Potato Flakes

Potato Flakes - The Secret Ingredient

One of the most exciting gluten-free hacks I’ve come across is using dehydrated potato flakes - instant mashed potatoes - as a binder instead of breadcrumbs.

You might ask, “Why potato flakes?”

After nearly 20 years of gluten-free cooking, I can tell you from experience they make your meat dishes moister, more tender, and more flavourful than gluten-free breadcrumbs ever could. People often add milk to the breadcrumbs to make them moister, but using potato flakes skips that step entirely. Potato flakes absorb the juices and fat inside the meat instead of drying it out, so your final dish stays tender and delicious.

Whether you are working with ground meats (such as beef, pork, chicken and/or turkey) or cooked flaked fish, using dehydrated potato flakes as a binder instead of breadcrumbs has many advantages.

The first advantage is that potato flakes, especially if bought in bulk, are less expensive than gluten free breadcrumbs.

The second is that they absorb the fat in the meat, keeping the meat moister and more tender than when you use breadcrumbs.

The third is texture. Because the potato flakes absorb the fat and juices in the meat, the end product, whether it be meat balls, burgers, meat loaf, Salisbury steak or fish cakes, is more flavourful and tender

There is still a use for gluten-free breadcrumbs, especially when breading foods. But when you’re mixing meats whether it’s ground meat or flaked cooked fish, potato flakes are the superior choice for a binder.

Check out my video about it on the GGsGlutenFree YouTube channel