Food · About 40 minutes · Basic
Bannock: Food Traditions & a Modern Baking Recipe
Explore Métis bannock history and an attributed modern Sagkeeng recipe, without treating wheat-flour bannock as a universal pre-contact food.
This is for educational purposes only. Not professional medical, electrical, or safety advice.
Warning
This recipe contains wheat and milk. Never eat raw flour dough. Bannock made this way is fresh bread, not a validated long-term survival biscuit.
- 01
Recognize the particular tradition
The Gabriel Dumont Institute describes bannock as a Métis staple with Scottish/Gaelic connections and fur-trade history. Wheat-flour and baking-powder bannock is not a universal pre-contact Indigenous food. The modern Geemo Bannock recipe linked here is shared by Chris Guimond of Sagkeeng First Nation through Teach Nutrition; the contributor and community deserve that attribution.
- 02
Measure and begin mixing
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and lightly flour two baking sheets. Whisk together 2 teaspoons salt, 1½ tablespoons baking powder and the first 3 cups of flour. Stir in 3 cups milk and ¼ cup canola oil to make a thick batter. Gradually add additional flour about 1 cup at a time, mixing until dough forms; knead until smooth and soft, adding flour if sticky. The source lists 6½ cups flour in total but notes the amount needed varies with moisture. This is a large batch, not a validated campfire adaptation.
- 03
Shape two flat rounds
Split the dough in half. On a floured surface, flatten each half with hands or a rolling pin to approximately 3–4 cm (about 1½ inches) thick, following the recipe. Put one round on each prepared baking sheet and poke holes in the tops with a fork. The original optionally presses ½ cup blueberries into one round; this plain version omits them. Never taste raw dough: raw flour can contain pathogens even without eggs.
- 04
Bake, flip and cool
Bake for approximately 15 minutes or until the edges start to brown lightly. Remove the trays using oven mitts, carefully flip each bannock and bake another 5 minutes. Remove when both sides are browned and the centers are cooked through; timing varies by oven, so do not serve raw centers. Transfer to a cooling rack and do not cut until cooled, as the source directs. No specific internal-temperature safety endpoint is provided by this recipe.
- 05
Serve fresh and manage leftovers
Refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) or below within 2 hours, or within 1 hour when the surroundings exceed 90°F (32°C). Use small, shallow containers for prompt cooling. Use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days or freeze promptly at 0°F (−18°C) or below. Without reliable refrigeration, prepare only what you can eat within those time limits; do not save leftovers at room temperature. Here the 3–4-day refrigerated limit is a conservative editorial storage policy, not a tested bannock shelf life. Freezing promptly is an option for retained portions; do not promise months of room-temperature storage.