Bush Bannock

I just got back from a little local excursion to test some gear and while there I made some bush bannock.  No, clear your mind, it’s not that bush. It’s the bush as in outside, in nature.

So what is bannock? Well, basically it’s a round flat cake/bread originating in Scotland, made from grain and baked on a griddle. It’s been around for ages too. Its first cited use was in 1000. If you’re interested and want to know more (and let’s face it, who wouldn’t?)  Wikipedia is here for you.

Aside from being old as dirt, it’s easy, quick, and you can bring all the ingredients with you whether you’re hiking, car camping, or hanging out in your backyard. I guess you can cook this indoors as well, but you won’t get that campfire smell on your clothes. Oh yeah, it’s tasty too!

I didn’t cook mine on a griddle, I did it caveman style. I wrapped it around a stick. It was perfection and here’s what I did:

BANNOCK

INGREDIENTS

1 cup flour
2 tablespoons powdered milk
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon bacon grease, butter, or oil
1 teaspoon parsley, dried or fresh
water

DIRECTIONS

Add all ingredients to a zip top bag. Get you some hot coals. Either get your skillet hot, or what I did, is I took the bark off a stick I found and heated it up over my coals. Now, there is no specific amount of water here and it doesn’t have to be hot or warm. I just used regular, air temperature water. Add water to the bag a little at a time and smush it about. When you see it forming a cohesive mass, remove it and work it a little. You don’t want to add too much water. You want just enough moisture so that when you work it it’s not sticky. It a feel thing, really.

It has to be a bit firm because what I did was I worked it into a thick snake. Then I took my snake(!) and wrapped it around the stick, pressing the ends in and giving it a little squeeze.

Cook over the coals and rotate it every now and again. You want to cook this slow, not where flames are licking at it. Cook till done, mine took about 20 minutes.

Enjoy!

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**Note: About the bacon grease. My bacon intake is highly regulated by my wife so I don’t always have bacon squeezins at home. But I do keep this Hot Belly in my pantry for these kinds of occasions. I get it locally at Rouses, maybe you guys have it local too.

And you know the drill, if you want to see it in action: