How to make Hardtack

Throughout history, dozens of nations produced hardtack as their main staple for long periods of survival. It was a standard army and navy ration for nations across Europe and is recognized as being one of the best survival foods out there. It can last for well over 25 years if made and stored properly and gives between 400 and 500 calories for an average-sized piece.

What is Hardtack?

Hardtack is just a small condensed piece of bread that has been baked so all of the moisture has been removed. This is done by either baking it several times or for a long time at a low temperature until it is too dry to eat normally. The drying of the hardtack, also known as ship’s biscuit makes the product last for a very long time, but also means it can’t be eaten without soaking it in water or milk for a short while until it softens up.

Its use throughout history

This product is so old that there probably isn’t a single inventor and people just found it out on their own. The widely recognized recipe of just flour, salt, and water in a square shape was created by Josiah Bent in 1801 and originally called a water cracker. It quickly gained other names associated with its toughness, like “tooth breakers” and “iron crackers” and it was far from being a favorite of the people it was rationed to.

(The oldest known surviving piece of hardtack in the world, made in 1862)

Versions of hardtack were recorded as being a standard ration as far back as the Crusades but were most popular with Britain and North America as military rations. The standard ration for a British sailor in the 17th century was one pound of hardtack and one gallon of small beer per day, a type of low alcohol content beer. The oldest surviving piece of hardtack was made in 1862 during the American Civil War and is located in the Pensacola Museum of History. It is supposed to still be edible but would offer no nutritional value at all and probably be like eating wood.

How to make Hardtack

The goal of making hardtack is to have a dough that won’t rise, so make sure you don’t use self-raising flour or add yeast to it.

You will need:

2 cups of plain flour
3/4 cup of water
1 heaped teaspoon of salt
Mixing bowl
rolling pin
Baking rack
Air-tight storage containers

• Mix the flour, water, and salt in a bowl until the dough stops sticking to your fingers and feels slightly dry. Make sure not to mix the dough more than necessary to avoid getting air into the mix which could make it rise.

• Firmly roll the dough to squash out any air and form it into a sheet about 1/2 inch thick.

• Cut out squares about 4 or 5 inches across and use a chopstick or thin tool to poke holes in the bread. The holes should be evenly spaced and 1 to 2 cm apart, Reform and reroll any leftover dough until it has all been used.

(Make sure the holes go all the way through to allow the moisture to escape)

• Place them on a baking tray and put them in the oven at 180C for 30 minutes, flip them and cook for another 30 minutes on the other side. The best method is to put your oven on at 100C and bake them for an hour on each side, which does a better job of getting rid of all the moisture without burning anything.

• Bake for more time if needed but the final product should be very hard and have no flexibility and no soft areas. If these are present then give it another 30 minutes.

• Store the finished product in any kind of food-grade and airtight container out of direct sunlight and it will last for years.

How to actually eat it

If you want to go right ahead and bite into it “as is” then do so, but it won’t be very nice to eat and didn’t gain the nickname of “Iron crackers” for nothing. There are stories of soldiers during the American civil war who would have to smash up their hardtack with the butts of their rifles, just so it was small enough to put in your mouth and soak shortly before chewing.

There are only two methods you can use when it comes to preparing hardtack, which are soaking and crumbling. It’s worth soaking a piece for 10 to 15 minutes in either water or milk before it’s soft enough to eat whole, or you can smash it into crumbs and mix it into a liquid dish. If you put it in any kind of stew it does a good job of making it thicker and adds a pleasant taste.

It isn’t the best thing you could have for dinner and was always meant as a long-term survival ration for the people who used it because it was the only thing that would last for long enough on a voyage or army march.