What defines panko?

[Khadija]

I ran out of panko. Usually, we buy it from an Asian grocer, which is out of the way. The closest store is a "natural foods" market around the corner. I asked my partner to run over there and get some breadcrumbs, preferably panko. He came back, shaking his head, with some breadcrumbs labelled "organic panko" made by a company called Edward & Sons from California. They come in a handsome plastic bottle, and cost nearly $7 Canadian for a 300g. That's why my partner was shaking his head. I was hoping this would be some great panko.

As it turns out, the organic breadcrumbs are fine, but they are nothing like any panko I've ever had. The panko I'm used to has an exceptionally light and flaky texture. The organic breadcrumbs are tiny, but chunky and dense crumbs. As far as breadcrumbs go, they're okay (sort of like the ones I make), but they are not what I think of as panko.

So what's panko anyway? The only definitional criteria I am familiar with are "Japanese breadcrumbs," and "light, flaky breadcrumbs." My $7 organic breadcrumbs don't fit the bill, but maybe I just don't know what panko is.

Edited May 26, 2006 by Khadija (log)

[cricklewood]

If I remember correctly, the reason why panko is so light is because it was never bread in the first place. I read somewhere(probably EG) that the wet panko dough is blasted onto a rotating heated drum and that it instantly cooks it, so no need to make bread and then dry the crap out of it to make crumbs.

sorry for my lame explanation but that's the best I can do after a 14hr shift.

Hope this helps

[Carolyn Tillie]

I ran out of panko.  Usually, we buy it from an Asian grocer, which is out of the way.  The closest store is a "natural foods" market around the corner.  I asked my partner to run over there and get some breadcrumbs, preferably panko.  He came back, shaking his head, with some breadcrumbs labelled "organic panko" made by a company called Edward & Sons from California.  They come in a handsome plastic bottle, and cost nearly $7 Canadian for a 300g.  That's why my partner was shaking his head.  I was hoping this would be some great panko.

As it turns out, the organic breadcrumbs are fine, but they are nothing like any panko I've ever had.  The panko I'm used to has an exceptionally light and flaky texture.  The organic breadcrumbs are tiny, but chunky and dense crumbs.  As far as breadcrumbs go, they're okay (sort of like the ones I make), but they are not what I think of as panko. 

So what's panko anyway?  The only definitional criteria I am familiar with are "Japanese breadcrumbs," and "light, flaky breadcrumbs."  My $7 organic breadcrumbs don't fit the bill, but maybe I just don't know what panko is.

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Interestingly, Wikipedia states that it is just made from Wheat Bread -- however I seem to recall a documentary several years ago that showcased the production of Panko as not a bi-product of any bread, but an actual batter that is specially produced, spread in thin sheets, baked, and flaked to produce panko. I'm afraid I can't find that reference online at the moment however.

[Saara]

A few years ago, before I found an Asian grocery, I researched panko a little bit since I didn't like paying exorbitant prices for small packets. I bake my own bread so why not panko!?

Well, apparently it's made in some sort of steam-convection-microwave commercial oven so it doesn't produce any crust and then it is run through some sort of flaking machine which propels the bread flakes up into the air for quick drying. (Correct me if I'm misremembering the process!)

I realized I could not reproduce this at home. I did, at the time, have an old Sharp convection-microwave and thought I would attempt the baking portion at least. I didn't get to it before the coffee maker finally killed it though so I'll never know now. No more nukers in the house.

I stock up when I can find the 12 oz. (340g) packets for $1.29. It doesn't go bad. I've purchased probably the same organic panko before in a fit of desperation and it was okay, but not the same thing.

So you want to try making it at home? I can probably dig up the recipe that I found.

[sanrensho]

The only definitional criteria I am familiar with are "Japanese breadcrumbs," and "light, flaky breadcrumbs."

Your first definition sounds right to me. I'm sure there are "light, flaky breadcrumbs," but that does not necessarily make them panko.

Cricklewood's explanation about how panko is made is correct. They are not "crumbs from bread" in the literal sense, but a Japanese breadcrumb product made for frying.

Literally, panko means bread (pan) crumbs (-ko) in Japanese.

At least I'll know to avoid this "organic panko" product in the future. Thanks for taking one for the team.

Edited May 26, 2006 by sanrensho (log)

[Khadija]

I would love to try to make my own panko, but I don't have a microwave-convection, microwave, or convection. I'm still curious to see the recipe, though.

