Native American Fry Bread

This is a recipe we tried for our Indian Lore Merit Badge

Ingredients

  • 1 cup dry milk

  • 1/2 cup sugar

  • 1 T. salt

  • 3 T. yeast

  • 1/2 cup shortening

  • 4 cups very warm water

  • 4 cups flour

Preparation

Using only 4 cups of flour, mix all ingredients together. Let set until it bubbles. Slowly add more flour until you have a bread consistency. Mix well between each addition of flour. Cover and let stand in a warm place until it doubles in size. In about an hour, take the dough and make into fry bread pieces. Make a hole in the middle of each piece. Heat grease on medium-high temperature on a back burner with handle turned back. Check the grease by setting a tiny piece of dough in the grease. It should go to the bottom, dance for a couple seconds and pop back up. Do not heat it on high because you will burn the grease and it could ignite. Lay pieces of bread in grease. Do not drop it in because that is how you get burned. Turn over when browned on bottom side. Remove from oil when done and put in a bowl lined with paper towels. If the grease isn't hot enough you will have greasy bread. If the grease is too hot, the bread will be overcooked on the outside and doughy on the inside.

Note: This is a great "first attempt" at fry bread. It is easy and delicious.

This recipe is from the St. Labre Indian School

St. Labre is having a lasting impact on the nearly 750 Native American boys and girls that depend on us for a first-class education that will lift them out of poverty. Thanks to friends like you, these kids will have a chance at a better, brighter future. You can learn more at www.stlabre.org.