Hard Tack recipes.

[Plural of Mongoose]

Found this on another board and thought I would post it here.


Hard Tack Recipe

Old Civil War recipe.

Mix the following all together in a bowl:

5 cups of flower
1 cup of water
1 table spoon of salt

mix completely until it becomes dough.(you will notice its dry)
from there on knead it, and roll it out until its a 1/2 inch thick.

Cut it up into squares,punch some holes in the squares with a fork or nail then put it in a baking pan in the oven at 425 degrees until golden brown.

(It’s called hardtack for a reason don't bite down on it hard)

THE HARDTACK CRACKER IS MADE FROM WHEAT FLOUR AND WATER,NOTHING ELSE IS ADDED
Part of the Yankee tradition which produced the magnificent clipper ships also produced the lowly ship's biscuit. The Hardtack is a heavy unleavened biscuit that was the sailors' staple for long sea voyages. The Bent hardtack cracker is still baked today by the Bent Company in Milton, Massachusetts.
Bent Company is an original purveyor of hardtack provisions to the Union Army.
http://www.bentscookiefactory.com/HomePage.html


This isn't hardtack but rather an Old Norwegian flatbread recipe

Flatbrod
1 and 1/8 cups oat flour
1 and 1/8 cups rye flour
1 cup water, scant
Sprinkle of salt and sugar
Mix ingredients together and roll out with grooved rolling pin as thin as possible. Sprinkle with salt and sugar. Cut into squares and bake on medium griddle until done, turning once. Cool on wire racks and store airtight. Good simple crackers.

Some add sugar or honey to the mix, some add butter or crisco or break it up and fry it up in their morning bacon grease.

 

[Bob J]

Found this on another board and thought I would post it here.


Hard Tack Recipe

Old Civil War recipe.

Mix the following all together in a bowl:

5 cups of flower
1 cup of water
1 table spoon of salt

mix completely until it becomes dough.(you will notice its dry)
from there on knead it, and roll it out until its a 1/2 inch thick.

Cut it up into squares,punch some holes in the squares with a fork or nail then put it in a baking pan in the oven at 425 degrees until golden brown.

(It’s called hardtack for a reason don't bite down on it hard)

THE HARDTACK CRACKER IS MADE FROM WHEAT FLOUR AND WATER,NOTHING ELSE IS ADDED
Part of the Yankee tradition which produced the magnificent clipper ships also produced the lowly ship's biscuit. The Hardtack is a heavy unleavened biscuit that was the sailors' staple for long sea voyages. The Bent hardtack cracker is still baked today by the Bent Company in Milton, Massachusetts.
Bent Company is an original purveyor of hardtack provisions to the Union Army.
http://www.bentscookiefactory.com/HomePage.html


This isn't hardtack but rather an Old Norwegian flatbread recipe

Flatbrod
1 and 1/8 cups oat flour
1 and 1/8 cups rye flour
1 cup water, scant
Sprinkle of salt and sugar
Mix ingredients together and roll out with grooved rolling pin as thin as possible. Sprinkle with salt and sugar. Cut into squares and bake on medium griddle until done, turning once. Cool on wire racks and store airtight. Good simple crackers.

Some add sugar or honey to the mix, some add butter or crisco or break it up and fry it up in their morning bacon grease.

Good stuff.... My scout troop did a 50 mile canoe trip and made hudson bay bread (which is similar) for the trip.... Awesome stuff... Keeps well, packs well and is both filling and nutritious....

