Q&A for How to Make Hardtack

The soft hardtack normally does not last as long as the normal or "historical" one, so if you are going to do a long travel, it's better that you use the normal one.

Well the honey wouldn't go bad, but the moisture from it would most probably cause the other ingredients to grow mold. So probably only a few weeks/months. It'd be easier to just keep honey around for when you are ready to eat and just pour honey directly on then. If stevia were used in granulated, not liquid form, it should be the same as sugar but you'd need to experiment to see how it turns out––tell the wikiHow community how it turns out if you do try it!

Yes, it would matter. Using self-rising flour with water and salt (and maybe butter) would create a biscuit instead of a hardtack cracker.

Yes. Using whole grain flour would increase the authenticity. Hard tack would originally have been made with whole grain flour.

No. Cornmeal will give you something that doesn't resemble hardtack at all.

Yes, it will, but the grease is mostly used to soften the hardtack. It will not add much flavor until it gets soggy with the grease because the hard tack is so hard it takes a while to absorb the liquid.

It's impossible to say for sure, but you can find the traditional calorie counts for the ingredients (for example, a cup of flour is usually around 490 calories) and then divide the total by the number of pieces you're making.

To increase the protein, you can use very finely ground almonds for a more pleasant taste. Most seasonings that are already dried will work, too. Adding in sugar or other flavorings will work, but can lessen their shelf life.

No.

It's much shorter than the ordinary one. If you need something that can hold up, you should make the normal recipe. It seems that the soft one is mainly used as a quick snack.

It shouldn't really make a difference with the shelf-life.

Yes, but it may cause other ingredients to mold or decrease in shelf life.

Dried herbs won't affect the shelf life as they are completely dehydrated, unlike other flavorings such as sugar and honey.

The salt will attract moisture, which will lessen the shelf life.

Traditional hardtack does not have flavoring other than salt. It was not meant to be a flavorful food item.

No, it will come out as something not even close to hardtack, same with corn or any wheat substitute.

Not really. If the hardtack is kept dry, it lasts for decades, with or without salt. The reason that traditional hardtack doesn't have salt is that there was plenty of salt in most other foods provided to soldiers and sailors (like salt pork).

Yes, you can add oregano, basil, or other spices without affecting the shelf life.

It shouldn't meaningfully affect the shelf life, so long as the hard bread is fully dried.

The original hardtack was often made with well water, so it should work. Bleached flour will work, but the original was made using whole grain flour.

Estimates vary. It can last about a year.

No, any seasoning that is dry will work. So, you could use a variety of things of you wish, as long as the do not add any moisture to the biscuit. Use as much cinnamon as you wish!

Not on the shelf life aspect. The thing you have to think of most is moisture levels and anything that can go rancid by itself. If you add nuts, they can spoil. If you add honey, it adds more moisture. Sugars can easily attract bacterial growth if improperly stored. And so on. The main thing is, keep an eye on the big picture. Hardtack is the product of several hundred, if not thousands of years of trial and error. It's not a luxury food, it's a survival food.

No. Baking the tack is what makes it hard.

That would change the flavor of the hardtack. But you could at least try it to see if it works for you.

Hardtack is similar in nutrition to saltine crackers. It is high in carbohydrates, but very little in protein, vitamins, or minerals. People have survived on such a diet for weeks in dire situations, but it is not recommended.