Hard Tack!!!

[Jason]

Hi Everyone,

By reading further ye accept all risk yourself, for any tragedy that may befall ye or any other, as a result of preparing or attempting to consume the provisions here describ'd.   ie: Eat at your own risk, these suckers are rock hard, don't break a tooth by trying to eat one that in it's cooled dried state, author not responsible for broken teeth!

Having read about Hard Tack in so many books and novels about the Age of Sail, along with an interest in non-perishable food that is good for stowing aboard, has led me to make some Hard Tack to experience myself what it's all about.   I can confirm that it is too hard to be reasonably edible without being saturated or ground up first.  In it's dry state, it has more in common with a ceramic tile than a piece of bread; even makes a clinking noise when you bang two pieces together.   If you soak it in coffee you can start to break pieces off and it's not bad.  If it is kept dry it will not go bad, so they say.  I made a batch this evening, and I think it'll be a staple on my boat on trips along with the Salt Cod that we started eating last year.

Hard Tack Recipe:
1.  Measure out 3 cups of refined white flour and 2 teaspoons of salt into a bowl
2.  Slowly mix in a cup of water
3.  With a rolling pin, roll the dough into a rectangle that is 1/2" thick.
4.  Cut the dough rectangle into 9 pieces and poke each piece 16 times with a nail in a 4 x 4 pattern of holes, see photo below of dough before baking
5.  Put the pieces on an un-greased pan, and in an oven that has been preheated to 375degF for 30minutes
6.  Flip them over and put em back in for another 30 minutes
7.  Let cool completely
8.  Experience a taste of yesteryear!



There is a traditional Newfoundland Cod and Hard Tack recipe called Fish and  Brewis , that I will be making using the Hard Tack.  Recipes below.

http://saltjunk.com/?page_id=14139

http://ifood.tv/fish/368131-newfoundland-fish-and-brewis

Happy Sailing!

-Jason


Jason Talbot
Wisconsin USA
1981 Compac 16

[crazycarl]

years ago, my wife would eat hard tack as a snack.

never did like it much myself.

CC

[Duckie]

Say, didn't you leave out the half a cup of class five gravel?

Al

[Tim Gardner]

Good one, Al!

[NateD]

I made some a few years ago, left it in a ziploc bag in the cupboard for a year. It was just as *cough* delicious a year later as it was when it was fresh. I think I rolled mine out a little thinner than yours, which made it easier to eat without soaking first.

[HeaveToo]

Aren't you supposed to have salt pork with that.  Oh, you can't forget about the grog ration!  Lol

[Duckie]

When I was a kid, we knew that it was seriously time to come out  of the woods when we were down to hard tack and bullion cubes.

Al