Seasoning food is one of the key aspect in cooking. Making sure food gets salted and seasoned is what sets apart a ok food to a extraordinary food. Its for that reason, almost any restraunt will have a Dredger for Cooking. This Dredger for Cooking is also known as a Shaker Dredge. It can carry a wide array of spices, the most common being salt. With a simple shake you can properly season food evenly and quickly.

What is a Dredger for Cooking aka Shaker Dredge?

A Shaker Dredge is a container with perforation on the top. Salt and Pepper shaker are the same thing only smaller for individual use. Usually a Shaker Dredge is designed specifically to be used during cooking. The top has more perforation so that more of the content can get out quicker.

What food to Dredge?

Most people associate dredging with French Fries. After it gets fried, adding salt ensures its properly seasoned. However, for cooking its even better. You should use the salt dredge before cooking, during cooking and after cooking. They key is to do it in moderation. By doing so, you help the salt penetrate the food giving it proper seasoning.

You can also use dredge to season soup, fruits and vegetables. Really, it just depends on whats in your shaker dredge.

Traditional Dredging vs Shaker Dredge

Traditional Dredge is where you submerge the whole food in the seasoning. Usually you only use this method for breading food. Great when the whole food needs to be covered. To do this with salt or other seasoning will be overwhelming.

How to Use a Dredger for Cooking

To use a Dredger for Cooking, just grab and lightly shake. When its full, you need to be more light when shaking. However, as it start to deplete, you need a bit more strength. You should be able to adapt once you get the hang of it. I recommend you shake it about a feet above the food, this gives you the quickest distribution. But if you just need to season a small portion, getting closer to it is a good idea.

Cleaning

To clean, empty the content and wash as normal. Since most are made of stainless steel or plastic, rust isnt much of an issue. However, its still a good idea to dry with a paper towel after washing. While it resist rust, its not impervious.

Best Dredger for Cooking aka Shaker Dredge List

Below, you will find a list of some of the Best Dredger for Cooking aka Shaker Dredge. There are a few model to choose from, get one that best suits you.

Winware Stainless Steel Dredges 10-Ounce with Handle (Best Overall)

This Stainless Steel Dredger is one of the best on the market. Well to be fair, a lot of the manufacturer makes the same product. But this has a lot of holes so that its easy to pour seasoning. The handle means its easy to carry and shake. The stainless steel construction also means that it wont rust like regular steel.

WINCO Dredge with snap on Lids, Clear (Best Plastic Model)

Winco plastic dredger is durable and comes with different lids. These lids lets you control the rate at which seasoning is dropped. While some might shy away from plastic, its great if youre around a lot of heat. It wont accidentally get hot and burn your hand.

Thoughts

A Dredger for cooking is a great tool to have. This helps you season food and improve your cooking. Getting a model with many perforation is key. While you can use your table top salt and pepper shaker, you’re going to be shaking for a while. For a plastic one, the Winco model has a few different lids and works just as well as the metal model.

Want to learn more about seasoning? Check out our article on the Best Salt For Cooking, Brining and Seasoning.