Pop's Damper

The Story

Pop Arthur was a man of few words and fewer ingredients. He learnt to make damper from a stockman in the Grampians sometime in the late fifties, and he never saw any reason to complicate it. Three ingredients. A campfire. That's it.

He made it on every camping trip, every long weekend in the bush, and every time the grandkids came to stay. The recipe was never written down because there was nothing to write down. You watched, you learnt, you did.

Pop reckoned the smoke was the most important ingredient — not because it added flavour (though it did), but because it meant you were outside, away from the noise, with your hands in the dirt and your eyes on the fire. The damper was just the excuse. The real recipe was the being there.

Method

Step 1
Build your fire and let it burn down to coals. This is the most important step. No flames — just hot, glowing coals. Pop said if you couldn't hold your hand over the coals for three seconds, it was too hot. Four to five seconds was right.
Step 2
Mix the flour and salt in a bowl — or, if you're doing it Pop's way, tip the flour onto a clean rock and make a well with your fist.
Step 3
Add the water gradually, mixing with a stick or your hands (hands are better, Pop said). You want a soft, sticky dough. Not too dry, not too wet. "Like a dog's nose," according to Pop. Nobody questioned this.
Step 4
Shape into a round about 4cm thick. Don't fuss with it. Rustic is the only acceptable shape.
Step 5
If you've got a camp oven: dust the bottom with flour, put the dough in, put the lid on, and nestle it into the coals. Pile some coals on the lid.
Step 6
If you haven't got a camp oven: wrap the dough around a thick, green stick and hold it over the coals. Turn it slowly. This is the kid-friendly method and it takes longer.
Step 7
Bake for 25–30 minutes. Tap the bottom — if it sounds hollow, it's done.
Step 8
Break open (never cut — Pop was very clear on this), slather with butter and golden syrup.
Step 9
Eat while sitting on a log, ideally with a billy tea in your other hand.
Step 10
If you're making this in a regular oven at home (Pop would be disappointed but understanding): 200°C for 25 minutes on a lined tray. It'll taste right. It won't feel right.

"Best with golden syrup and a billy tea." — Pop Arthur

"The recipe is three ingredients and one campfire. Don't overthink it." — Pop

"He'd make this in the backyard when he missed the bush. Mum pretended not to notice the scorch marks on the lawn." — Dad

The Story

Method

Dad's BBQ Marinade

Nanna's Scones

Great Aunt Mabel's Fruit Cake

Preserve Your Family's Recipes