Bannock – Basic Flat Bread

Historically, bannock was introduced to America by European fur traders. Using basic simple ingredients, it was easy to prepare and became the food staple for Settlers and subsequently Native American Indians. It consists of these basic ingredients: flour, baking powder, salt, water, and some type of fat. It can be baked, fried in a pan or even grilled. It is so generic that a variety of ingredients can be used and many variations have been made over the centuries.

A typical recipe would be:

3 cups of flour
1 1/3 cup water
1 tsp baker powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbs bacon grease
optional: Fruits, nuts, bacon or whatever

When mixing with water, start with a cup and add just enough to make a stiff dough. Flatten the dough to a thickness of between 1/4 and 1/2 inches. “Thinner” cooks quicker, and frying is faster than baking. Best results come from slow, even heat. An alternative cooking method is to form a long finger sized piece of dough and wrap it around the end of a stick and hold it over a fire to roast.

I favor wheat flour because it has gluten and holds together very well. I’ve also used corn masa flour however the water-to-flour ratio is closer to 1:1 and breaks easily. Either way, these ingredients can last a long time without spoiling and lend themselves to travel or camping, and could be very strategic in the aftermath of a natural disaster.

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One thought on “Bannock – Basic Flat Bread

  1. I’ve been using Bannock Bread on my camping/hiking trips for 30+ years. I’ve found that if I mix the dry ingredients before I leave home, all I have to do is measure out the amount I need for the meal and add the water in camp. The grease comes from frying some bacon prior to cooking the rest of the meal. Always a great partner with bacon and eggs or a soup or stew.

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