been makeing this 4 my 12yr son 4 about 4yrs we both luv it . he just ask on turkey day when we was gonna make more .and he now helps to make it . start em young and the will want to learn the ways of our forfathers.

I know this may sound like a dumb question, but after reading quite a bit about Hart Tack - isn't it basically a rock solid chunk of flour ?

Could it not at some time in the future be ground back down to a powder and used as regular flour would? Or does mixing it with some water and baking it change the whole thing?

Also while on the subject, could some type of ground up flavoring be added like cinnamon or other finely ground spices? Would that make it less long term storable?

Regards,
Rob

wireless wrote:Updated for an oven? what was it originally cooked in/on? A big rock beside the mammoth in the fire?

http://www.grandarmyofthefrontier.org/a ... rdtack.htm

http://kenanderson.net/hardtack/recipes.html

SOME VARIATIONS I FOUND

A childhood ration of seafaring tales many of which described long voyages endured on a diet of hardtack-left me with ambivalent feelings about the long-time staple food. It was a pleasant surprise, then, to discover an old Swedish recipe that's both fast and easy . . . and produces delicious hardtack as well. What's more, one batch will make eight 12-inch-diameter discs which are great served "hot from the pan" with butter and make very convenient snacks to enjoy while camping or backpacking, too.

PLAIN OL' HARDTACK

To make a basic hardtack, mix 2-1/2 cups of old-fashioned oatmeal, 3 cups of unbleached flour, 1-112 teaspoons of salt, and 1 teaspoon of baking soda in a large bowl. Then, in a separate container, add 11/2 cups of buttermilk (or soured powdered milk mix) and 3 tablespoons of honey to 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons of melted bacon or sausage drippings . . . and combine this mixture with the dry ingredients. When the dough is thoroughly mixed, form it Into eight balls of equal size and roll each one out on a floured board (the thickness will depend on the size of your pans). Use a pegged rolling pin if such a (tool is available . . . if not, a standard rolling pin, jar, or large drinking glass will do. '

Transfer each circle to a lightly greased pizza pan, and pat and smooth the dough to fit. A meat tenderizing tool can be used to stipple-or dent-a pattern in the surface at this point if a pegged rolling pin wasn't used ... and you can mark the "pie" into squares, diamonds, or triangles with a regular pizza cutter, if desired.

Put the pans in the oven for 5-1/2 minutes at 450°F. Timing is crucial: The resulting "way bread" should be dry, but browned only around the edges.

When you remove your finished hardtack from the oven, let it stand for a moment .. . then use a pancake turner to place the discs on wire racks to cool, and put your next batch on the pans. (The pizza sheets will not need to be regreased to bake subsequent discs of dough.)

Finally, the hearty flatbreads should be stored in tightly covered containers to keep them crisp.

RYE OR WHOLEWHEAT HARDTACK

Substitute 2 cups of rye flour-or 2 cups of whole wheat flour-for 1 cup of the oatmeal and 1 cup of the unbleached flour called for in the basic recipe. You can please your taste buds with a variety of spices, too: Perhaps 1/2 teaspoon of garlic salt in the rye mixture or 3/4 teaspoon of caraway seeds and 314 teaspoon of sesame seeds in the whole wheat mix might produce a hardtack that your palate finds particularly appealing.

BUCKWHEAT-MILLET HARDTACK

You might want to experiment by substituting 1 cup of buckwheat groats (kasha) for 1 cup of the basic recipe's oats, and 1 cup of millet (uncooked) for 1 cup of the unbleached flour . . . then adding 1/4 teaspoon more salt and spices as desired. The result will be a bit moist, as millet doesn't absorb liquid. (If you'd like a drier bread, compensate by mixing in an additional 112 cup of unbleached flour.)

SUNFLOWER NUT HARDTACK

For extra-crunchy hardtack, try using 1 cup of sunflower seeds (chopped) instead of 1 cup of the oatmeal called for in the basic recipe. (You can make the same substitution in the rye or whole wheat mixtures.)

CORNMEAL HARDTACK

Replace 1 cup of the unbleached flour and 1 cup of the oatmeal included in the basic recipe with a total of 2 cups of cornmeal. Or, if you're basing your conversion on the rye or whole wheat variations, you can simply let 2 cups of cornmeal replace 1 cup of rye (or 1 cup of whole wheat) and one cup of the remaining unbleached flour.

"Any way you mix it, you'll find hardtack - which was once the traditional army/ navy ration-to be a handy, hearty treat that's always nice to have around!"

GOD BLESS AMERICA AND ALL WHO DEFEND HER !

Ah good ole ironplate biscuits.

Im glad someone came in and posted it with the baking soda. Don't have to twice bake it that way.

Throw some of that in your pack along with beef cubes and ya have yourself a light meal.