County Fair Beaver Tail
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You may ask, “what exactly is a county fair beaver tail” and I would answer a sweet yeast dough deep-fried and coated in cinnamon sugar. And then you would scroll straight to the recipe!
Your next question might be “what is the difference between a beaver tail and an elegant ear?”
And my answer would be the thickness when it is fried. Now I’m not an educated expert but a self-taught {a lot of taste testing} enthusiast. I’m a beaver tail fan over an elephant ear, I prefer the thickness as well as the crispness that the beaver tail has.
This recipe is simply for a sweet yeast dough. Once the dough is made and has risen that is when the good stuff starts.
You’ll punch down the dough and divide into golf size balls to set aside. When ready to fry you will flatten and stretch the dough into, wait for it, the shape of a beaver tail!
You will want it super thin in some areas and a little thicker in others. The variations are what make this different and tasty!
Once stretched place it carefully in your hot oil, fry for a few minutes on each side. This doesn’t take long, then brush with melted butter and cinnamon sugar.
County Fair Beaver Tail
I’m also gonna let you in on an epiphany I had. If you want an easy way to these delicious little bites of heaven, get yourself a bag of Rhodes Yeast Dinner Rolls! Thaw them out but don’t let them rise. Stretch them just like you would in the recipe below, thin and then fry and you have super easy baby beaver tails!
The yeast dough they use is not a sweet yeast like the recipe below but trust me, I’m not turning them down!
My County Fair Collection:
County Fair Beaver Tail
Ingredients
Dough
- 1/2 cup warm water warm enough to activate yeast
- 5 teaspoons active yeast
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar
- 1 cup warm milk
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 eggs
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 5 cups all-purpose flour
Cinnamon Sugar Topping
- 1 cup sugar
- 4 Tablespoons cinnamon
- 1/2 cup melted butter
Instructions
- In a small bowl combine the yeast, warm water and the 1/4 teaspoon sugar - stir together and allow to sit for a few minutes to activate the yeast.
- In a large mixing bowl add the 1/3 cup of sugar, warm milk, vanilla, eggs, oil, salt and 3 cups of the flour - once yeast mixture is activated add it to this bowl also.
- Mix in the mixer until well combined and a sticky dough, change to the dough hook and gradually add the other cup of flour to make a firm, smooth, non-sticky, elastic dough.
- Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl covered with a warm damp towel and let it rise until double in size, approximately 30-45 minutes.
- While the dough is rising mix the cinnamon and sugar together in a flat bowl and set aside. Melt the 1/2 cup of butter in another bowl and set aside with the cinnamon sugar.
- Punch the dough down and divide into small golf size balls and set aside covered while you heat your oil.
- Heat about 4-5 inches of vegetable oil to 385° - I use my electric skillet so the temperature is easy to control and keep even.
- As you get ready to fry each one stretch the dough into the shape of a beaver tail, we are not looking for perfection here we are looking for deliciousness. I like mine to be a tad uneven - thin in some places for crispy bubbles and thicker in some places for more texture.
- Once stretched carefully place the dough into the hot oil and allow to cook and brown for just a minute or less - watch carefully these do not take long! With tongs turn the beaver tail over to fry on the other side just till brown - remove from the oil and drain on a paper towel.
- Allow to drain just a bit then brush the beaver tail with the melted butter on both sides and coat in the cinnamon sugar.
Nutrition values are estimates, for exact values consult a nutritionist.
Hey, I’m Jent!
Farmwife Feeds is my little space to share farm life and home-cooked recipes, from my soul to yours. These are the recipes I cook that my family eats. And while you’re here, stay awhile and see some of the farm. I share what’s real, muddy boots and all, so what you see is what you get. Read more…
