Is there really a difference?

[iroqois]

Hi all.

I made some really good meatballs the other day using a recipe from a restaraunt owner in NY. I spent a lot of time making the breadcrumbs and realized later that the portion of the recipe for making the crumbs yielded 4 cups, well I only needed 1/4 cup for the actual meatballs, I was pretty upset.

Well, a friend of mine used the same recipe but substituted store bought breadcrumbs and the meatballs were just as good as mine.

Is there really any difference in using home made breadcrumbs as opposed to store bought? And if so what is it? Is it just in certain types of recipes?

I still have 3 3/4 cups of breadcrumbs if anyone needs some. Or maybe you could send me a recipe that I could throw them in.

 

[gunnar]

without viewing the recipe I can only say that breadcrumbs are pretty much breadcrumbs. unless they are pumpernickel or rye or some strong tasting bread they are just there for filler and a bit of texture, makes no difference.

 

[gonefishin]

    I think homemade bread crumbs can be looked at like any other ingredient.  If you make it yourself, you have control.  Control over the type of bread used, the seasoning, the size and any other additives you would like to add.  What you end up with is control over taste and texture, two big things when cooking.

   That said, you can also make something that is very similar in taste and texture to the store bought breadcrumbs.  Try the homemade breadcrumbs as a breading.  Vary the size and seasoning and see if you hit on something you like.

    take care,

  dan

 

[french fries]

Yes, homemade breadcrumbs are different than store bought. First of all if you look at the ingredients of store bought breadcrumbs, you'll realize they're not "just" breadcrumbs, just as with any processed food. Also, as others said, if you make them yourself you have the control of the type of bread you use (cereal? white? whole? etc...) and the type of texture you want.

But why did it take you so long? If you have some dry bread then it should take seconds to make. If you don't, then you'll have to first put the bread in a low oven for a while to dry, and let it cool down, which takes time, but it's not a lot of work either.

As for the meatballs, personally I don't use breadcrumbs but little pieces of bread. It's even easier to prepare, but the real reason is that I like the texture better. I soak the little pieces of bread (maybe around... 1/4" cubes) in milk, draing, and mix it with the rest.

 

[iroqois]

Thanks for the replies.

I would agree that making plain breadcrumbs is a snap but here is the bread crumb recipe with the meatball recipe. The recipe does call for some bread soaked in milk also.

I did find a good use for the breadcrumbs in a meatloaf so they didn't go to waste. Thanks again.

BREAD CRUMBS

6 slices white bread, with crusts, torn into large pieces
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese
2 tablespoons plus teaspoon finely chopped garlic
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon dried oregano
salt and freshly ground black pepper

MEATBALLS

1 1/2 pounds ground beef, such as chuck with 20% fat
1/2 pound ground veal
2 large eggs, beaten
1/4 cup Bread Crumbs
3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 slices firm white bread, crusts removed
1 cup milk
1 cup grated Romano cheese
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 large Spanish onion, peeled and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
10 cups Marinara Sauce

 

[french fries]

That sounds a bit on the complicated side. If you're already using bread soaked in milk, I wouldn't use bread crumbs in the filling. If you insist on using bread crumbs, there's no need for anything that complicated, just toast some bread and pulverize it in your food processor.