Bannock Bread Cast Iron Skillet Camping Recipe | Glamping or Camping (2024)

by Rickie Arms

in Camping Bread Recipes,Recipes

Preparation Time: 5 minutesCooking Time: 10 minutes

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Bannock Bread Cast Iron Skillet Camping Recipe | Glamping or Camping (1)

Bannock bread, like so many traditional recipes, has adapted and changed over the years. And we are talking many, many years, for It is thought that this bread has Celtic roots.

It seems it has stood the test of time because of its simplicity and versatility. Different peoples had different ingredients depending on where they lived and what was locally available.

In Scotland, it was traditionally made with the commonly produced oatmeal or barley meal, which gave the bannock a distinct flavor, but as time went on and wheat became more readily available, this became the flour that made this flatbread. It used to be a lot heavier, too, but became lighter as the baking powder was introduced into the recipe.

Now, in Scotland, bannock is almost unrecognizable from its humble beginnings, more like a teacake with sugar, spices, and dried fruit, but travel around Scotland, and you will still notice regional differences as to what goes into a good bannock.

With the early explorers of the 18th and 19th centuries, bannock traveled over the Atlantic and was used as part of the staple diet of the settlers there. The recipe was again adapted for new surroundings, and corn flour and other plant flours were used to make bannock.

It is now believed that the indigenous peoples of North America and Canada had their own version of bannock bread made of moss, lichen, or other wild plants, and these ingredients changed according to what was locally available. Indigenous peoples, explorers, trappers, and prospectors alike cooked their own versions of bannock bread. But one thing didn’t change- just like its beginnings in Scotland, it was cooked over an open fire on a cast-iron skillet or griddle (a ‘girdle’ in Scotland).

The recipe below is one of many, many bannock recipes, but it is true to its roots as a basic flatbread, easily made over a campfire. It produces a bread that is almost scone-like, crumbly in texture. As in days gone by when sometimes a skillet wasn’t available, it can even be cooked without one. Pieces of dough can be wrapped around a stick and cooked over coals. Or dough balls can be dropped into a cooking stew, to make something that resembles dumplings

When you finish this recipe, be sure to check these recipes out.

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Ingredients

  • 3 cups flour (any type you have on hand)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp baking powder
  • ¼ cup oil, lard or melted butter
  • 1 ¼ cups water

Instructions

  1. Mix the flour, salt and baking powder.
  2. Add the oil and stir thoroughly.
  3. Gradually add the water to produce a firm dough if you are making stick bannocks or a more wet dough if you are cooking in a skillet.
  4. Use a little oil to grease the skillet and cook the bread over hot coals ensuring it doesn’t cook on the outside before the inside is cooked.
  5. For stick bannocks wrap the dough around a stick and cook gently.

Rickie Arms

Hi, I'm Rickie Arms, owner of Glampingorcamping.com. I am so invested in writing the best and most informative articles for you that I went out and bought a travel trailer just so I could write about it for you. I spend just about all of my off time both camping and glamping so I can share everything I have learned and will learn with you. I have spent my whole life camping and over the last 10 years, I have spent a large amount of time checking out glamping experiences with my wife and kids as well. Thank you for coming by and we hope to see you back here getting great information in the future. Rick Arms-

  1. I can’t wait to try this, thanks so much for sharing.

    Reply

  2. As Rickie mentioned, any kind of flour will do. However, using self rising flour produces a bit more rise.

    Reply

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FAQs

What is the best bread for camping? ›

Most bread will definitely not survive the journey in a warm backpack being tossed and squished for hours. Flatbreads, in general, work best for backpacking trips due to their flat shape and stronger structure.

What are the three ways that bannock can be prepared? ›

Bannock can be baked in a pan or on a stone (camping), shallow pan-fried, or deep-fried. You can enjoy it with stews or just jam and butter.

