Backpacking Bush Bread: Simple Fresh Bread while Camping
Whether on a picnic, camping trip, or on a multi-day backpacking trip, you can bake homemade bread. All you need are a few simple ingredients and a heat source. A wonderful family activity, too! Allow each person a personalized flour mix zip-top bag with their favorite mix-ins. Add water, knead in the bag, and divide the dough into 2-3 rolls. Skewer rolls onto a stick and bake the dough over a campfire like roasting a marshmallow! What could be more fun!
Servings: 6 rolls
Ingredients
Basic Dough Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ cup water
Optional Mix-in Ingredients (select based on preferred flavor combinations):
- 2½ tbsp butter or shortening
- 2 tsp sugar granulated
- 1 tsp dried herbs rosemary, chives, Italian seasoning, thyme, basil, marjoram, oregano, parsley, etc.
- ¼ cup shredded cheese
- ¼ cup chopped dried fruit raisins, cranberries, blueberries, etc.
- ¼ cup chopped nuts macadamia
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions
Full Recipe Directions:
- Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl including any preferred mix-ins. If adding butter or shortening, use your fingers to break it up into the flour. Add enough water to moisten all the ingredients so they hold together. Divide the dough into 6 separate dough portions (balls).
- If using a large skillet or pot, flatten each dough portion out into a biscuit. Dust each flattened dough with flour so they don't stick to the skillet or pot. Place each into the skillet allowing a little space in between each as the dough will swell but not much. Place the skillet or pot over a heat source like hot campfire ashes, portable camping stove, or backpacking butane canister flame. Cover the skillet or pot with a lid or piece of foil. Bake for 5 minutes. Flip each dough round and bake for another 5 minutes. Adjust the flame as needed trying to keep it on a low setting. Bread is baked completely when each sounds hollow after tapping in the center.
Half Recipe Directions (for individual servings):
- Place HALF of all the dry ingredients in a zip-top bag. Make as many bags as individuals present. Allow each person to add in their favorite mix-ins. Consider writing the ingredients on the bag and/or the name of the bag's owner.
- Once at your outdoor destination, give individuals their personalized flour bag. Pour ~¼ cup water into each bag (consider a little less to start so you don't add too much). Instruct each person to knead their bags until the water is well combined with the dry ingredients. Add more water if necessary.
- You can bake these individually in small camp stoves or in large skillets over a campfire as directed in the Full Recipe Directions.
- For individual baking using a stick over a campfire, provide each person with a stick for baking/roasting. Instruct each person to divide their dough into 2-3 balls and skewer the dough balls (1-2 at a time or whatever will fit on the stick) onto one end of the stick. Form each dough ball into a tight oval around the stick to keep it from falling off onto the ground. Hold the stick with the dough balls over the campfire and bake the bread like roasting a marshmallow. Be sure to rotate the bread occasionally so all sides are baked evenly. The bread will be done in 10-15 minutes when it sounds hollow when tapped. Wait 5 minutes before removing the bread from the sticks. Eat with favorite toppings and enjoy!
Video
Notes
*Consider adding foil to the bottom of skillet or pot to prevent flour from burning onto the container.
*For small children, you may want to measure out only a quarter of the full recipe into individual bags which would yield 2 small bread rounds.
*Be sure to supervise children during this process as it can be messy or dangerous around a fire.
*You may need to use your hands to ensure a well thorough knead of the dough and to divide it.