Bannock On Gas

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Wander

Native
Jan 6, 2017
1,418
1,983
Here There & Everywhere
Simple question - have you ever tried making bannock on a gas stove?
If so, how did it go?
What hints and tips would you recommend (beyond having the gas on low)?

I normally cook bannock on a low flame/coals. I use two pans, one on top of the other with coals on top as well.
Like this:
29580432707_e32d57b9c7.jpg


But I'm going out this weekend and I won't be able to have a fire. And I also really fancy making some bannock.

So I wondered how well it can be cooked on a simple gas stove. I'll still use the two pan technique for baking it, though there won't be heat on top. Just the gas stove underneath on low.

Wondered if anyone else had ever given it a go on gas.

I'll still give it a whirl to see how it goes but hoped to learn from others' mistakes first.
Cheers
 

Robson Valley

Full Member
Nov 24, 2014
9,959
2,664
McBride, BC
Make the mistakes in the kitchen, first. I'll guess that you know what to do.
Makes you look more accomplished and adaptable on the track.
 

Broch

Life Member
Jan 18, 2009
7,981
7,755
Mid Wales
www.mont-hmg.co.uk
I believe that bannock (the Celt flat bread) was traditionally cooked on an open skillet and that's the way I always do it. The secret is to cook it very slowly - around ten minutes a side - so on a very low heat. It really needs a good cast iron skillet that holds the heat evenly. You can cover the pan if you want to; it will speed up the process a little but I prefer the simpler method of just flipping it over after 10 minutes.

Where I spent some of my childhood (in North Africa) they slapped the bread onto the outside of clay ovens; when it fell off it was cooked :)
 

stevec

Full Member
Oct 30, 2003
547
142
Sheffield
never done it myself, but "tracker1972" has done it with a mini trangia, have a look at his trip reports

atb
steve
 

Robson Valley

Full Member
Nov 24, 2014
9,959
2,664
McBride, BC
"bannock" must be a generic term of description.

It applies as well to all the flat breads made all across North America by our First Nations and others like me.
So here, it won't really be much older that wheat flour. I've had bannock that tasted that old, too.
I expect that lilypad root flour would work OK but for some leavening agent.

The technique for me is to go slow. Don't rush the heat leavening process. Just toast it.
>>> Wander shows how to do that.

You only need one pan of hot fat for native fry bread!
 

Nice65

Brilliant!
Apr 16, 2009
6,438
2,859
W.Sussex
Pan cook it in pancake form, it’s one of the most basic bread recipes, doesn’t need an oven.
 

Trotsky

Full Member
I haven't tried bannock this way but, I have made damper bread which is similar using a Trangia 27 meths stove and the matching trangia billy. The dough went in a greased small saucepan which was placed inside the billy lifted by pebbles (a trivet would be better), cooking foil was placed over the top of the billy to help the lid seal in the heat and the whole lot popped over the heat of the burner. It's a few years ago now but I think I used about 2 burner's worth of meths and was rewarded with very tasty damper.
 

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