Trail Chow: Bannock

Crave

I HAD to satisfy cravings for anything fried, full of energy, savory, hot. I also had to carry light, mindful of trash, minimally mix.

Answer? Bannock. Bannock is a kind of fried biscuit. Bannock stores forever,  easy to carry, fast to mix, has a super history.

My Recipe

I’m all about pre-planning. You should also watch a “how-to” You Tube video.

For each serving, I used:

1. Pre-heated FryBake pan with about 1 Tablespoon of hot, melted lard, tallow, suet, schmaltz, Crisco or other high temp frying oil
2. I buy the sticks or bricks of the frying product.
3. In a small, good quality Baggie add the following:

• 2 1/2 Cup flour ( I buy El Cheap-o white flour at grocery store; although there are better – for – you- , more pricey, or hard to find options.
• One Teaspoon salt
• Pinch sugar
• 2 Teaspoons baking powder
• 1 Teaspoon dried milk powder

Instructions: please know, these amounts are “ideal”.  If you find your dough too dry, wet, or tasteless, add more. PRACTICE at home. EASY!!

Try to keep baking powder about same amount. I find lard and Crisco really good, However, if you take these, carefully re-package, as these stain your stuff, melt, spoil, smell.

ALL Ingredients easily bought at any store. 

Add about a Cup of clean, any temperature water. Carry olive oil in a pill bottle with good lid. Add about a Teaspoon of oil. Add liquids sparingly, as you can always add more if your dough appears too dry. 

 CLOSE BAGGIE WELL!

Massage everything as you are mixing the whole batter inside the closed Baggie.

Maybe add some more water; more flour—all depends on humidity.

What you eventually want is a soft balled dough easily handled.

Ya gotta knead whole dough so it really helps if the dough is dry, yet well moistur-ed.

You have two choices, ONE really large pancake – shaped bannock or about FOUR or so smaller biscuits shaped by you.

You can use scissors, your knife, or teeth to snip a corner of the bag, drop into hot oil or unzip baggie. Remember to LNT so pack used Baggie out. 

Equipment:

Carry a Banks fry pan – no lid for this. Or, any fairly light 8” frying pan or pot. 

Stove and fuel of choice

At home, an old black cast iron fry pan your granny gave you is really super. But too heavy for Trail.

It’s hard to mess this up, really.

Allow bannock about 5 -6 minutes to cook on a medium flame per side. Too high, you might burn outside while inside is raw. 

Flip to other side. Cook another 4-5 minutes. 

A pancake flipper thing is a handy tool. If all else fails, use your fingers to grab but not recommended as you may burn skin.

What you are aiming for is a nice, light brown outside, about 2 inches in diameter, cooked interior, hot bread. You can add more salt, sugar to batter next time. 

You could even brown sides, but this takes too much time. 

Remove from pan. Hot. But drooling good. Keeps well.

You could eat with butter, nut butter or sugar; dip into something else or all by itself. Very addicting.

This is a high-calorie item and satisfies most cravings. Easy to make, carry, cook.