How to Fry a Donut in Butter
To Fry or not to Fry
What do you do with a stale box of glazed donuts? You could stick them in the microwave for a quick warm up, but there's a better way to rev up those crusty creations ... fry them in butter! They are so good -- you won't want another microwaved donut once you taste this. It's typically a breakfast treat, but you can fry a donut anytime of day.
I'm not sure if this delicacy is known outside of Tennessee - or even outside of East Tennessee. It's something I grew up with and my family is originally from Southwest Virginia, so maybe it started there. It could have been something my mom came up with to salvage old donuts. Whatever it's beginnings, this is a scrumptious treat!
Coming up: simple directions for making a luscious, yummy, buttery fried donut. It's not hard - so come on, grab your box of leftover donuts, a skillet and the butter.
Butter, Butter. Butter
First, you have to forget the diet, put away your healthy recipes, take a break from counting every calorie and take a walk on the buttery side. The best donut is one that's soft and hot off the line, but the next best thing (actually, I think you'll agree that this is right up there with a flaming hot one) is a donut fried golden brown in a pool of butter. It's truly one of life's greatest culinary pleasures!
Specialized cooking equipment is not needed. You can use any type of skillet -- non-stick, aluminum, cast iron -- any will work. So it depends on your personal preference.
You can use either real butter, which is probably the best, or the healthier stuff like Smart Balance. Margarine will work too -- as long as it's in the butter family. That's the cool thing about this recipe, all you need are the donuts, butter, a pan to fry in and a stove.
Let's Get to It
You have everything you need to successfully fry your donut. Now all you have to do is heat up the stove and get on with it.
Put your pan on the burner and turn the heat to medium -- you don't want it to get too hot and risk burning. Add butter to the pan. This is where you can choose how much to use -- but you don't want to get too much. Use about a tablespoon full per donut to start with. If you need more butter, you can easily add it.
Once the butter has sufficiently melted, add a donut or two to your pan. If you're frying more than one, you'll need a skillet big enough or just grill one at a time. Let it fry just enough to brown on each side. A scorched donut is no good. Put it on a paper towel to drain. I keep mine on the stove top to keep them nice and warm if I fry several.
Great Cookware to Try!
You will want good cookware to prepare all your recipes -- after all, you want to give your family the best! Cast iron will make everything turn out great -- time after time.
Time to Eat!
Dig in and Enjoy
The donuts are fried, now it's time to eat while they're still warm. There's no need to add anything else, just take a bite and let it linger in your mouth... the buttery goodness fills your senses. This is heaven on earth in the form of fried dough. Don't be shy - dive in. Have more than just one!
Toppings are optional. I've never added anything to my fried donut, but you could dream up some cool things to go with it. How about some chocolate syrup? Make it into a dessert with some ice cream added on top!
You get to choose, so enjoy that donut! The brand doesn't matter -- here, Krispy Kreme is a favorite. The important thing is that you don't let a perfectly good donut go to waste.
Would you try it?
I'm curious -- if you've never tried a donut grilled in butter -- would you give it a try? How bad could it be - sweet, yummy donuts and butter?!
