In a long-term grid-down scenario, we’re going to end up living our lives the way our ancestors did. We’re going to need to learn to raise our own livestock, grow our own food, and learn to preserve food so that it lasts without needing preservation. That’s why I rely on my hardtack recipe to provide carbohydrates and calories in a scenario where I don’t have have access to a refrigerator.
Is hardtack soft, delicious, and savory? Haha nope. Sorry. Hardtack is basically inedible on it’s own; it’s not like bread. It has to be soaked in liquid for about 10 minutes to soften enough to make it edible. You could, no exaggeration, crack a tooth on it if you weren’t careful.
Hardtack lasts a ridiculously long time if you keep it dry, although you’ll want to store it in an air-tight container to make sure that various pests don’t get at it.
Hardtack is light, which also makes it perfect for your bug-out bag, as long as you have liquid to soak it in to make it edible.
But don’t just take my word for it…variations of the hardtack recipe have been around for thousands of years.
History of Hardtack
Egyptian mariners ate a version of hardtack called dhourra cake. Romans brought a hardtack biscuit called buccellum with them on their marches throughout the empire. Veni, Vidi, Cenavi Hardtack, the soldiers might have said. (That’s ancient Latin for ‘I came, I saw, I hate hardtack.’) Ok, ok, it doesn’t have the same ring as Veni, Vidi, Vici (I came, I saw, I conquered), but it definitely describes what happened on their long treks.
Civil war soldiers ate – and loathed – a steady diet of hardtack biscuits, which they called tooth-dullers.
The Pilgrims on the Mayflower survived on a diet that was largely hardtack, supplemented with heavily salted meat, and beer.
Why did all of these people around the world settle on a rock-hard biscuit as their food staple? Because it is nutritious enough to provide needed energy and to fill up bellies, and because, again, it keeps forever without spoiling as long as it is not exposed to moisture.
The Health Benefits of Carbohydrates
Carbs have a bad rap these days, but healthy carbs are a vital part of everyone’s diet. Carbohydrates are broken down into glucose, which provides the body with energy. High-fiber carbohydrates help keep you regular, and also help lessen the risk of diabetes and heart attacks.
Why Does Hardtack Last So Long?
The bacteria which makes food spoil needs moisture to feed on, and the hardtack recipe calls for the moisture to be baked right out of it.
That’s why it’s so important to keep moisture out of the hardtack until it’s ready to eat.
Here’s My Super-Simple Hardtack Recipe
You’ll feel like a pioneer in no time! And if you want to dress up and cosplay Laura Ingalls from Little House on the Prairie, no judgement here.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup Water
- 2 cups of whole wheat flour (I always use whole wheat rather than white because it’s higher fiber, and it has more nutrients)
- 1 teaspoon salt – adds a little flavor, and also salt acts as a preservative
- Chopstick or clean nail to punch holes in the dough.
- Knife for cutting the dough into squares
- Tinfoil
- Baking sheets
Equipment:
- Rolling pin
- Cutting board
- Bowl
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line the baking sheets with tinfoil.
1.) Combine the water and flour and salt in a bowl, until you have a firm dough. Add more water if needed, but only enough to make the dough workable. The point of this recipe is to have as little moisture as possible.
2.) Once the dough mixture is thoroughly mixed, roll it out flat to about 1/2 inch thickness. Cut it into 3 x 3 inch squares. Punch little holes, in rows, in each square. This helps the hardtack cook more evenly and thoroughly and helps dissipate the moisture in the oven.
3.) Put the hardtack biscuits on the baking sheets. Cook for 1/2 hour on one side.
4.) Flip the biscuits over and cook them for another 30 minutes on the other side.
Remove from the oven and let cool completely. Store in an air-tight container.
Remember: when you are eating hardtack made with this recipe, you MUST soak it in liquid for a good ten minutes to soften it. I have hardtack biscuits with my soup. Soldiers used to soak their hardtack in coffee or tea or milk or even water, to make it edible. I know I keep harping on this, but…it’s all fun and games until someone cracks a tooth. And you definitely do not want to be in a post-apocalyptic scenario with no dentist available, with a cracked tooth and no way to treat it.
