Puckster wrote on Mar 27^th, 2009 at 1:45am:


I've pretty much given up on making bread on early spring canoe trips.  I made bread sticks to go with spaghetti several years ago.  Making and rolling out the stick ... even cooking them, was no big deal.  However, its hard to get dough to rise when the outside temperature is barely pushing 50.  To get at least some rise out of the dough, I put it in a baggie and placed it inside by sleeping bag ... then I took a nap.  Body heat finally did the trick.

dd

Off topic-sorry....should we start another topic? I do the bread thing all the time-yeasted....french, whole wheat, 50/50......its a walk in the park and it is a staple on all of my trips! The rise issue can be handled by starting with warm water, to hot can hurt the critters-yeast.  I mix and knead the dough in a large zip lock that is packed in the vaccuum bag with the dry ingredients less the yeast. Pour dry ingredients into ziplock add warm water and yeast and dont forget olive oil-the oil is important a lot of receipes dont call for it...a TBS or 2 will do the trick-the dough will rise better and it is easier to handle...better for ya too. Mix well-the more you mix the better the crust. Now here is the spot that you all can play. I have carried dough all day long in two ziplocks inner one sealed, the outer one ajar...remember dough rises-and it is super sticky....have not learned this the hard way but been close a couple of times----punch it down at the portages and the lunches-I have carried it a thwart bag, food pack, and on the cooler days tucked into my shirt(warm...and this is my son's favorite way..."bread belly"). I  have also started the dough @ 4 in the afternoon for dinner that night. Heat.....not to hot....that is the key-the warm the enviroment for the yeast the faster it consumes the sugar and the faster the bread rises. The longer route to bread is better however, but sometimes things just have to happen.... Anyway....the bread is in the bag punch it down that one last time and drop into the pan....I use an outback oven....in combo with a dragonfly. Top fire and such will work but you will have to be deligent . The outback works for me because it is a little more hands off and I can focus some of my energies on the rest of the meal and such. In addition the oven allows me to warm the dough for its last rise before baking the bread-this is important on those cool days...otherwise I just let it rise with the cover on in a warm sun spot....maybe a black shirt over the pan.....When i am happy with the volume and size of the dough i bake the bread.....I also remove the cover to the outback pan but not the reflector to finish the baking process because I like crusty bread....dont forget the real butter in the nalgene, think about additions like sunflower seeds, flax, millet and such, experiment with your sugar sources-honey, white sugar, brown sugar, etc, High gluten flour adds to the bread,----have fun I am still tweeking and exploring the bread thing-A good carefree place to start is to use the bread machine mixes...they come with fresh yeast(yeast is important) and then all you need is the oil and the warm h2o. One of the things that I am thinking about is using a hole saw to modifiy the outback oven cover so I dont have to mess with it any more. Bread is a great thing on trail-give it a try it is worth it. If there are left overs be sure to cure the bread before putting into a ziplock-let it cool completely or you will have soggy bread instead of crusting bread for lunch the next day. I have adapted many receipes all have worked. The oil is key as is the overall moisture of the dough-moisture thing is totally qualitative and something that a bread machine has really helped me with. Corn bread, bannock, tortillas are other possibilites-from scratch.

wow DD!  I've just had a new QJ experience....getting my thread split! 

I think I like it!

prouboy

(and now I know someone IS watching..)

Puckster wrote on Mar 27^th, 2009 at 1:45am:



We usually do skillet bread when we’re camping. I’ll try to write up a detailed explanation and post it on the site later – I’ve seen this question come up a lot!

In the meantime, we did write a blog entry on the Backpacker Oven awhile back which will give you a good idea of that particular oven and some idea of skillet 'baking'.

(You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)

The Flashing Oven I made will do what the Outback oven will, IF you want to got the do-it-yourself route. About 2 lbs not counting baking pan.
Works on single burner stove, with a heat diffuser, over coals, and has a thermometer and inspection port.
 
(You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)