Hardtack was a simple flour biscuit issued to Union soldiers throughout the war. Hardtack crackers made up a large portion of a soldier’s daily ration. It was square or sometimes rectangular in shape with small holes baked into it, and similar to a large soda cracker. When freshly baked, they were quite tasty and satisfying. Baked in northern factories, they usually did not get to the soldiers until months after they had been made. They were very hard by that time; so hard that soldiers called them “tooth dullers” and “sheet iron crackers”. Packed into large wooden crates, the soldiers were usually allowed six to eight crackers for a three-day ration. There were a number of ways to eat them- plain or prepared with other ration items. Soldiers would crumble them into coffee or soften them in water and fry the hardtack with some bacon grease. One favorite dish was fried pork with hardtack crumbled into the mixture. Called “skillygallee”, it was a common and easily prepared meal. Would you like to try some hardtack? It’s easy to make and here’s the recipe:
2 cups of flour
3/4 to 1 cup water
1 tbl spoon of Crisco or vegetable fat
6 pinches of salt
Mix ingredients together into a stiff batter, knead several times, and spread the dough onto a baking sheet at a thickness of 1/2 inch. Bake for one-half an hour at 400 degrees. Remove from oven, cut dough into 3-inch squares, and punch four rows of holes, four holes per row into the dough. Turn dough over, return to the oven and bake another one-half hour. Turn oven off, leaving door closed. Leave the hardtack in the oven until cool. Remove and enjoy! (And make sure your parents try some!)