Uploaded February 2022 | Updated September 2026, 6 hours ago
Generally, frybread is attributed to the Navajo, who invented it based on provisions given to them by the US government during the Long Walk, the forced relocation of the Navajo people from their ancestral lands into the west. My tribe, the Choctaw, invented a similar bread during the Trail of Tears. This recipe is in tribute to those, but it is not the same recipe.
Historically, during the Long Walk, frybread was made from the flour, baking powder or yeast, and lard provided to the tribes. Milk was too perishable, so powdered milk was provided, which they used to enrich the frybread. These days in regular kitchens, powdered milk is somewhat a rarity. And when we wanted to make frybread we happened to have a lot of actual milk on hand, so we are presenting this recipe using regular milk, without the DMS (dried milk solids).
The dough can be prepared in two basic ways, described succinctly as either high-gluten or low-gluten. Low-gluten frybread has a biscuit-like texture, is very fragile and makes excellent dessert-type frybread: maybe you want to put some honey or some cinnamon-sugar on it. High-gluten frybread is a bit less fragile, has a texture more like regular bread, and may stretch thin enough that some portions could fry to a potato-chip-like crispiness. Gluten develops over time even without kneading, so if you use yeast and you let the dough sit to rise, it will develop more gluten than dough made with baking powder and used immediately, especially patted out rather than rolled.
A note about frying pots: The frybread will come out flatter if it can rest on a surface while it is raw; for this reason I like to use an actual pot rather than my deep-fryer, though it would probably also do a decent job. Because the frybread must turn, there is no need to deep-fry; shallow frying is sufficient and uses less oil. Also, shallow frying in a deep vessel, such as my Dutch oven, helps to reduce spatter since the high walls block much of what would be ejected from a skillet.
The only downside is that when making really tender frybread, if it is large enough to cover most of the bottom of the pan, it may (quite easily) break when you try to turn it.
Makes enough for 2-4 rounds, depending on size.
Equipment:
• large mixing bowl
• fork
• frying pot (or skillet)
• tongs for handling hot frybread
• “rolling” surface for handling dough; we will not actually be rolling with a pin
Ingredients:
1 cup AP flour
1 tsp baking powder or instant yeast
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp salt
Procedure:
1. Set up the fry pot so the oil can warm up. Don’t let it scorch!
2. Sift together the flour, salt and baking powder, and any other additives, such as undetectable dietary fiber.
3. Make a well in the center of the flour and pour in the milk.
4. Using the fork, mix together the dough until it forms a ball.
5. With clean hands, rub or roll the dough ball around in the bowl to collect whatever can be collected from the sides of the bowl.
6. If using yeast, or if a higher-gluten dough is desired, allow the dough to sit for an hour (in a warm place if yeast, or under refrigeration if baking powder is being used).
7. To form tender frybread immediately, separate the dough into 2 to 4 equal portions. With each portion, carefully pat out the dough ball on the floured surface, stretching with the fingers and pressing the dough out to the desired size. Gluten development allows dough to stretch further, so these will necessarily end up a bit thicker and more cake-like than ones which are stretched like pizza dough.
8. Dough which was set aside also gets divided first into the desired number of portions. It can be stretched a bit more like pizza dough, in the air between the hands, and returned to the floured surface only occasionally.
9. Add one or more pieces of flattened dough to the fry pot and allow to fry for about 2 min a side at between 350 and 370 degrees F; hotter will produce darker finished dough. Do not crowd the pan. If only making two frybreads from this recipe, only one will fit at a time.
10.Drain fried bread on a wire rack for a minute or two before using. Though they are delicious straight, they are even better as a “Navajo taco”, with some fillings on top.
Music: bensound.com/royalty-free-music
Generally, frybread is attributed to the Navajo, who invented it based on provisions given to them by the US government during the Long Walk, the forced relocation of the Navajo people from their ancestral lands into the west. My tribe, the Choctaw, invented a similar bread during the Trail of Tears. This recipe is in tribute to those, but it is not the same recipe.
Historically, during the Long Walk, frybread was made from the flour, baking powder or yeast, and lard provided to the tribes. Milk was too perishable, so powdered milk was provided, which they used to enrich the frybread. These days in regular kitchens, powdered milk is somewhat a rarity. And when we wanted to make frybread we happened to have a lot of actual milk on hand, so we are presenting this recipe using regular milk, without the DMS (dried milk solids).
The dough can be prepared in two basic ways, described succinctly as either high-gluten or low-gluten. Low-gluten frybread has a biscuit-like texture, is very fragile and makes excellent dessert-type frybread: maybe you want to put some honey or some cinnamon-sugar on it. High-gluten frybread is a bit less fragile, has a texture more like regular bread, and may stretch thin enough that some portions could fry to a potato-chip-like crispiness. Gluten develops over time even without kneading, so if you use yeast and you let the dough sit to rise, it will develop more gluten than dough made with baking powder and used immediately, especially patted out rather than rolled.
A note about frying pots: The frybread will come out flatter if it can rest on a surface while it is raw; for this reason I like to use an actual pot rather than my deep-fryer, though it would probably also do a decent job. Because the frybread must turn, there is no need to deep-fry; shallow frying is sufficient and uses less oil. Also, shallow frying in a deep vessel, such as my Dutch oven, helps to reduce spatter since the high walls block much of what would be ejected from a skillet.
The only downside is that when making really tender frybread, if it is large enough to cover most of the bottom of the pan, it may (quite easily) break when you try to turn it.
Makes enough for 2-4 rounds, depending on size.
Equipment:
• large mixing bowl
• fork
• frying pot (or skillet)
• tongs for handling hot frybread
• “rolling” surface for handling dough; we will not actually be rolling with a pin
Ingredients:
1 cup AP flour
1 tsp baking powder or instant yeast
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp salt
Procedure:
1. Set up the fry pot so the oil can warm up. Don’t let it scorch!
2. Sift together the flour, salt and baking powder, and any other additives, such as undetectable dietary fiber.
3. Make a well in the center of the flour and pour in the milk.
4. Using the fork, mix together the dough until it forms a ball.
5. With clean hands, rub or roll the dough ball around in the bowl to collect whatever can be collected from the sides of the bowl.
6. If using yeast, or if a higher-gluten dough is desired, allow the dough to sit for an hour (in a warm place if yeast, or under refrigeration if baking powder is being used).
7. To form tender frybread immediately, separate the dough into 2 to 4 equal portions. With each portion, carefully pat out the dough ball on the floured surface, stretching with the fingers and pressing the dough out to the desired size. Gluten development allows dough to stretch further, so these will necessarily end up a bit thicker and more cake-like than ones which are stretched like pizza dough.
8. Dough which was set aside also gets divided first into the desired number of portions. It can be stretched a bit more like pizza dough, in the air between the hands, and returned to the floured surface only occasionally.
9. Add one or more pieces of flattened dough to the fry pot and allow to fry for about 2 min a side at between 350 and 370 degrees F; hotter will produce darker finished dough. Do not crowd the pan. If only making two frybreads from this recipe, only one will fit at a time.
10.Drain fried bread on a wire rack for a minute or two before using. Though they are delicious straight, they are even better as a “Navajo taco”, with some fillings on top.
Music: bensound.com/royalty-free-music
