Native American Recipes I can still remember the first time I sank my teeth into a delicious slice of my favorite traditional Native American recipe: frybread. Of course, there aren’t many bells and whistles to the simple recipe, unless you take things up a notch by using it for a tasty twist on tacos. However, there’s something about the consistency and slight sweetness you can find in some versions that makes my mouth water every time my mom or aunts decide to whip it up for dinner.

In fact, I grew up eating most of the delicious dishes below at some point or another, being that my family really embraces our Cherokee roots in Oklahoma. Native American Recipes I especially loved when it came time for someone to light up the fire for a good old-fashioned “hog fry.”

 Acorn Bread

Native Americans in California, such as the Pomo and Miwok tribes, relied on their ample bounty of acorns when coming up with their meals.

Ingredients:

6 Tbsps. cornmeal

1/2 cup cold water

1 cup boiling water

1 tsp. salt

1 Tbsp. butter

1 packet active dry yeast

1/4 cup lukewarm water

1 cup mashed potatoes

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups finely ground leached acorn meal

Instructions:

Grab a big bowl and mix your cornmeal with the cold water first, then add the boiling water and allow it to cook for about two minutes while you blend it. Stir in your salt and butter, then let the mixture cool until it’s lukewarm. With a separate bowl of lukewarm water, soften your yeast and then add with the rest of the ingredients.

Knead until a sticky dough forms, then cover and let rise until it has doubled in size. Shape it into loaves and let it rise again, then bake at 375 °F for about 45 minutes.

Three Sisters Soup

Several tribes relied on the “three sisters” of corn, squash, and beans to survive harsh winters back in the day.

Ingredients:

4 lbs. winter squash

4 quarts vegetable stock (or water)

2 small diced yellow onions

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup chopped garlic

Instructions:

Heat the oven to 350°F. Slice your squash in half and scoop out the seeds, then roast for about 40 minutes. Allow to cool once soft, then scrape out the flesh and save the liquid for later. Blend until totally smooth (you can use a food processor or blender).

Sauté onions in a large pot over medium heat until brown, then add garlic, thyme, and black pepper, stirring until the garlic turns brown as well.

Pour in the stock and follow with the bay leaf, wine, and squash. Allow it to simmer for a few minutes before adding the rest of your ingredients. Simmer for about 20 minutes total.

Also Read: Bagel Recipe: Soft, Chewy & Easy to Make at Home

Frybread

Pretty much every tribe has its own variation on this mealtime staple, but they all rely on a foundation like the one laid out in this traditional recipe.

Ingredients:

1 cup flour

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsps. baking powder

3/4 cup milk

Oil or lard for frying

Instructions:

Mix all of the ingredients well until a dough forms, then knead on a floured surface until it smooths out. Roll them out into a thin layer and cut small portions, then drop them into hot oil to fry until golden brown.

Pemmican

Though the name comes from the Cree Nation, many Native Americans have used this classic recipe to keep their energy up on long journeys.

Ingredients:

4 cups lean meat

3 cups dried fruit

2 cups rendered fat

Unsalted nuts

Dash of honey

Instructions:

Lean meat can be deer, beef, caribou, or moose. Spread whichever you have available out on a cookie sheet and dry in the oven at 180 °F for at least eight hours, or until crispy. Once it’s cooled, pound it into a powder-like consistency and grind the dry fruit.

Heat the rendered fat until it becomes a liquid, then pour it over the dried meat and fruit and mix in the nuts and honey as well. Mix and slice into portions, then store in a cool, dry place.

Buffalo (Or Beef) Stew

This stew is called “tanka-me-a-lo” by the Cherokee people. It is a very filling meal. If you cannot find buffalo meat near you, you can just use regular beef instead.

Ingredients:

2 stalks of celery

2 carrots

1 can of stewed tomatoes

2 lbs. buffalo/beef stew meat

4 quarts of water

2 lbs. red or white potatoes (not russets)

1 cup barley

Instructions:

Slice the carrots, celery, and meat into cubes about one inch long, then brown the buffalo over high heat for about three minutes. Add the water, potatoes, and carrots to a large pot and boil until tender.

Add in the tomatoes, barley, and celery, and let cook for another five minutes or so. Pour the veggies and meat into a baking dish and place it in the oven at 425 °F for 30 minutes.

 Pine Nut Catfish

Tribes in the New Mexico region developed this nutty spin on fresh-caught catfish.

Ingredients:

1⁄4 cup pine nuts

2 additional Tbsps. pine nuts

1/2 cup yellow cornmeal

1/4 cup flour

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

Instructions:

Turn the oven on and set it to 350°F. Spread pine nuts in an even layer on a baking sheet and toast for about five minutes or until brown. Native American Recipes Set aside to cool, then grind 1/4 cup of them and leave the rest for garnish later.

Mix the ground pine nuts, cornmeal, flour, salt, cayenne pepper, and cumin, and coat your fillets. Heat the oil in a large skillet and fry the fish for about four minutes on each side. Sprinkle with the leftover toasted pine nuts before serving.

Baked Pumpkin

Members of the Chippewa tribe near Lake Superior have been enjoying this savory side dish for generations.

Ingredients:

1 small pumpkin

1/4 cup apple cider

1/4 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup melted butter

Instructions:

Put the entire pumpkin in your oven and bake at 350 °F for about two hours. Native American Recipes Cut the baked pumpkin in half and scoop out the pulp and seeds from inside, spreading the pulp into a casserole dish.

Mix the remaining ingredients in a bowl and pour over the pumpkin. Bake for another 35 minutes.

Pork Roast

Pork has always been a favorite main dish for several tribes, but the Pueblo Indians in New Mexico gave it their own flavor with this recipe.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups onions, chopped

3 minced garlic cloves

4 crushed and dried juniper berries

1/2 tsp. crushed coriander seed

1 bay leaf

4 large ripe tomatoes

1 1/4 cups water

2/3 cup cider vinegar

1/2 cup honey

1 Tbsp. ground red chili

1 medium-hot crushed dried chili

Instructions:

Cook the onions in a little oil until they are soft. Then, add the garlic, juniper berries, coriander seeds, and the bay leaf. Quarter and seed your tomatoes, then add water, vinegar, honey, the ground and crushed chilies, and salt. Cover and allow to simmer for about 30 minutes.

Grate the chocolate and add it, then allow it to simmer uncovered for another 20 to 30 minutes until it becomes thick. Place the pork in a pan and baste it with the sauce. Then, roast in the oven at 350°F for about 3 hours, basting occasionally as it cooks.

Also Read: Chicken Quarters Recipe: Juicy, Crispy & Easy to Make

Conclusion

Native American food is about history, not just eating. Native American Recipes. These recipes for bread and stew use simple ingredients and have been in families for a long time. Native American Recipes When you make these meals, you enjoy a tasty dinner and show love for the people who created them.

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