This is based on a recipe from Somme’s Canoe Base with some modifications.
• 2 cups butter (1 pound)
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons of salt
• 2 lb., 10 oz. rolled oats (regular not quick/instant) - this is a full container as they sell it), about 15 cups before grinding, makes about 10 cups after grinding.
• 1 cup chopped nuts (walnuts are good, others suggest almonds or peanuts)
- Start by grinding the rolled oats down to a coarse powder in a food processor. The result should be the size of coarse sand or finer.
- Toast the nuts (do not burn) on a cookie sheet and then grind/chop into a coarse powder. Combine with the rolled oats and mix well.
- Cream together the butter, sugar, honey, corn syrup, and vanilla. A stand mixer with a paddle attachment works well for this.
- Add the oat mixture to the mixer a little at a time all has been added. Be careful of overloading the mixer motor.
- Divide in half and roll out about 1/2 inch thick on each of two cookie sheets. Shape edges so all is uniform thickness (thin spots may burn) and the shape the dough into a rectangular outline. Bake at 350 F for about 15 minutes (it will not be done yet).
- Remove from the oven and lightly roll down with a rolling pin to return it to its original size (makes the finished product more dense). Do not roll too hard or the dough may crack/split.
- Return it to the oven for about another 15-20 minutes or so until uniformly golden brown. Be careful not to over-bake it.
- Remove it from the oven and lightly roll down once more.
- Cut into squares while still warm. The standard size is apparently about 3 1/2 inches square so it will fit into a ½ gallon paper milk carton. Allow to cool and then store in the milk carton and seal with a strip of duct tape. The milk carton protects the bread and is easy to find when you want to grab a quick snack/lunch.

 

[Gadsden]

Thanks for posting this. I may have to try it out and/or some variations. I wonder what the shelf life is like?

 

[Bob J]

Thanks for posting this. I may have to try it out and/or some variations. I wonder what the shelf life is like?

For my recipe it's supposed to keep indefinitely as long as you keep it dry.... Comes out almost like a hard cookie (which is why you have to cut it when it is still warm).... Great stuff for backpacking, canoeing or any other extended outdoor activity....

 

[dvc45]

Great information, Thanks Good addition to any rustic camping or Survival larder.

M

 

[Plural of Mongoose]

Thanks for posting this. I may have to try it out and/or some variations. I wonder what the shelf life is like?

It lasts pretty much forever if you keep it dry. If it gets any bugs or weevils in it ... well that's just extra protein.
Ive read plenty of stories about sailors tapping the critters out before they ate their 'tack.

 

[glostamon]

It lasts pretty much forever if you keep it dry. If it gets any bugs or weevils in it ... well that's just extra protein.
Ive read plenty of stories about sailors tapping the critters out before they ate their 'tack.

PoM,it also goes good with "Grog" (rum & seawater)....AArrhhh.AAAarah

[

 

[yanici]

That hard tack looks like a good way to break what's left of my 65 year old teeth.

 

[Bugs100]

This place in Milton makes it and mail orders it all over the Country. http://www.bentscookiefactory.com/

 

[leeroy]

I made some and it was a great snack.I work in the woods and it stayed in my jacket pocket without turning into a pile of crumbs.Try it!

 

[bambame2]

This looks like my weekend project.

 

[jkeeley1]

Wonder how this would turn out w/ the acorn flour someone posted about in another thread. (http://www.northeastshooters.com/vbulletin/showthread.php/89594-Eating-acorns)

 

[KBCraig]

That hard tack looks like a good way to break what's left of my 65 year old teeth.

That's why you soften it up with some grog first!

 

[jkeeley1]

Tried this w/ whole wheat flour... required a bit more water to be manageable and a bit more cooking time, but came out as good as a brick of dough could be expected to.

 

[Larry Legend]

Just finished my attempt with whole wheat flour. Took a lot longer than I thought to cook and I had to use more water than anticipated.

I ended up using

2.5 cups of flour
1 cup of water
1 teaspoon of garlic salt
1 teaspoon of table salt

Rolled out into a 1/2" thick sheet (should have cut that into squares, but instead I just scored lines into it)
Cooked at 425 on 1 side for 30 minutes, flipped it and cooked for another 15 minutes (should have let it go longer)

The end result was pretty edible, although the middle pieces were ever so slightly doughy (didn't cook long enough)

When I make it again, I will add some sugar to the mix for more "instant energy" content, and a few more pinches of salt.