[Nomad]

Pilot Bread or Hardtack good for soups, stews, chili and what ever else..
Came across this and thought it would be a good idea to take camping.
It stores a long time not like saltine crackers or as saltines break up.

http://preparednessadvice.com/food_storage/making-pilot-bread-or-hardtack/#.UrhXhk2x5cs

 

[huntinghawk]

Hardtack has been covered before.

 

[Mindfield]

I make South African Rusks instead, way better, and far more flavor.- http://www.food.com/recipe/south-african-rusks-11415

this recipe is the more fancy one, but they are darn filling, and this is the best recipe Ive found

 

[Nomad]

Found this on another site thought it was something to share.....

Drakenstead1 » Mon Dec 23, 2013 5:01 pm

There's a reason hardtack was called "Old Weevl's Wedding Cake". The stuff was usually crawling with the little buggers.
The Norske actually came up with a fairly edible and occasionally good version that is called "Knakebrot" (Hard Bread for the Norske Language impaired). The rye meal provides the often needed fiber for the long sea voyages of the Peace Loving Viking Explorers and Merchants as they set out on their mission to civilize the planet back in the 10th Century. A diet of cheese, hadafisk (sun dried cod), spekelar (Cured mutton), dried apples, onions, and such required the fiber to avoid the heartbreak of colon back-up.

In the interest of continuing the civilizing mission of my illustrious ancestors I am providing my Great Grand-Mor's version. She brought it across the Atlantic in the winter of 1852 sailing on a full gale in a wooden ship as her broomstick was in the shop.

1 Cup coarse Rye meal
1 Cup Whole Rye Flour
1 Tbs Sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
4 Tbs cold unsalted butter
1/2 Cup milk

Sift the dry ingredients and cut in the butter until the consistency of coarse meal is achieved. Stir in the milk until smooth.
Turn out onto a floured board and roll thin. Cut into rounds or oblong pieces and prick with a fork. Using a thimble punch half moon holes in a pattern over the pieces. Place on lightly greased baking sheet and bake in a "slow" oven for ten minutes. When cool stack wrap in foil or wax paper and store in an air-tight container.

This will keep for years but I caution you that you may be overcome with insatiable urges to attack and pillage English & Irish Villages or sail to Constantinople (Modern Istanbul or as we called it Miklgaard) and sack the city which ain't a half bad idea.Hunting Song of the Sea Wolves

Fear not the Red Flower
As it blooms in the snow
For it feeds our lives ever
Come drink it and grow

With each passing season
And each passing soul
Its scent the more lovely
Its breath the more cold

So come with me kindred
O come let us fly
They've reason to fear us
For love never diesUser avatar
Drakenstead1

 

[Earthquake]

I got a batch in the oven right now, I tried the recipe from the first post but I used garlic salt instead of regular salt, I think 375° is too hot as I have a little burning on a couple pieces so I backed it down to 250° for the second side. I cut mine about 2x3 so they would be easier to soak in a coffee cup, I looked at a couple of other recipes online and a couple showed using baking powder, what would that do, I thought BP would add a slight rise to the dough.
After the second side bake I think I will just turn the oven off and leave them there until it cools, that should dry them out.

Casey
I cant believe the things I stay up late for.

 

[Sweets]

I assume pilot bread is AKA pilot biscuit, which I've always been curious about.

 

[Earthquake]

I took my first batch out of the oven this morning, they are hard.
I left them in the oven over night and when I got up I took one and dropped it in my coffee, it took awhile to soften to the point where you could bite off a piece with out chewing on it like a dog with a bone. I put them in a colander to dry for a couple of days before I bag em up with the seal-a-meal.
I was wondering if you could grind them up back into flour, I know you can turn corn tortillas back into Masa.

Casey