Hardtack
8th Graders Sample Civil War Food
by Aaron Lauby
May 01, 2008
Hardtack is the cracker-like biscuit made of flour, salt and water and was one of the most common foods eaten by soldiers during the Civil War. Many soldiers complained of the hardness by saying they were hard enough to stop a bullet. They would also sometimes call them “teeth-dullers,” which at times had to be broken with a rifle stock to prepare for eating. Soldiers sometimes softened the pieces by soaking them in coffee, frying them in grease, or crumbling them up into a broth.
Recipes vary but the basic ingredients are: flour, salt, and water. Dissolve salt in water and work into flour with your hands. Dough should be firm and flexible, not sticky or too dry. Flatten onto a baking sheet to about 1/4 inch thick, and cut into squares. Bake in oven until edges are brown or dough is hard.
