Fry Bread Tips
Who invented fry bread?
Fry bread is a round, fried dough native to the Navajo people. Navajo fry bread was created more than 100 years ago, when the United States forced Native Americans living in Arizona to make a 300-mile journey—known as the Long Walk—and relocate to New Mexico, onto land that couldn't easily support their traditional staples of vegetables and beans. To prevent these indigenous populations from starving, the government gave them canned goods, as well as white flour, processed sugar and lard—the makings of fry bread. Different tribes have different preparations—including
sweet fry bread—but fry bread is typically savory.
How do you make fry bread puffy?
In this recipe, baking powder gives the fry bread its puffy, pillow-like texture. Other tribes may use yeast or starters to leaven their dough. Many Native American households mix fry bread dough in the morning, cover it with a cloth and leave it to leaven until needed.
Why is my fry bread hard?
Fry bread may be tough because of overkneading or overmixing. (Here’s how to avoid
overkneaded dough.) Another culprit may be frying the dough in oil that’s too cold.
How long does fry bread last? (Can you make it ahead of time?)
Fry bread is best eaten fresh, but you can freeze it and reheat it if you wrap it well. To reheat, wrap the bread in foil and bake it in a 375° oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until hot to the touch. Then open the foil and heat for 5 minutes to crisp it slightly. Serve fry bread with these
Southwestern skillet recipes.
—Maggie Knoebel, Taste of Home Associate Recipe Editor/Test Cook
Nutrition Facts
1 piece: 285 calories, 7g fat (1g saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 349mg sodium, 48g carbohydrate (1g sugars, 2g fiber), 6g protein.