Uploaded August 2012 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
I show my traditional dry baking method for bannock that I use on all my long solo canoe trips - but this time I am at home and trying out a Firebox stick stove to bake for the first time. I used a slow wood burn technique. It worked very well. Bannock is traditional unleavened bread using baking powder instead of yeast. I pre-mix my bannock at home and bag into 4 cup (1L) portions, which makes a bannock loaf that fits my 8 inch fry pan, and lasts me for 4-5 days of lunches.
One of the secrets to good dry-baked bannock is the shortening, which I mix into it at home. I use lard for the shortening, but if you don't like lard you can use vegetable shortening. Another secret to good dry baked bannock is kneading. Kneading the dough will build elastic gluten fibers and give it a more bread-like consistency, and less crumbly. Another secret is to make your fry pan into an oven with a cover - I use a steel pie plate. The steel pie plate is a new find. In the past I always used an aluminum pie plate, but I like the steel better for eating off of.
My bannock mix recipe, premixed and bagged at home:
6 cups whole wheat flour. 3/4 cup lard shortening. 2 tablespoons baking powder. 2 tablespoons powdered egg. 1 tablespoon brown sugar. Half teaspoon salt.
It takes a lot of work to cut in and mix the shortening in thoroughly, but its worth it. I make up a big supply of mix to last a year or more without any refrigeration, and can bag it into any portion depending on the trips. Also good for biscuit making anytime.
I show my traditional dry baking method for bannock that I use on all my long solo canoe trips - but this time I am at home and trying out a Firebox stick stove to bake for the first time. I used a slow wood burn technique. It worked very well. Bannock is traditional unleavened bread using baking powder instead of yeast. I pre-mix my bannock at home and bag into 4 cup (1L) portions, which makes a bannock loaf that fits my 8 inch fry pan, and lasts me for 4-5 days of lunches.
One of the secrets to good dry-baked bannock is the shortening, which I mix into it at home. I use lard for the shortening, but if you don't like lard you can use vegetable shortening. Another secret to good dry baked bannock is kneading. Kneading the dough will build elastic gluten fibers and give it a more bread-like consistency, and less crumbly. Another secret is to make your fry pan into an oven with a cover - I use a steel pie plate. The steel pie plate is a new find. In the past I always used an aluminum pie plate, but I like the steel better for eating off of.
My bannock mix recipe, premixed and bagged at home:
6 cups whole wheat flour. 3/4 cup lard shortening. 2 tablespoons baking powder. 2 tablespoons powdered egg. 1 tablespoon brown sugar. Half teaspoon salt.
It takes a lot of work to cut in and mix the shortening in thoroughly, but its worth it. I make up a big supply of mix to last a year or more without any refrigeration, and can bag it into any portion depending on the trips. Also good for biscuit making anytime.
