# Native American Frybread



## tasunkawitko (May 24, 2012)

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## rdknb (May 24, 2012)

I enjoyed reading that, thank you


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## BGKYSmoker (May 24, 2012)

Nice post.

I ate allot of fry bread growing up.


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## diggingdogfarm (May 24, 2012)

My ex is Native American.
Bannock is a favorite.
Did you know that ground deer antler is a leavening agent? 




~Martin


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## jirodriguez (May 24, 2012)

Great historical post! I spent 10 yrs. off and on growing up in Taos, N.M. (actually a small ranching community about 20 miles north of Taos), and had a lot of friends from school that lived on the reservation and at Taos Pueblo. I still can smell and taste the fresh fry bread I would get when I spent the night at my friend Jason Little Crow's house.... brings back some great childhood memories. I was even lucky enough in that all the local schools would serve fry bread and chilli at least 1x per week.... mmmmmmm. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






.... and I'm with your wife... butter and honey! Ooooh yeaahh!


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## tasunkawitko (May 25, 2012)

g'morning, and thanks for the kind words! i'll have more for y'all, hopefully right after this weekend!

>>>Did you know that ground deer antler is a leavening agent?<<<

i didn't know that, but it makes sense, considering the minerals that are in deer antlers!


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## venture (May 25, 2012)

The food police tell us this is one of the worst things you can eat!

My taster tells me that I love it once in a while.

Good luck and good smoking.


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## nickyb (May 27, 2012)

That is really interesting to read and sounds like for how simple it can be that it would be amazingly tasty.  Of course I am something of a fan of flat bread style breads for most things.  Thanks for the information about fry bread and the history behind it.


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## janet (Jun 5, 2012)

Please could you post the recipe for Frybread - would like to try it out.  Thanks


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## tasunkawitko (Jun 5, 2012)

venture and nicky - thanks!

hi, janet -

basically, it is very easy. you want:

3 cups of flour

1 tablespooon baking powder (not soda)

1 teaspoon salt

1 to 1.25 cups warm water

mix this into a dough that is not stiff, but fairly soft. not sticky, but not dry, either. rather like good bread dough or pizza dough.

meanwhile, heat your fat/oil in a cast iron or other heavy pan over medium heat. you want 1.5 to 2 inches of oil, so that you can deep-fry the bread.

break it off into 8 or 12 equal sections, depending on the size you want.

take a section and make it into a flat ball, then flatten the ball and stretch it, turning it so that it stays round, until it is fairly thin but not ripping.

if you wish, you can cut a hole or slit in the middle. this is not mandatory but some people prefer to do it.

drop it in the oil for a few minutes, until it is golden-brown on one side, then flip it over and cook it until the other side is also golden brown.

remove it and place it on a layer of paper towels to drain and cool a little bit.

the frybread should be slightly crispy on the outside, tender, and soft on the inside.

top it with just about anything you want, sweet or savory - or nothing at all, and enjoy!

i will be posting step-by-step pictures of this process soon which will help make this concept more clear, along with four of our favourite ways to enjoy frybread.


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## cliffcarter (Jun 6, 2012)

I've posted this before, but it is worth doing again. The tradition of native fry bread in Maine is different from elsewhere, although the "Western" version is gaining favor here as well. The recipe is the same but the bread is cooked in a lightly greased cast iron skillet and is often enjoyed with molasses. I'll post a pic the next time my wife makes some.


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## smokinhusker (Jun 6, 2012)

Great post! Looking forward to the tutorial.

Cliff, that sounds good too!


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## tasunkawitko (Jun 6, 2012)

cliff - i'd be interested in seeing how it's done in maine - when you post it, please put a link here, and i will take a look at it and hopefully give it a try.

alesia - sorry it's been taking me so long to get going on this - my #2 son is home visitng, and it's been pretty busy around the house!

will try to get the tutorial posted ASAP


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## tasunkawitko (Aug 23, 2012)

Finally - pictorial finished (edited original post), as promised!


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## supercenterchef (Aug 26, 2012)

Always great recipes!--I'm waiting for the book!

...and great hostorical comments as well--since you don't mention your profession in your profile, I'm going to assume writing is involved somewhere?  :D


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## rstr hunter (Aug 26, 2012)

Great informative post.  We live between 3 reservations here and indian tacos are an item served at most diners.  Also have had it with chili, definately a favorite.


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## tasunkawitko (Aug 26, 2012)

thanks for the replies, guy -

rh - i lived in spearfish for a few years andwent to school at bhsu. met a lot of good folks there from the reservatins in south dakota- great people.

scc - beieve it or not, i'm in insurance! but history, writing and cooking have always been interests of mine (degree in history), so i combine them at FotW.


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## JckDanls 07 (Aug 26, 2012)

Found this thread and made them instantly...   We dipped in Sicilian herbs with garlic oil mixed together...   Kinda tasty...  left overs I brushed with melted butter and sprinkled the cinnamon sugar concotion on em...   good stuff man..  thanks


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## tasunkawitko (Aug 27, 2012)

good morning, jack ~ glad that you tried it and liked it ~

those sicilian herbs and garlic oil sound incredible - i may have to try that!


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## big casino (Oct 22, 2012)

gonna make this for tonight

looks delicious


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## big casino (Oct 27, 2012)

this was a  great fast and easy recipe that everyone in the family enjoyed, it went perfectly with our home made beef stew!

Thanks for sharing it with us


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## chilefarmer (Oct 27, 2012)

Wow, what  a great post. One super good read, and I loved the photos. I also really like fry bread, have never made it myself but have eaten it . I will be making some now. Thanks CF


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## tasunkawitko (Oct 29, 2012)

BC - glad you liked it!

Farmer - it's easy as can be, might as well give it a shot!


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## nickyb (Dec 28, 2012)

I finally made this the other day and though my dough keeps coming out with everything as really wet and sticky this with a little coaxing come out really well.  It even passed the wife test.  She enjoyed it which almost shocked me, she is quite picky and doesn't always like trying something new.


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## tasunkawitko (Dec 28, 2012)

hey, nick - glad you liked it, and also that the wife enjoyed it! happy wife, happy life, they say ~

the problem you encountered should be able to be corrected with a little tweaking, adding a little flour a little at a time if too wet, and a little water a teaspoon at a time if too dry ~ you'll "know" when it's right - neither dry nor wet, not sticky, smooth and elastic.

having said that, fry bread is VERY forgiving, and there is a lot of wiggle room, so even if it isn't perfect, it will most likely turn out good ~


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## nickyb (Dec 28, 2012)

Yeah I noticed it was forgiving which I was appreciative of.  I also used bacon lard to cook it in.  Talk about some awesome flavor.  I am working on my baking and bread skills and it all has been a little to wet.  Not to worry though I am pretty happy with the fry bread and now I am looking at how I can experiment with it.


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## rbranstner (Dec 28, 2012)

We love those around here. But around here they are called Oof-ta Taco's


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## dave17a (Dec 28, 2012)

My mom just took Pillsbury biscuits and pulled to resemble doughnut, put in grease and shook on brown sug and cinnaman. Great! Someone said that was indian bread. Dont look like it from this thread.


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