Survival biscuits/hardtack

Food, Nutrition and Agriculture
jeebus
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Survival biscuits/hardtack

Post by jeebus »

Hi all,

Although the method of storing what we eat and rotating stock works for us, I have always liked the idea of having a stash of long-term survival food in the house as well. Survival/lifeboat bisuits seem ideal but they are very expensive. So I started looking into hardtack which I believe is very similar.

My plan is to regularly make a batch of hardtack (once a week or fortnight), and store the batches in those cheap plastic containers that takeway food often comes in - https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Food-Storage ... containers

These containers will then be placed in larger containers such as these:
https://www.qdstores.co.uk/products/cle ... GwodvgoPag

The above containers when filled can then be stored under beds, in the back of wardrobes and in other family member's houses etc.

I have never made or tried hardtack before. I don't expect it to taste particularly nice, but that isn't an issue because it would only be used in the worst case scenario - ie when all other preps have run out.

Obviously I wouldn't expect this hardtack to last indefinitely, but would it last for a good few years? And are the containers mentioned airtight enough to prevent mould and weavils etc?

Any advice would be welcome, and so would any recommended hardtack recipes/tips.

Thanks
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Jamesey1981
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Re: Survival biscuits/hardtack

Post by Jamesey1981 »

There's a recipe here for ships biscuits, the forerunner of hardtack, pretty much the same thing but hard tack is what they called it during the American civil war and the name has stuck.https://youtu.be/FyjcJUGuFVg nice YouTube channel this one, lots of 18th century recipes.

Just FYI, the life raft rations are nothing like hard tack, they're more like slightly greasy shortbread and and have vitamins added to them, so they're sweet rather than savoury and designed to be eaten with minimal water, I think hard tack or ships biscuits without plenty of water would be pretty grim.
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Mortblanc
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Re: Survival biscuits/hardtack

Post by Mortblanc »

I was once the administrator of a small local museum and we had some hard tack on display that was left from our Civil War (1861-1865).

It was wrapped in waxed paper and the bread itself appeared in better condition than the wrappers after 150 years. I suspected that it was still eatable, but did not dare try.

It was always said that the hard tack was best prepared by smashing the biscuit with the steel covered butt-stock of one's rifle, being careful not to break the rifle in the process, then soaking the bits in boiling coffee for several minutes until soft. If one did not follow this procedure it was likely that broken teeth would be the result.
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Jamesey1981
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Re: Survival biscuits/hardtack

Post by Jamesey1981 »

It probably was perfectly edible still.

Here's Steve1989mreinfo eating a piece of civil war era hardtack. :)
https://youtu.be/Ga5JrN9DrVI
That is not dead which can eternal lie, and with strange aeons even death may die.
jansman
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Re: Survival biscuits/hardtack

Post by jansman »

Jamesey1981 wrote:There's a recipe here for ships biscuits, the forerunner of hardtack, pretty much the same thing but hard tack is what they called it during the American civil war and the name has stuck.https://youtu.be/FyjcJUGuFVg nice YouTube channel this one, lots of 18th century recipes.

Just FYI, the life raft rations are nothing like hard tack, they're more like slightly greasy shortbread and and have vitamins added to them, so they're sweet rather than savoury and designed to be eaten with minimal water, I think hard tack or ships biscuits without plenty of water would be pretty grim.
I keep a pack of the lifeboat biscuits (Seven Oceans) in my car emergency/ GHB type thingy.They won't melt or deteriorate in the car,and have ( now) a three year life.They are expensive if you are going to be guzzling them with coffee everyday ( although the calorific value is huge),but to stuff em in a get home bag to forget about until needed,the are great.
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Jamesey1981
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Re: Survival biscuits/hardtack

Post by Jamesey1981 »

I keep them in my car as well, and I have a few slabs at home in case my real food runs out.
Seven oceans also do packs of water with a very long shelf life, I carry normal water in the car but I have a few packs of the seven oceans stuff as it lasts years and can just live in there until I really need it.
I quite like the biscuits, but they do need a hot drink with them ideally, they leave your mouth feeling a bit oily, needs tea to wash it down.
That is not dead which can eternal lie, and with strange aeons even death may die.
jansman
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Re: Survival biscuits/hardtack

Post by jansman »

Jamesey1981 wrote:I keep them in my car as well, and I have a few slabs at home in case my real food runs out.
Seven oceans also do packs of water with a very long shelf life, I carry normal water in the car but I have a few packs of the seven oceans stuff as it lasts years and can just live in there until I really need it.
I quite like the biscuits, but they do need a hot drink with them ideally, they leave your mouth feeling a bit oily, needs tea to wash it down.
No problem,I have a dragon stove and brew kit all packed away in the bag! :lol:
In three words I can sum up everything I have learned about life: It goes on.

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Covid 19: After that level of weirdness ,any situation is certainly possible.