How do you cook over a cast iron campfire? ›

The first step, is to ensure the cast iron is very hot. Once your campfire has been going for a while and produced a substantial amount of hot coals, rake some of the coals to the side of the fire. Place the cast iron pan on those coals and allow to heat.

What is the difference between bannock and frybread? ›

Bannock was baked in an oven or over a fire while frybread was cooked in oil. I make both and have different recipes for each, my bannock recipe being more cake like and not suitable at all for frying. My frybread recipe is thinner and cooks well in oil.

How do you keep bread from molding when camping? ›

Store bread in a cool place.

“Keeping bread on the fridge will cause paper-bagged bread to dry out, and plastic-bagged bread to mold faster,” Osten shared with Food&Wine.

How long does bread last camping? ›

Bread and Baked Goods

Dry whole wheat bagels and rye and pumpernickel un-sliced loaves may last up to a week in ideal conditions. Heavy and dry sourdough loaves may last a little longer. Rich whole grain delicatessen bread will keep up to two weeks. It may be dry by that point but it still tastes good.

Why is my bannock so dense? ›

Today, most often, bannock is baked in the oven, making it heavy and dense; or it is pan-fried, light and fluffy; or it is deep-fried.

What is Native American bannock? ›

Bannock, a round of mostly flour, baking powder, water and some sort of fat, has been a part of Indigenous peoples' diets since the 18th century. It is believed that bannock, derived from the Gaelic word bannach, was introduced here by the Scottish fur traders.

Why is my bannock dough sticky? ›

Your dough can become sticky when you add too much water or the flour isn't suitable for the type of dough you are making. Over proofing or fermenting the dough can also result in the gluten structure weakening causing sticky dough.

How do you season a cast iron skillet for camping? ›

Coat the skillet with oil (high-heat oil like avocado or virgin is best). Place the pan upside on the top rack and a baking sheet underneath to catch any drips. Bake for 1 hour. Leave pan to cool inside oven.

Is cast iron good for campfire? ›

Q: Are cast iron skillets good for camping? Cast iron skillets are extremely durable and don't deteriorate over time (although they may require additional seasoning), making them an excellent choice for camping.

Can you put a cast iron pan directly on fire? ›

Can a cast iron pan be placed directly on top of hot coals? - Quora. No problem, but keep in mind it will kill the coals. If you need more than a few minutes of cooking time, arrange some rocks among the coals so that the pan rests an inch or so above them. Yes, I have done it and it didn't cause any permanent damage.

Do Scots still eat bannocks? ›

And what better way to enjoy a 'fly cup' than with a tasty bannock! There are almost as many different bannocks as there are regions in Scotland. In Aberdeenshire a bannock is a hearty pancake usually served with butter and jam, whereas in Angus it refers to an oatcake, and in the Borders it's more like a fruit loaf.

What ethnicity is bannock? ›

The Bannock tribe (Northern Paiute: Pannakwatɨ) were originally Northern Paiute but are more culturally affiliated with the Northern Shoshone. They are in the Great Basin classification of Indigenous People. Their traditional lands include northern Nevada, southeastern Oregon, southern Idaho, and western Wyoming.

What does bannock mean in english? ›

Definitions of bannock. a flat bread made of oat or barley flour; common in New England and Scotland. type of: flatbread. any of various breads made from usually unleavened dough.

What is the most shelf stable bread? ›

The type of bread that lasts the longest before molding is part-baked vacuum-packed bread, which typically has a shelf life of up to 3 months.

Can you bring bread camping? ›

Bread. As the basis of so many easy meals, bread is a must for any camping trip. The types of sandwiches you can create are endless, and you can also use it to make toast, garlic bread or even pizza. If you want to switch up your bread variation, bring some bagels for a morning egg sandwich.

What bread stays fresh the longest? ›

Breads with added fat, like challah and brioche, will take longer to go stale, whereas a baguette—because of its narrow shape and lack of fat—is an extreme case and will go stale very rapidly. It should really be eaten the day it's baked.

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