrumb that browns and crisps up better then standard breadcrumbs, and most certainly "flour" Store brand is cheaper, and used the same breadcrumb, tastes identical and is a lot cheaper and includes the "shake bag" 

I can confirm Walmart brand, and a local brand to me called Giant.

Edited September 25, 2023 by FeChef (log)

[IndyRob]

1 minute ago, FeChef said:

They use a special breadcrumb that browns and crisps up better then standard breadcrumbs, and most certainly "flour"

No, they don't.   They use the normal industrial ingredients.

 

We can choose panko crumbs, but they can't.

[FeChef]

Just now, IndyRob said:

No, they don't.   They use the normal industrial ingredients.

 

We can choose panko crumbs, but they can't.

The breadcrumb used in "shake n bake" is not even close to "Panko" If i had a box on hand i would pour them both on a paper plate to prove you wrong.

[MaryIsobel]

Goodness, my post wasnt meant to debate the best way to make "homemade" Shake & Bake, but rather a comment on how every once in a while I get a craving for something completely ersatz

 

[FeChef]

Ha, I was wrong, I do have both Walmart brand Shake n bake and Walmart brand Panko. Going to take pics now.

Edited September 25, 2023 by FeChef (log)

[IndyRob]

1 minute ago, FeChef said:

The breadcrumb used in "shake n bake" is not even close to "Panko" If i had a box on hand i would pour them both on a paper plate to prove you wrong.

You could indeed do that.  And, you'd be right.  But you'd have missed the point entirely.

 

[FeChef]

5 minutes ago, IndyRob said:

You could indeed do that.  And, you'd be right.  But you'd have missed the point entirely.

 

Im good at missing points, but my point still stands, they do something to the breadcrumbs to make them brown and crisp up better when baked with literally no oil.

 

[IndyRob]

You've just posted pictures of two different types of Walmart panko crumbs. 

 

I don't see how that has anything to do with so called shake n' bake products.

[FeChef]

11 minutes ago, IndyRob said:

You've just posted pictures of two different types of Walmart panko crumbs. 

 

I don't see how that has anything to do with so called shake n' bake products.

I think we are done here. 

[blue_dolphin]

42 minutes ago, MaryIsobel said:

Goodness, my post wasnt meant to debate the best way to make "homemade" Shake & Bake, but rather a comment on how every once in a while I get a craving for something completely ersatz

 

Once you start a conversation and it’s out there in the world, there’s no telling where it will go!

[heidih]

3 minutes ago, blue_dolphin said:

Once you start a conversation and it’s out there in the world, there’s no telling where it will go!

Oh yes  I don't get the odd cravings because I long ago decided to only eat what I like - so no denial involved.  As to S & B I had this drlil with stepmother recently. She to my dismay discovered recipe sites on her phone and thinks the most silly things are wow. She went to buy Shake & Bake and was appalled at price. BUT they do do something to make the bake more like a phried item than just baked with bread crumb coating. 

[MaryIsobel]

Dinner is over and the S&B chicken went over well with my husband and my nephew - just a "I haven't had this in years" kind of dinner. The apple crisp and smoked gouda mac and cheese made completely from scratch went over just as well. My Shake and Bake craving has been satisfied and all the eaters were happy.

 

[FeChef]

1 hour ago, heidih said:

BUT they do do something to make the bake more like a phried item than just baked with bread crumb coating.

This was the point i was trying to make. 

[FeChef]

1 hour ago, heidih said:

She went to buy Shake & Bake and was appalled at price.

Tell her to try the Walmart GV brand. Its literally the same, but its way cheaper, and they include the bags to "shake".

[palo]

Anyone tried this on fish filets? In an Air Fyer?

 

p

[TdeV]

@palo, I have a crumb mixture which goes on top of fish (for fish and chips) in the steam oven (APO, in my case) fish and chips method here. The spice mix came from Modernist Cuisine recipe here. I make up a batch then vacuum seal. When I want some, I cut off top of bag; reseal when done.

 

Edited to add: not Shake and Bake though.

 

 

Edited September 25, 2023 by TdeV (log)

[gfweb]

I'm always amused when some 'expert" uses kosher salt and panko in a meatball mix.

[liuzhou]

All very amusing.

 

Occasionaly, I coat pork tenderloin 'steaks' in this commercially produced coating from McCormacks or I use local versions. This one is for chicken, but they also do some for pork. They are indistinguishable apart from the name on the packaging. They come spiced or non-spiced.

 

 

We also get panko style bread crumbs* in both the white and yellow/orangey versions as well as several other colours. I only use the white and yellow. Purple 'schnitzels' don't appeal. When I coat fish, I only ever batter it, so that doesn't enter my calculations.

 

 

 

Panko (パン粉) literally just means 'bread crumbs', albeit they make them differently. They are also made that way here.

[heidih]

But the Shake & Bake product's appeal is simplicity. Breading mix into bag, shake it up, and bake. No frying involved. So less than a minute prep and into the oven, No extra bowl(s) to wash. The era of quick and easy, and lower fat. I've never purchased it but my sister says my grandmother the immigrant did I do not recall that. But she worked all night, gave us a big lunch, and walked to bus stop around 4 to start all over again. She was adept at phrying though when time was on her side.