Bannock (Fried Dough)

Scottish explorers and traders brought bannock to North America. Indigenous peoples, particularly the Métis in western Canada and the northern Great Plains in the United States, adopted bannock in their cuisine in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, most likely after encounters with Scottish fur traders.

The European version of bannock was traditionally made of oatmeal. The bannock of Aboriginal people was made of corn and nut meal, and flour made from ground plant bulbs. 

Bannock is a staple in First Nations communities all over North America. It's become so ubiquitous that it's viewed as a symbol of identity.

Bannock is also a staple of carnivals and fairs throughout the United States.  Called "doughboys" they are typically topped with sugar, powdered sugar, cinnamon and maple syrup.

Bannock recipes all start with the same basic ingredients.  How much of each ingredients differs between cultures, traditions and how it's getting cooked.  Here are several styles.

You can find their recipes below each video.

Quick Bannock - Traditional Native Frybread Recipe

Quick Bannock

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 - 1 ½ cups water
• ½ cup cooking oil

DIRECTIONS

1. We’ll start by mixing the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Start with the all-purpose flour, then add in 1 teaspoon each of baking powder, sugar and salt. Whisk together to combine.
2. To that, whisk in 1 cup of water to make a pasty batter. Add up to a ½ cup more if it’s not enough. You want your batter to be like paste and hang off a spoon. At this point, you can add raisins, dried cranberries or saskatoon berries for some variation.
3. Heat up ½ cup of cooking oil in a cast iron skillet on medium heat til the oil starts to shimmer. You can drop in a little piece of batter to test it. When the oil is ready, drop in the batter a tablespoon at a time and fry until golden brown. Flip over and continue frying until done. Carefully take out of the pan and drain on paper towels. 

Dairy Free Frybread

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups of flour
• 1/2 cup of water (start with this much, knead it first to see if you need more)
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder

*let rest for 10 minutes before frying*

Grandpa's Bannock

GRANDPA'S BANNOCK INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• ¼ cup melted butter
• 1 ¾ cups water

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix dry ingredients together.
2. Pour melted butter and water over dry ingredients.
3. Stir with a fork to make a ball.
4. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface and knead gently about 10 times.
5. Pat into a circle ¾” to 1” thick.
6. Bake on a greased baking sheet @ 350⁰F for 20-25 minutes.

Navajo Grandma's Fry Bread Dough

GRANMA'S NAVAJO FRYBREAD INGREDIENTS

• 4 cups flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 2 tsp salt
• oil
• 3-4 cups warm water

J's Baked Bannock

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups flour
• 3 tbsp baking powder
• 1 3/4 cups milk
• 1/8 cup vegetable oil

Bake at 400F for 35-45 minutes.

Doughboy

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• small pinch of salt
• 3 tablespoons of salted butter
• 3/4 cup room temp water

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix the flour, baking powder, ad pinch of salt, ad butter and water
2. Work in the cold butter, using a pastry blender or your fingers. 
3. Kneed until all flour is incorporated well about 5 min.
4. Let dough rest for about 15 min, Then wrap in plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for about an hour till chilled
5. Take out dough when you want some fried dough.
6. Heat up a skillet couple inches  deep with oil that you like to fry in.
7. Heat the oil up, Do not over heat.
8. Pinch off a piece of dough, about a golf ball size or larger if you want larger pieces.
9. flatten with finders or roll out with a rolling pin on a floured surface (to avoid sticking to counter)
10. Then gently place in hot oil, fry until golden brown, 
11. Take the dough out of the oil and let oil drain off or place on a paper towel.
12. Top with your flavors you like.

If you've ever had one of these at a fair or carnival you'll notice they drop the doughboys into a big vat of hot oil as though it was a french fry.  Flipping it over until each side is golden brown.  Quick drain off oil and then give it to you on a paper plate with toppings of your choosing.  Popular ones are cinnamon and sugar, powdered sugar and maple syrup.  This is a fun and easy thing to do at home with the family.