Hardtack

[Grathr]

Dip 'em in hot chocolate. That should soften 'em up

Ill give that a try

[ducttapetech]

There good in soup or with coffee.

That's us mobile

[Gareth]

Ok, I have finally gotten around to trying this.  Simple flour and water with a little salt for taste.  In the oven just now and, if they turn out ok, I'll post a pic or two.

[magentus]

Ok, I have finally gotten around to trying this.  Simple flour and water with a little salt for taste.  In the oven just now and, if they turn out ok, I'll post a pic or two.

Imagine hard tack instead of popcorn. Crunch Ouch Crunch Ouch Crunch Ouch

[Gareth]

OK, I think this worked quite well.  They are certainly hard anyway.   Glad I added some salt as I think they are actually quite tasty.

[Gareth]

There good in soup or with coffee.

That's us mobile

Dipping them in coffee definitely helps.

[Grathr]

Those look good!

[Spork, Lord of Lime Jello!]

Will you be having those with Marmite? 

[Gareth]

Will you be having those with Marmite? 

Oh, now that is a nice idea.

Marmite actually makes for a nice drink.  A large teaspoon or so into a mug of boiling water is about right IMO.  Dipped in that and I reckon you've got a good (if a bit salty) snack.

[eamo]

2 years since I made them. I still have some left, and they taste pretty good.
They will still break your teeth if you are not careful though

I dunno, 2 years and you've still not eaten them all.  I don't think they taste as good as you say they do.

Mind you, I've still not tried making my own so who am I to criticise?

Part of the experiment is to see if they ever go bad

How will you know ? Mould or which ?

[jerseydevil]

Traditionally, I think the indicator that hardtack was starting to go bad was weevil infestation........

[Spork, Lord of Lime Jello!]

Traditionally, I think the indicator that hardtack was starting to go bad was weevil infestation........

...that would make it more authentic 

[jerseydevil]

Traditionally, I think the indicator that hardtack was starting to go bad was weevil infestation........

...that would make it more authentic 

wouldn't it?  As you would have been told in the RN if you complained, it was fresh meat......

[Spork, Lord of Lime Jello!]

My try at "Ship's Biscuit"...with the correct eating utensil... It was not called "Hardtack" until the Civil War

..also a try at "Corn Dodgers"

[jerseydevil]

so THAT's the real reason behind the hammer end of a hatchet!

[jerseydevil]

Confederate troops often got cornbread instead of hardtack as rations during the American Civil War. So, Spork, who won the rations war, North or South?

[Spork, Lord of Lime Jello!]

Confederate troops often got cornbread instead of hardtack as rations during the American Civil War. So, Spork, who won the rations war, North or South?

Somehow the memory of eating that hardtack has been wiped from my memory    The corn dodgers were an experiment in baking them instead of frying in bacon grease...they were not very memorable either. Corn Dodgers are also known as hot water cornbread...cornmeal, salt and hot water. Roll into balls  and fry in grease.

[Spork, Lord of Lime Jello!]

Here's Rooster Cogburn's corn dodger recipe - http://www.seriouseats.com/talk/2012/12/rooster-cogburns-beloved-corn-dodgers.html

[Spork, Lord of Lime Jello!]

I did make Skillygalee with some of it using bacon - https://loweryleather.wordpress.com/2011/06/03/civil-war-recipe-union-skillygalee/ - bacon makes everything better...

[Gareth]

I did make Skillygalee with some of it using bacon - https://loweryleather.wordpress.com/2011/06/03/civil-war-recipe-union-skillygalee/ - bacon makes everything better...

mmmm.....bacon.

Not heard of skillygalee before, but it does sound tasty.

[Spork, Lord of Lime Jello!]

At one time I did some research on packable breads...mostly flat breads. Maybe not as long term as hardtack, but easier to eat and more tasty.

Johnnycake/Journey cake

Clapbread/Haverbread

Yorkshire Oatcake and Havercake

[Gareth]

At one time I did some research on packable breads...mostly flat breads. Maybe not as long term as hardtack, but easier to eat and more tasty.

Johnnycake/Journey cake

Clapbread/Haverbread

Yorkshire Oatcake and Havercake

Havercake, which must be carried in a haversack.

[jerseydevil]

I did make Skillygalee with some of it using bacon - https://loweryleather.wordpress.com/2011/06/03/civil-war-recipe-union-skillygalee/ - bacon makes everything better...

mmmm.....bacon.

Not heard of skillygalee before, but it does sound tasty.

Good ol' Union field cooking. There was a reason more men were killed by diarrhea than combat during the Civil War.....

[eamo]

See, hardtack looks like an interesting idea - but, to eat it one needs lots and lots of salt and dead pig, both of which in any kind of decent quantity is bad for you. I can appreciate that during the american civil war dying of heart failure was a lot lower on the radar then diarrhea or getting shot, but in todays world ?