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Jamesey1981
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Re: Survival biscuits/hardtack

Post by Jamesey1981 »

Brew kit is the most important thing in a car kit in my opinion, a hot drink really cheers you up if you're broken down or stuck.
That is not dead which can eternal lie, and with strange aeons even death may die.
ForgeCorvus
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Re: Survival biscuits/hardtack

Post by ForgeCorvus »

I thought I should share this, sorry if its a bit massive
Hardtacks
Version 1

350 grams Unbleached AP White Flour
100 grams Whole Wheat Flour
200 grams Water
2 tsp Sea Salt
Preheat your oven to 300F.
Add all of the ingredients to a bowl, and mix with a spoon until they come together as a dough.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured pastry board and knead it for about five minutes, until all the ingredients are thoroughly mixed and you’re starting to get some gluten development. Then form the dough into a ball, cover with plastic wrap, and allow it to rest for fifteen to twenty minutes to let the flour finish hydrating.
At the end of that time, give the dough a couple of light kneads, then divide it in half. In turn, with each half, use a lightly floured rolling pin to roll the dough out until it’s about a third of an inch thick. Use a biscuit cutter (or the lip of a glass) to cut the dough into three-inch rounds, and move the rounds to parchment-lined cookie sheets.
With a serving fork, perforate each uncooked biscuit all across its surface in straight rows. Then bake for an hour, turn the heat off in the oven, and allow the biscuits to sit inside for a second hour while the oven cools.
This should make about two dozen biscuits in all. Stored in airtight containers, they should last just about forever. And the recipe can easily be doubled, tripled, or even quadrupled if your plan is to provision a long sea voyage or a post-apocalyptic bunker.


Version 2

3 cups of white flour
2 teaspoons of salt
1 cup of water

Here’s how to make hardtack:
1. Preheat your oven to 375°.
2. Mix the flour and salt in a bowl.
3. Gradually mix in the water until you form a dough that doesn’t stick to your hands.
4. Use a rolling pin to flatten the dough into a square. Make sure it’s no more than half an inch thick.
5. Cut the dough into 9 squares.
6. Using a nail, make a 4×4 grid of holes in each piece.
7. Put the pieces on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 30 minutes.
8. Turn the squares over and bake for another 30 minutes.
9. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

Ideally, the hardtack should be just a little brown on each side. Adjust the baking time if necessary. Once it’s cool, it should almost be hard as rock.

Each piece is about 150 calories.


Version 3

Traditional Hardtack
6 cups flour
1 cup water
Preheat oven to 375°F. (190°C.)
Mix flour and water together in a bowl. Place the water in the bowl, and slowly add in flour while stirring constantly, until the mixture becomes too thick to stir, at which point enough flour has been added.
Knead dough and roll out until it is 1/2" (1cm.) thick.
Using a pizza cutter, cut the dough into 3"x3" (7cm. x 7cm.) squares.
Poke four rows of four holes in the cracker using a skewer stick.
Lay the crackers out on an ungreased cookie sheet.
Place in oven and bake for 30 minutes.
Remove from oven, flip crackers over, and bake for another 30 minutes.
Take crackers out when they are a light golden brown. Let the crackers cool for 30 minutes before eating.

Version 4

1 lb flour
1/2 pint water
1/2 tablespoon sea salt
Measure out the flour and place in a mixing bowl
Add the sea salt to the flour and mix
Add the water and mix until you have a dough, kneading the dough until all the flour is absorbed (it should be a thick, shiny, stiff mix)
Roll the dough out until fairly thin
Cut the biscuit shapes using a cup rim
Place on a baking tray and prick all over to let out any air when cooking
Bake slowly at only a moderate heat  (A moderate heat is 350°C, 177°°F, Gas 4 )until golden
brown (30-40 minutes - the time will depend on thickness of the biscuits). The biscuits should be dry right through or they might go mouldy when you take them to sea.
Turn off the oven and leave to cool. Store in a dry place until needed.

Version 5

2 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups unbleached white flour
1⁄2-1 teaspoon salt
1 1⁄2 cups water
Stir together dry ingredients in bowl.
Add water gradually and stir until combined; knead in bowl for 5 minutes.
Let rest for 10 minutes.
Roll out to 1/2 inch thickness on greased baking sheet: score into sections at 3 inch intervals, and prick liberally with a fork.
Bake at 325 degrees for 50 minutes, break into pieces along scored lines, and let cool on rack.

Version 6
2 cups of flour
¾ cup water
¾ teaspoon of salt
Mix all the ingredients into a dough and press onto a cookie sheet to a thickness of ½ inch.
Bake in a preheated oven at 400°F (205°C) for half an hour. Don't cut now
Remove from oven, cut dough into 3-inch squares, and punch four rows of holes, four holes per row into the dough (a fork works nicely).
Flip the crackers and return to the oven for another half hour.
I can't remember which one I tried, but the basic rules are make your mix as dry as possible and cook them low & slow.

I have some German ration bars, like these. I chose them because the price was good, they're Veggie/Vegan friendly and they have Tea included ;)
Image

Sometime soon I'll get some more and use the older box (still good until June 2024) for a taste test
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jansman
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Re: Survival biscuits/hardtack

Post by jansman »

Thanks for the recipes! :D
In three words I can sum up everything I have learned about life: It goes on.

Robert Frost.

Covid 19: After that level of weirdness ,any situation is certainly possible.

Me.