Hardtack

Agree Silas, when doing confederate I use cornmeal, and make them in the field style methods.

Mr. Biederman is correct about the method for making salt pork. He is also correct by saying DO NOT use iodized salt. If you do the end result will be a piece of pork so salty that no amount of soaking or boiling will render it useful. I recommend using Morton's canning salt. I have used it for making salted pork and salted beef for several years and have great results.

I got this from one of the people who made the corntack. I kind of enjoyed it, but then again, I'll greedily eat some foods in the field that I wouldn't eat at home.

Quote:

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Two cups Rye flour,
Three and one half cups corn meal,
Half cup of melted pure lard,
Two tablespoons baking soda, and
One tablespoon salt.

Mix in all the above with enough water to make the stuff look about like cement. Pour on a bread pan and roll about one half inch thick. Cut with a greasy hardtack cutter and bake at 350 for about 45 Min.

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I want to thank everyone for their help and suggestion on what they know works great for them. I will begin experimenting with hardtack, cornmesh, and salted pork/beek. Want to try and get the most authentic rations possible.

We learned from bitter experience, that after you finish baking your hardtack, you must let it cool and cool and cool down. We thought after 3 or 4 hours that we were good to go. Didnt take 2 days for it to adapt a very period looking mold on it. The next batch, we laid out for several days. That stuff is now 4 years old and still quite edible.............well, again, as edible as very hard period hard bread can be. The stuff will last alright, right down to the weavels in it now and again!!!!