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Preserved Foods
Hardtack Biscuits
The soldier's bread — 5 ingredients, 5-year shelf life, pure calorie density.
Easy👥 Serves 12⏱ Prep: 10 min🔥 Cook: 30 min⚡ 150 kcal/serving📦 Shelf: 5+ years (dry, sealed)
Equipment
- ▸Oven or covered campfire Dutch oven
- ▸Mixing bowl
- ▸Rolling pin or bottle
- ▸Baking sheet or flat pan
- ▸Nail or fork
Ingredients
- 2 cupsall-purpose flour
- 1 tspsalt
- ½ cupwater (add more as needed)
Shelf-StableNo-RefrigerationHigh-CalorieHistoricalBaking
Instructions
1
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) or prepare campfire with even coals.
2
Mix flour and salt together. Add water gradually, mixing until a stiff dough forms — not sticky.
3
Roll dough to ¼-inch thickness on a flat surface.
4
Cut into 3×3 inch squares.
5
Poke rows of holes with a nail or fork through each biscuit (prevents puffing).
6
Bake 30 minutes, flip, bake another 30 minutes until completely dry and hard.
7
Cool fully before storing. Any moisture = mold.
Field Tips
- The biscuits should sound hollow when tapped — any softness means more baking time.
- Soak in water, coffee, or soup for 10 minutes before eating to soften.
- Frying in fat (hardtack and pork fat) was a Civil War staple — adds calories.
- Store in vacuum-sealed bags or tins with desiccant packets.
Variations
- ▸Add 1 tbsp sugar for slightly sweeter version
- ▸Use whole wheat flour — denser but more nutritious
- ▸Crumble into soups or stews as a thickener
Storage Notes
Once fully dried, pack in airtight tins or vacuum seal bags. Store away from moisture and heat. Properly dried hardtack found in Civil War-era museums is still technically edible.