At least I now know I'm not completely off-base in questioning whether paying a lot of money and buying organic always gets you what you want.

[sanrensho]

I would love to try to make my own panko, but I don't have a microwave-convection, microwave, or convection.  I'm still curious to see the recipe, though.

At least I now know I'm not completely off-base in questioning whether paying a lot of money and buying organic always gets you what you want.

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My previous post might have been a bit confusing (and misleading). Basically "panko" is just the Japanese word for "breadcrumb." The commercial Japanese panko product is made the way cricklewood described. There's a diagram and photos of the production process here.

That said, I believe you can still get regular panko (made from bread) in Japan. My mom used to make it all the time, but trimming the crusts off white bread, pulling that apart into pieces and setting it out to air dry in a pan. She used good quality bread from a real bakery.

Edited May 26, 2006 by sanrensho (log)

[Saara]

I would love to try to make my own panko, but I don't have a microwave-convection, microwave, or convection.  I'm still curious to see the recipe, though.

At least I now know I'm not completely off-base in questioning whether paying a lot of money and buying organic always gets you what you want.

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I'll see if I can find the recipe that I found way back when.

We're probably an 80% organic food household here, but panko is one of those things that hasn't quite made the transition yet. In fact, most exotic ingredients aren't available. Fruits, vegetables, grains, meats, and dairy - organic. Garlic pickle and pappadum - not. Luckily it gets easier all the time as it gets a bit more mainstreamed.

[SuzySushi]

You can also make an acceptable proximity for panko by letting white bread dry out, then whirling it to coarse crumbs in a blender or food processor.

[torakris]

The way one company makes panko (I am not sure if this is the universal procedure or not though,

with photographs of the process,

in English

Making Panko

The 3 page panko thread from the Japan forum

[Mottmott]

You can also make an acceptable proximity for panko by letting white bread dry out, then whirling it to coarse crumbs in a blender or food processor.

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I find I get a better approximation if I make the fresh bread crumbs without drying out the bread first - it's a bit lighter that way.

[Jason Perlow]

The way one company makes panko (I am not sure if this is the universal procedure or not though,

with photographs of the process,

in English

Making Panko

The 3 page panko thread from the Japan forum

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That's pretty wild. Do they sell their bread before it gets smashed to peices? Or are they baking bread specificially for panko?

[gfron1]

And I'm wondering about "Chinese Panko" that someone recently asked me about which I had never heard of. Is there such a creature or is it just regular Panko? BTW, at my store we sell a nice Japanese Panko (is that redundant?) for $1.85US for 200 g which I feel is a bit pricey.

[Khadija]

You can also make an acceptable proximity for panko by letting white bread dry out, then whirling it to coarse crumbs in a blender or food processor.

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I find I get a better approximation if I make the fresh bread crumbs without drying out the bread first - it's a bit lighter that way.

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Maybe those organic breadcrumbs weren't fake panko, after all. Like I said, they were kind of like the ones I make. The ones I make pretty much follow either one of the above procedures. I think they're good breadcrumbs. I think of them as "homeade" bread crumbs, but not panko. Maybe crunchiness and lightness are the most important features of panko (if the flakiness only comes in the commercial varieties)?

To some extent I'm joking, but I guess the question about what defines panko really puzzled me when I realised I had made-in-California breadcrumbs and I couldn't figure out what could make them "Japanese-style," as it says on the package. The most obviously non-panko breadcrumbs I know are the plain kind from the grocery store, which are distinguished from both commercial panko and homeade breadcrumbs by their sandy texture. Then there are Italian breadcrumbs -- does that just mean the addition of herbs and parmesan? Chinese panko? That's a real stumper .

[Hiroyuki]

So what's panko anyway?

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Forgot to respond to this thread.

There are various types of panko that differ according to materials, particle size, baking method, dryness, and other factors.

Examples are http://www.frystar.co.jp/panko/index.html (sorry, Japanese only).

Even in Japan, where all these types of panko are readily available, there are some restaurants that boast of their home-made panko. You could instantly love tonkatsu (pork cutlets) coated with coarse fresh panko!

[Ann_T]

You can also make an acceptable proximity for panko by letting white bread dry out, then whirling it to coarse crumbs in a blender or food processor.

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I find I get a better approximation if I make the fresh bread crumbs without drying out the bread first - it's a bit lighter that way.

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I agree Mottmott, I tried Panko a few times because it was so highly recommended. But I preferred homemade fresh bread crumbs. I like both the flavour and the texture much better.

Ann