 A preserved hardtack from the U.S. Civil War, Pensacola Museum of History, Florida | |
| Alternative names | ANZAC wafers, brewis, cabin bread, dog biscuit, molar breakers, pilot bread, sea biscuit, sea bread, sheet iron, ship's bisket, shipbiscuit, tooth dullers, worm castles |
|---|---|
| Type | Cracker (American English) or biscuit (British English) |
| Main ingredients | Flour, water |
Hardtack (or hard tack) is a type of dense cracker made from flour, water, and sometimes salt. Hardtack is inexpensive and long-lasting. It is used for sustenance in the absence of perishable foods, commonly during long sea voyages, land migrations, and military campaigns.[1] Along with salt pork and corned beef, hardtack was a standard ration for many militaries and navies from the 17th to the early 20th centuries.[2]
- ^ "Hardtack". Encyclopedia Virginia. Retrieved 2023-03-11.
- ^ Cook, Alexander (2004). "Sailing on The Ship: Re-enactment and the Quest for Popular History". History Workshop Journal. 57 (57): 247–255. doi:10.1093/hwj/57.1.247. hdl:1885/54218. JSTOR 25472737. S2CID 194110027.