making long term survival foods (Hardtack)

**Applejack** · 05-05-2012, 11:12 AM

for anyone who has not heard of hardtack, it was used back in bible days. Bread cannot be stored for long term, but you can make hardtack by baking flour into hardtack. It is easy to make.
Directiions:
Ingredients: 3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup water, and 1 teaspoon salt. that's it.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix the flour and salt together in a medium-sized bowl. then, add the water and stir it all together with a spoon. it will make a dry, very still dough.
Knead the dough using a cookie cutter or a clean can or cup, or cut out squares of dough using a knife.

use a fork to poke in several places in each piece, or make larger holes with a smll wooden dowel. Place the pieces of dough on a greased cookie sheet, and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until it has nice color.

Carefully take the hardtack out of the oven and set aside to cool.
be sure to soak the hardtack before attempting to eat it. it taste yummy with a nice warm bowl of soup.

Hardtack is very hard and this is why you must soak it before eating. Such as soaking in your soup, tea or water so it will soften up before sinking your teeth into it and breaking a tooth.

there are several ways you can make this and it will last for years like this.

you can make oatmeal hardtack
Rye or whole wheat hardtack
Buckwheat-millet hardtack
sunflower nut hardtack
Cornmeal hardtack
these are all great and cheaper to make than to buy

applejack

**Skyowl's Wife** · 05-05-2012, 12:11 PM

Don't forget pinole!

http://bookdome.com/outdoors/Camping...ted-Foods.html

**myakka** · 05-05-2012, 12:17 PM

Thanks! .

**Buggyout** · 05-05-2012, 12:39 PM

Hardtack is great stuff! I made a bunch a few years ago with my Pemmican recipe:

Pemmican

4 cups of jerky (Any kind)
2 cups of animal suet/lard or Peanut butter
2 cups of dried berries (I use blackberries)

Grind the jerky in a food processor. It should be near powder, with most of the fibers broken down. Next grind the berries. Melt your animal fat, rendering it. Mix in with the powdered jerky and berries. Spread in a cookie sheet and let dry. cut into blocks and store in plastic baggies. it'll last 8 months!

You can use all manner of dried fruit. You can add honey and salt, only don't add the salt until it has dried. Pemmican is an amazingly dense, SUPER-Nutritious food that has been used for thousands of years.

OH! Also, granola. That and honey will make it even more nutritious.

**Applejack** · 05-05-2012, 12:50 PM

not heard of this one. I will give it a try. Does sound good.
applejack

**Buggyout** · 05-05-2012, 01:15 PM

YES! it is good. This is what I carried when I was on long hikes. Pemmican and hardtack! Both can be eaten literally "on the run" . You can also make a great stew or soup out them both if you have the time for a fire. I think I'll make both today!

**Zeke** · 05-05-2012, 08:34 PM

U got me eager 2 make some and try it out. Have heard of hard tac but not the other one (pemmican)

Thanks, AppleJack and Buggyout

Zeke

**Beanie** · 05-05-2012, 11:03 PM

Thanks, simular to the recipe I have

Hard Bread

In bread machine put:

2 1/4 cups of water
1 tablespoon of salt
1/4 cup of sugar
5 cups of flour (I use 3 cups whole wheat and 2 cups white)
1 1/4 teaspoon of bread machine yeast

Start bread machine and take dough out prior to bake cycle
The dough will be shaped into two long ovals, generously flour the areas
in your pan where the dough will be - do not use butter or oil, as this
is hard bread for storage, fat is not recommended at all
Rise for 1/2 hour
Bake at preheated 375 degree oven for 35 minutes
Cool completely
Slice each loaf lengthwise, then slice each 1/2 loaf into 1 1/2 inch slices
Dry the slices on baking wracks in a 250 degree oven for 1 1/2 - 2 hours
or in dehydrator for 4 - 5 hours
Cool for 2 - 3 or hours
Store in paper bags for 1 year storage or less, or store in sealed buckets for longer

You may make this bread by hand and dissolve 2 tablespoons of active dry yeast in
90 - 105 degree water and then continue as you would traditional bread, knead for
10 - 15 minutes, first rise will be 1 1/2 hours, second rise will be 3/4 of an hour.

**Morgan101** · 05-09-2012, 03:23 PM

Applejack - Thanks. This looks like a good recipe. Very simple - my favorite. I like simple. A few questions:
How thich should the dough be when you place it on the cookie sheet?
How do you store it? Refrigerate? Freeze? Place in plastic bags?
How long does it last? When not frozen?
For the other flavors you suggest how much of the flavoring ingredients do you add to the others?

**Applejack** · 05-09-2012, 08:02 PM

Hello Morgan. Applejack here. when you make your dough it should be very dry, very stiff dough. Knead the dough on a floured surface until it is smooth. Roll the dough out until it's about 1/4 inch thick. You can cut out pieces of dough using a cookie cutter or a clean can or cup, or cut out squares of dough using a knife. to store it, you can put in a plastic bag or container and will keep a long long time. this does not need refrigeration.