Side Dish: Canada – Northwest Territories – Bannock

Serving Size: 6

Approximate Time

Prep 20 min

Cook 25 min

Additional 5 min

Total 50 min

Ingredients

- 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp (15 g) baking powder
- 1 tsp (5 g) fine salt
- 2 tbsp (25 g) granulated sugar (optional)
- 3 tbsp (42 g) cold unsalted butter or lard, cut into pieces
- 1 cup (240 ml) warm water or milk (plus up to 1/4 cup (60 ml) extra as needed)
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) rendered tallow, lard, or bacon fat, divided (optional; use for richer dough and smoky flavor)
- 1-2 tbsp (15-30 ml) neutral oil or extra fat for the skillet
- 2 tbsp (18 g) extra flour for dusting
- 1/2 cup (75 g) dried or fresh wild berries (blueberries/cloudberries) (optional)
- Butter and wild berry jam for serving (optional)

Instructions

Short Description:
A rustic, dense flatbread traditionally cooked in a hot cast iron pan or over an open fire; crisp and slightly smoky on the outside with a soft crumb inside. Served plain, with butter, or alongside soups, stews, and wild berry preserves.

Regional Notes:
This Northwest Territories version emphasizes locally sourced ingredients and optional rendered animal fat for authenticity, and is cooked in a hot cast iron skillet or directly on hot coals to develop the characteristic smoky flavor. Smaller individual rounds or a single thick disk are both common depending on camp or kitchen setup.

1. Prepare fire or skillet: if using a cast iron skillet on a stovetop, set over medium-high heat until hot; if outdoors, have hot coals set aside for cooking. If baking instead, preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) and place a cast iron skillet or baking sheet inside to heat.
2. In a large bowl combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar (if using). Stir to blend evenly.
3. Cut the cold butter or lard into the dry mix with a pastry cutter or your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs (pea-sized pieces).
4. Stir in 1 tbsp (15 ml) of the rendered tallow (if using) and then pour in the warm water or milk. Mix gently with a wooden spoon until a shaggy, slightly sticky dough forms. Fold in the berries if using. Add up to 1/4 cup (60 ml) more liquid only if the dough is too dry.
5. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface (use about 2 tbsp / 18 g flour) and knead very briefly — 6 to 8 turns just to bring it together. Pat or roll into a single disk about 1 in (2.5 cm) thick (or divide into 6 smaller rounds about 1/2 in (1.2 cm) thick for individual bannocks).
6. Heat the skillet: add 1 tbsp (15 ml) oil or reserved tallow to the hot cast iron and swirl to coat. For campfire cooking, spread fat on a hot flat rock or in the skillet over coals.
7. Cook the bannock: place the whole disk or individual rounds in the hot skillet. Cover with a lid or tent with foil to trap heat (or position them a short distance from coals). Cook until the bottom is golden and crisp, about 8–12 minutes for small rounds or 12–18 minutes for a single thick disk.
8. Flip and cook the other side until golden and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, another 6–12 minutes depending on thickness. Adjust heat to avoid burning; move to cooler coals or lower the burner if browning too quickly.
9. Oven alternative: bake the shaped disk or rounds on the preheated skillet or sheet for 20–25 minutes until golden and cooked through.
10. Rest and serve: let bannock rest 5 minutes, then split or tear and serve warm with butter, wild berry jam, or alongside soups and stews. The exterior should have a subtle smoky note when cooked over open fire or in well-seasoned cast iron.