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What is Frybread?

Cassie L. Damewood
Cassie L. Damewood

Frybread, also regularly called bannock or Indian bread and sometimes spelled fry bread, is a bread made with flattened dough. It is typically fried in oil in a stove top pan or deep-fried in a large kettle of oil or melted lard or shortening. It is commonly leavened with baking powder or active yeast in either dried or sponge form. Depending on the region in which it is made, either white or whole-wheat flour is typically used to make the frybread dough.

The history of frybread is often traced back to the early 1600s where it was reportedly first prepared by the Native Americans of North America. The recipe quickly became popular with other Native American groups. These groups included the Inuit-Eskimos of Canada and Alaska, who often added spices, dried fruits and other flavorful ingredients to create variations of frybread. Various other sources accredit the development of frybread to Scotland.

Frybread is made with lard, shortening, or oil.
Frybread is made with lard, shortening, or oil.

Other historical accounts claim frybread was not created until the 19th century by the Navajo who were incarcerated at Fort Sumner, a former United States (U.S.) military fort in the state of New Mexico. During their imprisonment after the infamous invasion and destruction of American scout Kit Carson, the government supplied the approximate 8,000 Navajo prisoners with many food commodities. It is rumored that all the food except the flour and lard was rancid and inedible. The incarcerated Navajo women purportedly created frybread from these rations. Their version of the bread was commonly made from flour ground from dried roots mixed with tree sap and natural leavens.

The high consumption rate of fried bread may contribute to obesity.
The high consumption rate of fried bread may contribute to obesity.

Besides being a staple bread at breakfast, lunch and dinner, frybread is frequently transformed into a meal. When cheese, beans or ground beef are used to top the bread, it is commonly called Navajo tacos or Indian tacos. It is also frequently converted into a tasty dessert by smearing honey on it or sprinkling powdered sugar on top. In this form, it resembles an elephant ear or fried bread, a popular American snack.

Frybread is purported to have been invented by Navajo Native Americans.
Frybread is purported to have been invented by Navajo Native Americans.

Aside from being served in home environments, fried bread is often sold at fairs, carnivals, pow-wows and other community events and celebrations. Based on its popularity in the U.S. state of South Dakota, that state named it the official state bread in 2005. It is also hailed as a favorite food in the U.S. states of Arizona and New Mexico. On a less positive note, the high consumption rate of fried bread in Native American communities was cited in 2005 as one of the major causes of diabetes and obesity in this demographic group.

Discussion Comments

anon264465

My grandfather, a baker from Wales, came to the United States in the 1880s or 1890s and taught my mother and aunt how to make what he called fried scones. It was basically a Viennese bread dough raised once and divided into small pieces stretched and then fried in hot oil. It was served with plenty of butter and jam. They served them in their restaurants in Idaho and Oregon much to the delight of their customers.

They never heard of Indian fry bread until many years later, as they always called it what their dad did, "Welsh scones" or just "scones". It wasn't until I became a baker/pastry chef that I found out what a scone was but would still like to know what my grandfather brought from Wales and why he called it that.

GardenTurtle

@waterhopper: Fry bread is not difficult at all to make. It doesn’t contain many ingredients and it is very versatile.

This recipe makes enough for about ten people. The following ingredients are needed: 4 cups of all-purpose flour, 4 tsp. baking powder, 2 tsp. sugar, 2 tsp. salt, a little powdered milk, 2 cups of water, and vegetable oil for frying.

Put your flour in a large bowl. Pour enough powdered milk on top of the flour to make an even, thin layer. Add the other dry ingredients. Mix those ingredients well. Now, push those to the side of the bowl. Add 2 cups of water and stir until you have nice looking dough. Cover for about an hour while it rises. The dough should rise back if you touch it.

While your dough is rising, heat your oil in a deep skillet. When the dough is ready, flour your hands and start breaking off golf ball sizes of the dough. Stretch it as thick as you want it. Put a hole in the middle of it and fry it until golden brown.

WaterHopper

Those Indian tacos sound pretty good. Is frybread hard to make?

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    • Frybread is made with lard, shortening, or oil.
      By: whiteaster
      Frybread is made with lard, shortening, or oil.
    • The high consumption rate of fried bread may contribute to obesity.
      By: toomler
      The high consumption rate of fried bread may contribute to obesity.
    • Frybread is purported to have been invented by Navajo Native Americans.
      By: Katrina Brown
      Frybread is purported to have been invented by Navajo Native Americans.