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Family Preparedness: Hardtack and Pemmican #98398
07/12/2006 06:52 AM
07/12/2006 06:52 AM
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Posted by: airforce Nov 24 2005, 10:31 AM
HARDTACK

Hardtack is thick cracker made of flour, water, and sometimes salt. When properly stored, it will last for years. Before the American Civil War, soldiers called it biscuit or hard bread, sailors referred to it as sea biscuit or pilot’s bread, but to the Union Army of the Potomac during the American Civil War, it was known as hardtack, a name that stuck and spread to other units, including the Confederacy, but the name hardtack seems to have not been in general use among the armies of the West.

Because it could be prepared cheaply and would last so long, hardtack was the most convenient food for soldiers, explorers, pioneers, or anyone else who needed to be able to pack light and move fast.

While hardtack was furnished to the army by weight, the biscuits were doled out to soldiers by number. In some units, a ration of hardtack was nine, while it was ten in others, but there was usually enough to go around because some soldiers would refuse to eat it.

Although it was nutritious, soldiers complained that they could eat ten of them in a short time and still be hungry. But the most common complaint was that they were often so hard that they couldn’t be bitten into, that it took a very strong blow even to break them.

Another common problem with hardtack was when they were moldy or wet, as sometimes happened. It has been suggested that this occurred when they were boxed too soon after baking, or due to exposure to the weather. Sometimes they became infested with maggots or weevils during storage, conditions that seldom afflicted the harder variety.

When the hardtack was moldy or moist, it was thrown away and made good the next time that rations were issued, but soldiers usually had to put up with insect infestations. According to accounts, it was not uncommon for a soldier to find his coffee swimming with weevils after the hard bread was broken up in it; but they were easily skimmed off.

Hardtack was eaten by itself, or crumbled into coffee. Probably more were eaten that way than in any other, as they were usually eaten as breakfast and supper, but there were other ways to prepare them. Sometimes they were crumbled into soups, which they served to thicken. Some soldiers crumbed them into cold water, then fried the crumbs in the juice and fat of meat, creating a dish that was known as skillygalee or cush. Some preferred to eat them toasted, either to more easily crumb them into coffee; or in the rare case when it was available, with butter. A few who managed to save a portion of their sugar ration spread it upon the hardtack.

1863 SPECIFICATIONS

Assistant Commissary General of Subsistence - Lt. Col. C.L. Kilburn - Notes on Preparing Stores for the United States Army and on the Care of the Same, etc, with a few rules for Detecting Adulterations - Printed 1863

Under Hard Bread

Should be made of best quality of superfine, or what is usually known as extra superfine flour; or better, of extra and extra superfine, (half and half). Hard bread should be white, crisp, light and exhibit a flaky appearance when broken. If tough, solid and compact, is evident the fault is either in the stock, manufacture or baking; it should not present the appearance of dried paste. If tough and pasty, it is probably manufacture from grown wheat, or Spring wheat of an inferior kind. In all cases it should be thoroughly cooled and dried before packing. Kiln drying, where practicable, for long voyages, is particularly desirable; but if really and thoroughly dried in the oven, hard bread will keep just as well and its flavor is not destroyed. To make good hard bread, it is essential to employ steam; hand work will not do.

The dough should be mixed as dry as possible; this is, in fact, very essential, and too much stress can not be placed on it. Good stock, dry mixed, and thoroughly baked, (not dried or scalded) will necessarily give good hard bread. If salt is to be used, it should be mixed with the water used to mix the dough. Both salt and water should be clean. Bread put up with the preceding requirements should keep a year; but as a usual thing, our best bread as now made for army use, will keep only about three months. Good, bread, packed closely and compactly should not weigh, net, per barrel, more than 70 or 80 pounds; should it be heavier that 80 it indicates too much moisture. The thickness of the biscuit is important; it should not be so thick as to prevent proper drying, or so thin as to crumble in transportation. The quality of stock used for hard bread can be partially told by rules mentioned in the article 'Flour,' as far as they apply. The term 'sprung' is frequently used by bakers, by which is meant raised or flaky bread, indicating strong flour and sound stock. The cupidity of the contracting baker induces him to pack his bread as soon as it comes out of the oven, and before the moisture has been completely expelled by drying. Bread of this kind hangs on breaking; it will also be soft to the pressure of the finger nail when broken, whereas it should be crisp and brittle.

The packages should be thoroughly seasoned, (of wood imparting no taste or odor to the bread,) and reasonably tight. The usual method now adopted is to pack 50 pounds net, in basswood boxes, (sides, top and bottom 1/2 inch, ends 5/8 of an inch,) and of dimensions corresponding with the cutters used, and strapped at each end with light iron or wood. The bread should be packed on its edge compactly, so as not to shake.

Bread thoroughly baked, kiln dried, and packed in spirit casks, will keep a long time but it is an expensive method. If bread contains weevils, or is mouldy, expose to the sun on paulins, and before re-packing it, rinse the barrel with whiskey.


