Recipe Name: Hardtack, Ship’s Bisquit, Ship’s Bread
Category: 18TH CENTURY
Serves: 1
SOURCE Modern adaptation of recipe from 18th century ship cooks log
4 Cup flour (prefer stone ground, whole wheat)
4 / Tsp. salt
Water (no more than 2 cups,
usually quite a bit less)
Pre-heat oven (375 degrees F. in modern, thermostat controlled oven)
Mix flour and salt together in bowl. Add just enough water to make the mixture stick together. Call it a VERY thick dough. Mix dough by hand. Roll out dough about 1/2" thick or so. Cut out squares roughly 3X3 inches, or whatever you think is convenient.
After cutting, use a fork, nail, awl or similar implement to press a pattern of holes into your dough. The idea is similar in appearance to modern crackers or pilot bread. Turn each square over and repeat the punching process.
Place on an ungreased cookie tin and bake for 30 minutes or so, then flip each piece over the bake for another 30 minutes, or until they are slightly browned on both sides.
When fresh, they are easily broken but after they’ve been allowed to cure for a while they become as hard and dry as bones. Don’t believe it? When my dog was given a piece of hardtack made with this recipe by a buddy of mine, she dashed off into the woods and buried it.