19th United States Infantry

Hardtack

     Hardtack is a simple type of cracker or biscuit, made from flour, water, and salt. Cheap and long-lasting, it was used during long sea voyages and military campaigns as a primary foodstuff which was usually dunked in water, brine, coffee, or some other liquid or cooked into a skillet meal. This cracker was little more than flour and water which had been baked hard and would keep for months as long as it was kept dry. The name derives from the British seamen's slang for food, "tack", and the fact it is so hard and dry.

     Hardtack resembles a large soda cracker in appearance. It is about three inches square and approximately 1/4 inch to 1 inch thick with 16 - 1/8 inch holes in the center. It is made of flour, water and salt thickened to a paste then placed in a press to create its shape and perforate the 16 holes. Once dried, it becomes very hard and can last for years if kept dry.

     Hardtack was eaten in various ways. One could have jam, fat, lard or anything spreadable on it and it can be eaten like bread. However, oftentimes, the hardtack was so hard that it was impossible to chew. Hardtack could be crunched up by pounding it with a rifle butt or rock and placed in coffee or mixed in with bacon grease making a soggy goo called Skillygalee or Coosh. If sugar or berries were available they could be mixed in as well. Another treat was when the crushed hardtack was mixed in with a can of condensed milk to make what soldiers called Milk Toast.

     Soldiers often complained of the hardtack being moldy or infested with weevils, worms, or maggots. The mold came from either becoming wet after being opened or the baking company not allowing the hardtack to dry thoroughly before packaging. Soldiers would routinely tap their biscuits to knock out most of the weevils before eating. Another trick was to dunk hardtack in the hot water of coffee in order to chase out the bugs, which could then be removed from the cup with a spoon.

       One soldier, complaining about the infestation of his hardtack, said: "I threw it away three times but it kept walking back".

     “The only meat we get is the worms in the hard bread!” was another popular phrase heard around a camp.

     Hardtack was also known as "Tooth dullers," "sheet iron," or "molar breakers".

(Some information from Wikipeda Free Encyclopedia )

     Being a Civil War reenactor or living historian will require you to make hardtack. There are many different receipts out there, but they all are pretty much about the same.

     Here is a receipt from a 1862 U.S. Army receipt book (using modern conveniences) you can use:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees
2. Grease the cookie sheets
3. Use these ingredients:
• 5 cups unbleached flour
• 1 tablespoon baking soda (optional)
• 1 tablespoon (6 pinches) salt
• 1 to 1 1/2 cup of water
4. In a bowl, combine all these ingredients. Add the water slowly and last while mixing all the ingredients. The dough should be be somewhat stiff but still pliable and should not stick to your hands. Knead as long as needed. (Mixing is best done by hand.)
5. Roll the dough on a floured surface. The dough should be rolled to between 1/2” and 3/4” thick.
6. Cut the hardtack into 3” x 3” squares, or use a hardtack cutter (see tips below) to cut out the biscuits.
7. If you did not use a cutter, use a 10 penny nail to poke 16 holes in each biscuit. Poke them in 4 rows of 4 at even intervals and make sure they go all the way through the biscuits.
8. Place biscuits on the greased cookie sheets about 3/4” apart. They will not rise much, but you want room to flip them over.
9. Bake your hardtack for 20 minutes then flip all the biscuits over. Bake for another 20 - 30 minutes or until lightly brown. You can adjust your baking time as needed. The longer you bake your hardtack, the harder it will be.
10. Remove the hardtack from the cookie sheets and let it cool. Store it in a dry, cool place.

Tips:

• Don’t store your hardtack in a sealed plastic bag or in the refrigerator. The moisture will mold it, making it inedible.
• If you are displaying your hardtack at a living history, don’t let folks eat it. If they chip a tooth, you’ll find yourself in trouble.
• Baking your hardtack for a lower amount of time will make it softer. You may want to make a batch of hardtack that is softer to eat in the field.
• Buy a hardtack cutter. These make consistent and proper biscuits and cuts down your baking time substantially. Cutters can be purchased for a reasonable amount from many Civil War sutlers. (See the sutlers section on our links page: Sutler Links)
• Making hardtack is a good winter “downtime” activity. Call up your mess mates and get together for a hardtack party. Make enough to get you through the upcoming season. That way you only have to clean up all the flour once a year!
• Reproduction hardtack boxes make great carrying boxes for your gear and look good sitting around the camp.

See more Living History tips on the 19th U.S. Living History Page .

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