Which term means to add light coating such as flour or bread crumbs as a crust to a piece of food?

• A. Dredge
• B. Fold
• C. Brown
• D. Caramelize

Answer: (A)

Dredging is coating food with a light layer of flour or breadcrumbs to form a crust before cooking. That thin coating creates a protective barrier, helps moisture stay in, and promotes crisp, golden browning when the item is fried or sautéed. Folding, by contrast, is a gentle mixing technique used to combine ingredients without deflating them, so it doesn’t establish a crust. Browning describes the color change on the surface from heat, not the method of coating, and caramelizing is the browning of sugars, not coating with flour or crumbs. A common example is dredging chicken in seasoned flour before frying to achieve a crisp crust.