Fry Bread

[bluechefk]

my boss would like to use fry bread as a component for a menu item, and the task of making the dough has fallen to me. i've never made this before - actually, i've never even eaten it before - so i thought i'd check here & see if anyone has any recipes or tips to offer. i've been trolling google for recipes, and they all seem very similar - hard to figure out what makes a good fry bread recipe, and which are not so good.

if anyone has any thoughts they'd like to share, i'd really appreciate it - kerry

[A Patric]

my boss would like to use fry bread as a component for a menu item, and the task of making the dough has fallen to me. i've never made this before - actually, i've never even eaten it before - so i thought i'd check here & see if anyone has any recipes or tips to offer. i've been trolling google for recipes, and they all seem very similar - hard to figure out what makes a good fry bread recipe, and which are not so good.

if anyone has any thoughts they'd like to share, i'd really appreciate it    -  kerry

←

Do you know if this is like the "fry jack" that they have in Belize, or is it altogether different?

[bluechefk]

not sure - i just looked up 'fry jack' on google, and the picture i found certainly looked a little like fry bread. based on descriptions from my chef, and recipes i've read online, fry bread is a dough made of basically flour, water & baking powder - the dough is patted out into a tortilla shape & then fried until puffy & golden brown.

[hummingbirdkiss]

I have made this recipe for HUGE crowds and even used self rising flour instead of mixing the salt and baking powder into the mix with great success..also you can use part buttermilk instead of the water

and you can increase this to any proportions you are able to handle

9 cups flour

3 tsp salt

3 tbl baking powder

sift those together well then cut in

1/3 cup of chilled butter or lard

then add

4 1/2 cups of water with 1 tbl of sugar and 1 tble of yeast dissolved in it

stir in until mixed well to form dough ball but do not knead it (if you have a giant food processor you can do this in there I have done smaller batches in mine and just pulsed it until it was a dough ball)

when you have a nice ball of dough cover it with a towel and let it rest for about 1 hour

break off into golf ball sized pieces (or larger depending on how big you want them) and pat or gently roll out into a 1/3 inch thick disks .....deep fry (I use a big skillet) until puffy and slightly golden ...

you can eat these piled with cooked pinto beans cheese ..salsa or whatever

or sweet with butter and honey or butter and cinnamon sugar

my family loves them with lamb and roasted green chiles ...

my extra nontraditional tip is to add the yeast to the dough ..it makes it so much puffier

hope this helps

Edited April 23, 2007 by hummingbirdkiss (log)

[bluechefk]

thank you! one more question, if i may - apparently, my chef has tried other fry bread recipes in the past, and has always had problems with holding them for service, i.e. the rolled out rounds get too sticky. i'm not sure how he's been holding them, but would assume that lightly floured dough rounds between sheets or parchment would work pretty well. do you have any storage suggestions?

also - do you think i could make a big batch of dough & hold it in the walk-in for several days, or is this an item best made as it's needed?

thanks again for all the help

[hummingbirdkiss]

holding the dough before you roll it out ..is not a problem at all it holds just fine..I have never been able to pre roll the breads out in advance of more than an hour or so with very good results ..

I am sorry even at fairs I have gone to in New Mexico they have someone rolling away while some one fries the dough ..it just turns out the best that way I am afraid .

it doesn't mean it can not be done I just have no idea how to get the fresh puffy results you get when you roll them as you need them

[Carolyn Tillie]

Very curious to know what the chef intends to produce alongside the fry bread...

[bluechefk]

he's serving the fry bread with calabaza fondue & a sun-dried tomato & chipotle salsa. haven't tried it yet, but once we have it worked out, i'll be happy to report back & let you know how it is

[panini]

he's serving the fry bread with calabaza fondue & a sun-dried tomato & chipotle salsa. haven't tried it yet, but once we have it worked out, i'll be happy to report back & let you know how it is 

←

Hi Bluechefk,

I would be thinking more along the lines of a crisp chip type bread. Possibly a premade bread refried or a focaccia type dough rolled very thin. Just my opinion. I've actually had this... somewhere???? maybe Jamey Fader at Lola??? See if Lola has a site and maybe they describe the fry bread.

HTH's

Panini