Hard tack, sea biscuit

[mazo kid]

In Mark Tulley's pamphlet series "The Packet", he says that nothing other than flour, water, and salt should be used if you want the biscuit to stay mold-free. I have referenced other recipes and they use sugar, honey, baking soda, etc in their recipes. Evidently, these are made to be eaten soon after making? Also, he says the 18th century biscuits were ~4" in diameter and about 5/8" thick whereas the Civil War variety are said to be about 3" square. Anyone know approximately when the change may have been made? I'm thinking of making some at the next rendy we go to and want to try each type.

 

[ohio ramrod]

I don't know about the other recipies but flour , water and touch of salt makes true hard tack. It is hard and will keep for several years if kept dry. Adding baking soda makes it into what is commonly called "Crackers". They are not as hard and will not keep as long. One of the best part about roundezvous is trying different foods. As they say " Try it, You"ll like it! "

 

[Coot]

Recipes using baking soda may mostly be 1850s or later in origin. Baking soda was imported until production of the Arm & Hammer brand was started in the US in 1846. Pearlash was a form of baking powder used in the 18th c but it is reported to leave an unpleasant aftertaste (I can't say as I have never had anything made with it). Something called Saleratus was an early 19th c form of baking powder.

 

[ameling]

Ship's biscuits were made for long-term storage without molding/rotting. So anything "extra" added to the recipe would shorten that storage life. But modern tastes tend towards more ... flavor ... than the old recipe.

So people start trying to add honey, sugar, lard/shortning, spices, and other things to give them more taste. And to try and make them less "hard" by adding baking powder/soda - which pushes them more towards being crackers or regular bread. But all that extra stuff greatly shortens the storage time.

There used to be a recipe in the back of an old Dixie catalog that included pureed sweetcorn. It made a great flat-bread, but you could not store it very long without refrigeration/freezing.

I don't know the dates when they shifted from round to square. But the Civil War hardtack was packed and shipped it tin-lined wooden crates. Square hardtack packed into them better. The old British ship's biscuits were round because of the method of making them, and then packed into round barrels. They also simplified how to issue them to the soldiers as whole biscuits - so many per day per man.

I've been trying to find out what the militaries in other countries used for their equivalent of Ships Biscuits. We have lots of info for the British military and Navy. But what did the French/Spanish/etc. countries do? Other than raid Brit supplies?

Have fun with your experimenting. And watch your TEETH!

Mikey - that grumpy ol' German blacksmith out in the Hinterlands

 

[Rod Lassey]

You can still buy the real thing, too.
http://www.bentscookiefactory.com/Hardtack.html

Hardtack, hard crackers, weevil castles, whatever you call them, these are the genuine article--and they are tough on the teeth, but will last forever. Better if you soak them in something to soften them up.

Rod

 

[tundrawolf]

i bought some hard tack recently thinking it was something else.when i was in alaska i developed a liking for pilot bread .ive looked all over and cant find it, hard tack is close but not as tasty.

 

[Rod Lassey]

The stores around here have Sailor Boy pilot bread on occasion, but the supply is spotty. When I can find some, I stock up. Got some in the freezer right now.

Rod

 

[tundrawolf]

thats the same name brand .i love the stuff with cheese and deer balogna .

 

[Poor Private]

Condensed milk, hardtack, and a can of peaches, heated in your boiler over a nice wood fire makes the best peach cobbler I have ever tasted. --note my posting name I do Civ War.

 

[Pork Chop]

http://www.spanalaskasales.com/shop/basic-snacks.html

I looked up Sailor Boy Pilot Bread on Google and found this place. They ship too. It is on the bottom 1/6th of the page.

I have never had it, so I cannot comment on it. What exactly is Pilot Bread?

 

[Muskeg Stomper]

Pilot Bread is a fairly large round cracker that looks similar to ship's bread. It is not as hard as hardtack but still keeps extremely well. I'll have to pull a box from my stash and check the ingredient list which I'll post when I get a chance to dig a box out. They are fairly bland tasting but are great with a variety of toppings. Very popular here in Alaska, particularly in the bush where the only fresh bread is homemade. I use it for trekking and rendezvous. :thumbsup:

 

[Bearbait2]

Yes Sir, good stuff!
Best Wishes

 

[Muskeg Stomper]

Sailor Boy Pilot Bread Ingredients:
Enriched Flour, Partially Hydrogenated Vegetable Shortening, 2% or less Yeast, Salt, Dextrose, Modified Starch, Malt Syrup, Calcium Propionate (as a preservative), Artificial Flavor, Enzymes

As you can see, it isn't made exactly the way great-great-great-granny used to make it for the boys at sea. Still though, it keeps a good long time, travels well in a haversack, and it fairly replicates ship's bread if only from a visual and taste standpoint.