Army Hardtack Recipe

Ingredients:

4 cups flour (perferably whole wheat)
4 teaspoons salt
Water (about 2 cups)
Pre-heat oven to 375° F
Makes about 10 pieces
Mix the flour and salt together in a bowl. Add just enough water (less than two cups) so that the mixture will stick together, producing a dough that won’t stick to hands, rolling pin or pan. Mix the dough by hand. Roll the dough out, shaping it roughly into a rectangle. Cut into the dough into squares about 3 x 3 inches and ½ inch thick.

After cutting the squares, press a pattern of four rows of four holes into each square, using a nail or other such object. Do not punch through the dough. The appearance you want is similar to that of a modern saltine cracker. Turn each square over and do the same thing to the other side.

Place the squares on an ungreased cookie sheet in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Turn each piece over and bake for another 30 minutes. The crackers should be slightly brown on both sides.

The fresh crackers are easily broken but as they dry, they harden and assume the consistentency of fired brick.

Swedish Hardtack

1 cup water
3 tbsp. vegetable oil
3 tbsp. honey
3 cups rye flour (or 1 1/2 cups rye & 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour)
1 1/2 tbsp. brewer's yeast (optional)
1/4 tsp. salt
Mix liquids together. In a separate bowl, mix dry ingredients. Combine the mixtures, stirring to moisten throughout. Form a ball. On a floured surface, flatten the dough, and roll out thinly. Cut into squares and prick each cracker with the tines of a fork a couple of times. Transfer to lightly greased baking sheets. Bake at 425° F for around 8 minutes, checking to be sure not to over-brown. It is best served warm.

Recipe #1

Flour, water, and a little salt. Mix them together to form an elastic but not sticky dough, Roll to a one-inch thickness, bake in a 400° F oven until slightly brown. Allow to cool. It may yet be soft. Put it in 200° F oven until it is hard. Prick with nail or sharp instrument. No baking powder, soda, sugar, cinnamon, raisins, or anything else.

Recipe #2

Just mix about 2 cups of flour and a half-tablespoon of salt with enough water to make a stiff dough. Roll it out thin on a cookie sheet. Score it into squares of about 2”x2” and poke some holes in it (not all the way through). Bake it at 400 ° F for about 45 minutes or until it is lightly browned. Let it cool in the oven.

Recipe #3

Preheat oven to 400° F. For each cup of flour (unbleached wheat), add 1 tsp. of salt. Mix salt and flour with just enough water to bind ingredients. Roll the dough about 1/4 inch thick, and cut into squares 3 inches by 3 inches. Pierce each square with 16 holes about ½ inch apart. Place hardtack squares on cookie sheet and bake in oven until the edges are brown or the dough is hard (20-25 minutes), making sure all moisture is removed from mixture before taking out of oven. Note: The longer you bake the hardtack, the more authentic it will appear. If you want to make it softer for eating, bake only about fifteen minutes.

Recipe #4

The basic ingredients are flour, salt and water. General directions are also similar: Dissolve the salt in water and work it into flour using your hands. The dough should be firm and pliable but not sticky or dry. Flatten the dough onto a cookie sheet to about 1/4 inch thick, and cut into squares 3 inches by 3 inches. Pierce each square with 16 holes about ½ inch apart. Bake in oven until edges are brown or dough is hard.


A Less Traditional Recipe

2 c Flower
1/2 tb Salt (optional)
1/2 tb Sugar (optional)
1/2 c Water
Mix together in an electric blender at medium speed until it has the consistency of playdough. Roll it out with a rolling pin to about 1/3" or so, the thinner the crisper, then cut it into 3 x 3 inch squares. I use the barrel of a ball point pen to punch 16 holes (4 x 4) in each square. Bake at 375° F on the first side for 20-25 minutes or until it turns a light brown color, then turn them over and bake for another 15-20 minutes.

Another Non-Traditional Recipe

1/8 teaspoon baking soda
3 tablespoons buttermilk
1 cup flour
4 teaspoons real maple syrup
3/8 teaspoons salt
1-1/2 tablespoons shortening
Preheat oven to 425° F. Mix the soda and buttermilk, then set aside. Combine flour, syrup, and salt. Cut in the shortening. Add the buttermilk mixture. Roll out very thin and score rectangles in the dough without cutting all the way through. Prick each rectangle several times with a fork. Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet for 5-10 minutes or until golden brown.

And One More

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2` cup cracked wheat
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1 1/2 cups buttermilk

Combine the flours, cornmeal, wheat, sugar and salt. Add buttermilk, mix well, and knead briefly. Shape dough into golf-ball-sized portions. Dust with flour and roll very thin. Place on greased and floured baking sheet. Bake at 400° F turning several times, until lightly browned on both sides. Cool; then store in waterproof container.

A Sailor's Diet

2 1/2 cups old-fashioned or quick oats.
3 cups unbleached flour.
1 1/2 teaspoons salt.
1 teaspoon baking soda.