I do try to eat healthily . . . . I think my only option is for me to experiment with this stuff myself  

Gareth, Grathr what were the ratios of flour : water : salt ?
Can i forgo the salt ?
And what type flour did you guys use ? I think using basic milled white flour would be an exercise in futility given the lack of nutrition in it due to processing ?

I did make Skillygalee with some of it using bacon - https://loweryleather.wordpress.com/2011/06/03/civil-war-recipe-union-skillygalee/ - bacon makes everything better...

yes it does . . . . and therein lies my problem (or one of em at least)

 

[Spork, Lord of Lime Jello!]

At one time I did some research on packable breads...mostly flat breads. Maybe not as long term as hardtack, but easier to eat and more tasty.

Johnnycake/Journey cake

Clapbread/Haverbread

Yorkshire Oatcake and Havercake

Havercake, which must be carried in a haversack.

What about Oatcakes Gareth? Would they be usable as a field bread? - http://www.amazon.com/Walkers-Highland-Oatcakes/dp/B000HY8SC6/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1460832623&sr=8-1&keywords=walkers+highland+oatcakes

There was a time you could find Pilot Bread much easier than you can now - http://survivalcommonsense.com/pilot-bread-try-this-modern-day-version-of-hardtack-in-your-storage-foods/

[Grathr]

See, hardtack looks like an interesting idea - but, to eat it one needs lots and lots of salt and dead pig, both of which in any kind of decent quantity is bad for you. I can appreciate that during the american civil war dying of heart failure was a lot lower on the radar then diarrhea or getting shot, but in todays world ?

I do try to eat healthily . . . . I think my only option is for me to experiment with this stuff myself  

Gareth, Grathr what were the ratios of flour : water : salt ?
Can i forgo the salt ?
And what type flour did you guys use ? I think using basic milled white flour would be an exercise in futility given the lack of nutrition in it due to processing ?

I did make Skillygalee with some of it using bacon - https://loweryleather.wordpress.com/2011/06/03/civil-war-recipe-union-skillygalee/ - bacon makes everything better...

yes it does . . . . and therein lies my problem (or one of em at least)

I honestly dont remember what ratio I used.  Some salt is recomended for taste and presvering it.
Also when out in the woods sweating, some extra salt is good for you.
I think I used some spelt flour in mine. I bet you could use some fine milled barley flour as well.

[jerseydevil]

There is no such thing as too much dead pig.......

[eamo]

I honestly dont remember what ratio I used.  Some salt is recomended for taste and presvering it.
Also when out in the woods sweating, some extra salt is good for you.
I think I used some spelt flour in mine. I bet you could use some fine milled barley flour as well.

Thanks Grathr. Yeah I'll try wholemeal or rye. Can't get barley flour where I live been looking for it for a while

[Gareth]

See, hardtack looks like an interesting idea - but, to eat it one needs lots and lots of salt and dead pig, both of which in any kind of decent quantity is bad for you. I can appreciate that during the american civil war dying of heart failure was a lot lower on the radar then diarrhea or getting shot, but in todays world ?

I do try to eat healthily . . . . I think my only option is for me to experiment with this stuff myself  

Gareth, Grathr what were the ratios of flour : water : salt ?
Can i forgo the salt ?
And what type flour did you guys use ? I think using basic milled white flour would be an exercise in futility given the lack of nutrition in it due to processing ?

I did make Skillygalee with some of it using bacon - https://loweryleather.wordpress.com/2011/06/03/civil-war-recipe-union-skillygalee/ - bacon makes everything better...

yes it does . . . . and therein lies my problem (or one of em at least)

I used about six parts flour to one part water.  Just enough to make quite a 'slack' dough without being sticky.  I didn't measure out the salt but it's entirely optional anyway.  I just used a plain white flour this time as it's what I had to hand but I think a wholemeal would work.  Just so long as it's not self-raising.

[Gareth]

At one time I did some research on packable breads...mostly flat breads. Maybe not as long term as hardtack, but easier to eat and more tasty.

Johnnycake/Journey cake

Clapbread/Haverbread

Yorkshire Oatcake and Havercake

Havercake, which must be carried in a haversack.

What about Oatcakes Gareth? Would they be usable as a field bread? - http://www.amazon.com/Walkers-Highland-Oatcakes/dp/B000HY8SC6/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1460832623&sr=8-1&keywords=walkers+highland+oatcakes

There was a time you could find Pilot Bread much easier than you can now - http://survivalcommonsense.com/pilot-bread-try-this-modern-day-version-of-hardtack-in-your-storage-foods/

I do like a good oatcake.  They are quite dry and brittle though so you'd have to be quite careful about how you carried them so as not to have a pile of crumbs or a soggy mess.