This hardtack recipe is very easy to make. As you probably know, hardtack is a survival bread & historic settler food with an extremely long shelf life. If properly stored, hardtack can last for years. Hardtack has been used for centuries and was a historic mainstay for pioneers, settlers, sailors & soldiers when traveling on long journeys. Visit BreadDad.com for more great homemade bread recipes.
2CupsAll Purpose Flour- 240 grams - Do not use self-rising flour
3/4CupWater- 175 milliliters
1 1/2TeaspoonsSalt- 9 grams - Optional but salt acts as a natural preservative. See tips section below.
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Mix the flour, water and salt in a bowl.
After mixing completely, the dough should be a little dry (and not stick to your fingers).
If your mix is still too sticky, you can add more flour in small increments until the dough is dry enough.
Use a roller to spread out the dough on a counter, large cutting board, etc. until it reaches a thickness of roughly 1/3 to 1/2 inches.
To prevent sticking to the counter or cutting board, you should spread a little flour on the surface before rolling the dough. Also spread a little flour on top of the dough to prevent the roller from sticking to the dough.
Cut the dough into squares (i.e. 3 inch squares). You can create square hardtack “biscuits” by cutting the dough horizontally & vertically on a large cutting board.
Poke narrow holes in the hardtack biscuits with a chopstick or fork. The holes should go all the way through to the other side of the hardtack. This prevents the hardtack from puffing up.
Place the hardtack biscuits on a baking sheet/tray.
Put the baking sheet into the oven and bake for 30 minutes at 375 F. Wear oven mitts.
Flip the hardtack over with a spatula and bake for another 30 minutes. Wear oven mitts.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Wear oven mitts. Then use a spatula to remove the hardtack from the baking sheet. Place the hardtack biscuits on a cooling rack in order to cool down.
When completely cooled, place the hardtack in an airtight container.
Notes
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