In a separate container, mix:

1 1/2 cups buttermilk.
3 tablespoons honey.
1/2 cup melted bacon drippings or shortening.
Combine the two sets of ingredients. When the dough is thoroughly mixed, roll it out on a floured board to a thickness of about a quarter inch. Cut out circles of dough with a large drinking glass dipped in flour and put them on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake for about 5 1/2 minutes at 450° F. Let the hardtack cool on a wire rack before serving with jam or jelly.

-----

PEMMICAN

Pemmican is a high energy food developed by the Indians. It can be transported easily and lasts for many months. Although most pemmican was made from buffalo occasionally moose and caribou were used. After the meat was dried, it was pounded into a fine texture. Then it was mixed with animal fat and at times berries. This created a high calorie, high nutrition food for the travelers.

The pemmican was packed into buffalo-hide sacks weighing about 90 pounds each. The bags were sent to posts along the central waterways were they could be picked up by the voyageurs. Four such sacks of pemmican could carry the voyageurs about 500 miles to the next post where they could pick up their next ration.

Pemmican could be broken from a large chunk and eaten. Sometimes it was made into a stew called rubbaboo. A mixture of flour, water, and maple sugar was boiled in a large kettle. To this were added chunks of pemmican. After this cooked for a while it formed a porridge-type stew which was a welcome break from the plain pemmican.

Pemmican is still considered a "survival" food for those who travel into wilderness areas. However, modern tastes would probably consider it less than great and of questionable value in a "healthy diet". It helps to keep in mind that the fur trade era didn't have the benefit of modern technology like freeze drying or refrigeration. Voyageurs needed high energy food that would keep and save them from starvation. Taste was a side issue.

If you would like to try making your own pemmican, here are some recipes. Let us know how you liked it.

Basic Pemmican

2 oz. cooked, ground, and dried beef
2 and 1/2 oz. lard or vegetable fat (shortening)
Put the meat in a container lined with plastic film. Melt the fat and let it cool slightly to a gluey consistency. Pour the fat over the meat and let it harden. Wrap airtight and store, preferably in a freezer if you won't need the pemmican for a while.

Pemmican #2

2 oz. cooked, ground, and dried beef
2 and 1/2 oz. lard or vegetable fat
1 T minced dried onions
Prepare as above.

Pemmican #3

2 oz. cooked, ground, and dried beef
3 oz. lard or vegetable fat
1/2 oz. dried (heat dried) ground berries
Prepare as above.

These recipes come from a book entitled The Complete Light-Pack Camping and Trail Foods Cookbook by Edwin P. Drew. The author suggests shaping the pemmican into bars by packing it into a match box lined with plastic wrap and then removing it when hard. He recommends the use of lard over vegetable shortening because of its superior flavor. He suggests that if you are going to carry other foods along with the pemmican, as is commonly done today, that you carry the pemmican and the berries separately. Lightly salting or peppering the pemmican after it cools will add additional flavor. The pemmican, like all dried foods, should be protected from heat and light. Depending on the ingredients, preparation, and storage conditions the pemmican should last up to 8 months or better. Freezing will definitely extend the life.

Pemmican #4

1 cup Jerky, either beef or venison
1 cup dried blueberries*
1 cup un-roasted sunflower seeds or crushed nuts of any kind
2 teaspoons honey
1/4 cup peanut butter

DIRECTIONS:

1. This version uses peanut butter rather than melted lard as the binding agent, which is much better suited to today’s tastes and need for conscious diets.
2. Grind [or pound] the dried meat to a mealy powder.
3. Add the dried berries and seeds or nuts.
4. Heat the honey, peanut butter until softened. Blend.
5. When cooled, store in a plastic bag in a cool dry place.

Onward and upward,
airforce




Posted by: fal3 Nov 24 2005, 11:16 AM
AirForce, seems to me that the Israeli's were one step ahead once again. Isn't hardtack an offshoot of matza, or unleavened bread, which the people of Israel baked before leaving Egypt, and again while in the wilderness ?

Either way, this hardtack/matza/unleavened bread was a great idea, and we need to pick up on some of these old time survivor techniques ! It will do wonders for the stomach when there isn't a 7-11 around !

Posted by: airforce Nov 24 2005, 12:03 PM
QUOTE (fal3 @ Nov 24 2005, 11:16 AM)
AirForce, seems to me that the Israeli's were one step ahead once again. Isn't hardtack an offshoot of matza, or unleavened bread, which the people of Israel baked before leaving Egypt, and again while in the wilderness ?


Yes, it is. This food has been around, in one form or another, for quite a while.

Onward and upward,
airforce

Re: Family Preparedness: Hardtack and Pemmican #98399
10/10/2008 02:42 PM
10/10/2008 02:42 PM
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 23,871
Tulsa
airforce Online content OP
Administrator
airforce  Online Content OP
Administrator
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 23,871
Tulsa
Bump.

Onward and upward,
airforce


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