How to Make BushCraft Style Stick Bread

I have to admit, bread is probably one of my favorite foods. I love everything about it actually…the taste, the texture but mostly the smell. There is nothing quite like the aroma of fresh baking bread. Whenever I venture into the woods and I know I will preparing a meal, you can bet I’ll pack one of my favorite bread flour mixes.

To pack the flour I use a drawstring leather pouch – lined with a ziplock bag to keep the flour dry.

Leather Flour Container - Drawstring Closure

Leather Flour Container: Zip-lock Liner

If you’ve never heard of Bob’s Red Mill, they are company out of Portland, Oregon that makes a huge variety of all natural flour mixes. They have a mix for everyone – from Gluten Free to Buck Wheat Pancakes. And they stone grind all of the grain like our ancestors did 100’s of years ago. You can find Bob’s Red Mill products at most supermarkets or on-line at http://www.bobsredmill.com. One of my favorite bread mixes to use in my bushcraft adventures is the 10 Grain Pancake & Waffle Mix. It includes Wheat Flour, Buttermilk Powder, Baking Powder, Millet, Oats and all kinds of other ingredients that make for awesome Stick Bread.

Bob’s Red Mill 10 Grain Pancake & Waffle Mix – LABEL BACK

Bob’s Red Mill 10 Grain Pancake & Waffle Mix – LABEL FRONT

Bob’s Red Mill 10 Grain Pancake & Waffle Mix – Package

Making Stick Bread is very simple.  Below are the key steps:

Step 1:Prepare a hot bed of coals by burning a fire for 30 mins or so…

Step 2:Cut a Green Limb about the thickness of a quarter.  Choose a non-poisonous tree such as Pine or Maple.  Strip all of the bark off with your bushcraft knife.

Step 3: Mix your bread dough and roll into thin strips – about 1/2 inch thick and 1-2 inches wide and 12 inches long or so.  I always pack a couple plastic flexible cutting boards in my BushCraft Pack.  These are easy to clean, durable and I use them ALL THE TIME when preparing meals.

Step 4: Wrap the bread lengths around the stick you have prepared.  Use multiple sticks if necessary.

Step 5: Stick the stick in the ground beside the fire so that the bread is leaning over the hot coals.  Rotate as necessary while cooking.  Your bread is ready when you can stick in a sharp little stick (like a toothpick size) in it and the stick comes out clean.

I’d love to know how you prepare bread in the bush.  I’m sure everyone else would too, so feel free to share by posting your thoughts below.