Drinking some brews, making some hardtack (Covid19 edition)

[ArmedCorgi]

I have been wanting to do this for a while. GF is out for the night, so I figured why the hell not. This is my first time attempting hardtack. I used a basic 5 cups flour to 1-1 1/2 cups water and some salt. kneaded the dough and rolled it on out, cut it into 3" squares and am currently baking at 400 for 30min.
Never in my life did I think I'd be spending a Friday night doing this, but alas, being an adult now, time is when you find it.
Anyone else have experience making hardtack care to chime in?
Cheers!!

 

[ArmedCorgi]

And my first batch is out!! Looks okay. There are some layer striations which I'm not sure should be there. They are hard as rocks for sure, but I'm not sure if the finished product is supposed to be more uniform or if these "pastry layer striations" are normal.

 

[Podmonkey]

I think that is very cool but.............. wasn't hardtack the bane of soldiers everywhere? Why'd you wanna willingly eat it?

 

[ArmedCorgi]

I think that is very cool but.............. wasn't hardtack the bane of soldiers everywhere? Why'd you wanna willingly eat it?

It not a matter of want. I figure, it's really just a way to preserve flour. While not ideal, it's just one more type of food I can make and store longterm, just in case. Fair warning though, I may have to look up some recipes for cooking with it and try it out.

 

[holdover]

I dont know jack squat about hard tack but I do remember reading that some had dried beef or jerky in it, they sometimes would soak it water to reconstitute it, wrap it on a stick and cook over a fire.

 

[ArmedCorgi]

Update...so far the cat's aren't going for the hardtack sitting on the stove cooling they way they would normal food. Doesn't bode well for the hardtack, lol.

 

[holdover]

tell em its soap.

 

[ArmedCorgi]

***Update on the update*** my one cat who eat everything, opted to try and eat a roll of paper towels within eyesight of the hard tack. NOT looking good...

 

[ArmedCorgi]

I don't think I did it right, lol. They seem too brittle and flaky. Cats are still disinterested.

 

[ArmedCorgi]

This is going downhill fast.

 

[holdover]

take a piece and soak it in water see if it softens up

 

[Podmonkey]

It sounds like you made a very authentic batch then. Have you tried any?

 

[ArmedCorgi]

Well, at least I got the beer drinking right.

 

[Podmonkey]

Cats are dumb anyway.

 

[holdover]

they look ok

 

[ArmedCorgi]

It sounds like you made a very authentic batch then. Have you tried any?

I haven't yet. They are still "cooling". Plus I just housed a delicious chicken sandwich so who needs hardtack? They seem very brittle and I always thought hardtack was supposed to break teeth.

 

[holdover]

I think I was thinking of a thing called bannock ,

 

[ArmedCorgi]

I think I was thinking of a thing called bannock ,

WUT?

 

[Podmonkey]

I haven't yet. They are still "cooling". Plus I just housed a delicious chicken sandwich so who needs hardtack? They seem very brittle and I always thought hardtack was supposed to break teeth.

Maybe just when it got stale?

 

[ArmedCorgi]

Maybe just when it got stale?

So did it start out as "softtack" and then it wasn't issued to troops until it was stale and so they named it "hardtack"? Is history fucking with us like that?

 

[ArmedCorgi]

I think bottom line, the take away here is that I failed at baking flour.

 

[holdover]

Bannock: The Original Camping Bread – Unusual But Delicious Camping Foods - 50 Campfires

How to Make Bannock Bread | The Art of Manliness

 

[Podmonkey]

I have an enormous sheet of a lemony cake substance for backup emergency rations. It is about the size of and looks a lot like one of those big rice Krispy Treat packages. It'd keep me fed for about a week if I rationed it tight. I ate one before, the first couple bites taste decent but it goes downhill from there.

 

[ArmedCorgi]

Bannock: The Original Camping Bread – Unusual But Delicious Camping Foods - 50 Campfires

How to Make Bannock Bread | The Art of Manliness

I book marked that recipe, thanks. Bannock looks interesting. It looks like I made the civil war version of the hardtack recipe. According this this page, I need to let it air dry for a few days.. Simple Hardtack Recipe - Food.com

 

[Podmonkey]

I book marked that recipe, thanks. Bannock looks interesting. It looks like I made the civil war version of the hardtack recipe. According this this page, I need to let it air dry for a few days.. Simple Hardtack Recipe - Food.com

Ah! Mystery solved then. Your teeth have gotten a stay of execution then!

 

[ArmedCorgi]

I have an enormous sheet of a lemony cake substance for backup emergency rations. It is about the size of and looks a lot like one of those big rice Krispy Treat packages. It'd keep me fed for about a week if I rationed it tight. I ate one before, the first couple bites taste decent but it goes downhill from there.

"Lemony cake substance" and hardtack both seem like words you'd write onto 3x5 cards and throw darts at to decide which one you'll be eating.

 

[ArmedCorgi]

Ah! Mystery solved then. Your teeth have gotten a stay of execution then!

Don't get cocky, I might still have fucked it up. We'll know in about three days.

 

[holdover]

I was reading the article on hardtack , I guess you can crush it up with water and flavor it with what ever you have then fry or bake it like a pancake .

 

[Drinkthekoolaid]

How long will haystack store for? Any way it needs to be preserved?

 

[holdover]

Confederate issue is still good.