Damper on a Stick, Cooked Over the Buschbeck Fire

This is the one my kids ask for every single time we fire up the Buschbeck. There's something about winding dough round a stick and toasting it over glowing coals that turns even the fussiest eater into a very patient helper. Damper on a stick isn't fancy. It's simple, a bit messy, and always a hit, which is exactly why it's stuck around in our backyard for years.

What makes this one work so well on a Buschbeck is the control you get over the coals. You're not fighting flames or juggling a hotplate, just holding bread over steady heat until it turns golden and sounds hollow when you tap it. Then you slide it off, fill the hole with butter and golden syrup, and watch it disappear.

If you've never cooked damper over an open fire before, this is the easiest way in. No camp oven, no fuss, just a stick, some dough and a good bed of coals.

Makes 8 · Fire: low, glowing coals · Cook: 10 min

Ingredients

• 300 g (2 cups) self-raising flour
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 30 g (1 oz) butter, chopped
• 185 ml (¾ cup) milk
• Butter and golden syrup, to serve
• 8 clean green sticks or metal skewers

Method

1. Let the fire burn down to a bed of glowing coals with no big flames.
2. Rub the butter into the flour, salt and sugar. Stir in the milk to make a soft dough.
3. Roll into 8 long snakes and wind each one tightly around the end of a stick.
4. Hold over the coals, turning often, for 8–10 min, until golden and hollow-sounding. Slide off and fill with butter and syrup.

Fire note: Coals, not flames, are the secret, or the outside will burn before the middle cooks. Rake the coals forward to the front of the firebox so little hands can reach safely.

Buschbeck kit: Fire Grate & Ash Pan

How to cook damper on a stick on a Buschbeck

You don't need any special accessory for this one, just your Fire Grate & Ash Pan doing its job of holding a solid bed of coals. That's the real secret to damper on a stick on the Buschbeck: it's all about the coals, not the flames.

Get your fire going well ahead of time and let it burn right down. You want glowing coals with no big flames licking up, otherwise the dough will blacken on the outside before the middle has a chance to cook through. This usually takes longer than people expect, so light the fire early and be patient.

Once the coals are glowing, rake them forward towards the front of the firebox. This puts the heat within easy reach, which matters a lot if you've got kids holding the sticks themselves. Nobody needs to lean into the Buschbeck to get a good result.

• Hold the dough-wrapped stick low over the coals, close enough to hear a gentle sizzle.
• Turn it often and steadily so the dough cooks evenly on all sides.
• Watch for a deep golden colour and a hollow sound when you give it a tap.
• If one side is colouring faster, that's your cue to turn more often, not pull it away.

Give it the full 8 to 10 minutes rather than rushing. A damper that looks done on the outside can still be doughy in the middle if the coals were too hot to start with.

What to serve with damper on a stick

Keep it simple and let the damper be the star, with plenty of butter and golden syrup on hand for refilling. If you're making a night of it around the Buschbeck, this pairs nicely with something off the grill, like the Lamb Chops with Rosemary & Garlic on the Buschbeck Grill. For a full fireside breakfast session instead, try it alongside the Fireside Breakfast on the Buschbeck Cast Iron Hotplate.

FAQs

Can I cook damper on a stick on a Buschbeck without special accessories?

Yes, all you really need is the Fire Grate & Ash Pan to build and hold a good bed of coals. No extra attachments required.

Why is my damper burning on the outside but raw in the middle?

Your fire likely still has flames, or the coals are too hot. Let the Buschbeck burn right down to glowing coals before you start cooking.

What sticks should I use for damper on a Buschbeck fire?

Clean green sticks work well because they won't catch fire as quickly, or you can use metal skewers for something reusable.

How do I know when damper on a stick is cooked through?

It should be deep golden all over and sound hollow when you tap it, usually after 8 to 10 minutes of steady turning over the coals.

Get all 89 recipes in The Wood Fire Kitchen

Damper on a Stick is one of 89 recipes in my cookbook, The Wood Fire Kitchen: Recipes for your Buschbeck outdoor fireplace. It covers everything from lighting and reading the fire to pizza, grilling, the rotisserie, camp-oven dinners and desserts baked in the embers, with a Buschbeck kit note on every recipe so you know exactly which accessory to reach for.

Get the paperback ($49 USD)

Want a look inside first? Grab the free sample on the book page, or browse more Buschbeck recipes.