idris
04-29-2008, 06:29 PM
This is how I go about these things.
Hardtack
2 Cups Stone Ground Flour, or a mix of flours.
1 cup water
Shortening [optional]
Combine the flour and water. mix smoothly. Sprinkle some flour on a smooth surface and roll the dough flat until it is 1/4 inch thick. Cut biscuits out with a can or a glass making each biscuit about 3-4 inches in diameter; or, roll flat and cut into squares with knife. Poke holes into each biscuit with a fork. set in oven at 205C/95F. It should come out hard and dry.
Other possible ingredients: salt; other flours, including bean; dried wild greens {nettle, dandelion, &c}; carob powder.
Time: 35-45 minutes
Jerky
Cut very lean meat into quarter inch thick strips; remove all fat and render to tallow, by cutting up small and simmering in water: tallow will sit atop liquid.
Cut the steak into strips with the grain of the meat. It is very important to cut along the grain or the cooked meat will fall apart into small pieces; others say to cut across the grain for a tender result!
First day:
Hang strips on skewers in sun & wind to dry; at nightfall, beat them flat and take inside.
Second day:
Hang them out again; may take another day, but unlikely.
When beating them flat, various spices or additions or both can be added.
This can be shredded and mixed with tallow and ground, dried berries [optional], giving Pemmican.
Hardtack
2 Cups Stone Ground Flour, or a mix of flours.
1 cup water
Shortening [optional]
Combine the flour and water. mix smoothly. Sprinkle some flour on a smooth surface and roll the dough flat until it is 1/4 inch thick. Cut biscuits out with a can or a glass making each biscuit about 3-4 inches in diameter; or, roll flat and cut into squares with knife. Poke holes into each biscuit with a fork. set in oven at 205C/95F. It should come out hard and dry.
Other possible ingredients: salt; other flours, including bean; dried wild greens {nettle, dandelion, &c}; carob powder.
Time: 35-45 minutes
Jerky
Cut very lean meat into quarter inch thick strips; remove all fat and render to tallow, by cutting up small and simmering in water: tallow will sit atop liquid.
Cut the steak into strips with the grain of the meat. It is very important to cut along the grain or the cooked meat will fall apart into small pieces; others say to cut across the grain for a tender result!
First day:
Hang strips on skewers in sun & wind to dry; at nightfall, beat them flat and take inside.
Second day:
Hang them out again; may take another day, but unlikely.
When beating them flat, various spices or additions or both can be added.
This can be shredded and mixed with tallow and ground, dried berries [optional], giving Pemmican.