Cookbook:Damper (Australian Campfire Bread)

Damper (Australian Campfire Bread)
Category	Bread recipes
Servings	2–5
Time	50 minutes
Difficulty

Damper and camp oven used, Walcha, NSW

Cookbook | Ingredients | Recipes | Cuisine of Australia

Damper is Australian bushman's bread, made while camping or "waltzing matilda" (carrying a swag around looking for work). It is meant to be made outside by a campfire.

Ingredients

• 1 large cup self-raising flour
• 1 generous pinch salt
• scant ¼ cup water (more and it will be as tough as an old boot)

Procedure

1. Add salt to flour.
2. Add water, then mix and form into a round loaf.
3. Dig a 1 foot-deep hole near a fire, and fill it with 2 shovels of hot coals and ash.
4. Add damper mixture to a greased camp oven (traditional cast iron round pot with lid).
5. Cook in the hole for a maximum of 40 minutes. If undercooked it will be flat and rubbery.
6. Your first try may be inedible. Keep trying, you'll soon be an expert.

Notes, tips, and variations

• This cookbook also has a Drover's damper recipe.
• You can do this in a barbecue grill with the mixture in greased metal foil as well. During cooking, damper increases in volume by ⅓ to ½, so allow room for expansion.
• If you aren't outdoors, just add mixture to greased oven tray and bake in a moderate oven for 30–40 minutes.

External Links

• Australian Bush Damper Gerry & Mo Noterey from Australian Outdoors (Variation recipes with pictures!)
• Camp Ovens Discount Camping
• Australian Camp Oven Festival