RECIPES FROM THE CIVIL WAR

Have you imagined what soldiers ate during the Civil War? You can try these simple recipes at home.


Johnnie Cakes

2 cups cornmeal
2/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons vegetable oil or lard
2 teaspoonS baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Mix ingredients into a stiff batter and form eight biscuit-sized "dodgers". Bake on a lightly greased sheet at 350 degrees for twenty to twenty five minutes or until brown.


Ginger Cakes

3/4 cups shortening
1 cup sugar
1 beaten egg
1/4 cup molasses
2 tsp. soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger
2 cups flour

Mix shortening and sugar to combine. Add egg and molasses and mix well. Sift together the dry ingredients and add to the shortening mixture. Mix well. Roll into small balls then roll in sugar. Bake at 350 degrees for 7 - 10 minutes.


Chocolate Drink

2 cups chicken broth
1/2 tsp. plain cocoa powder
Tabasco to taste
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Combine the ingredients and heat.


Blackberry Tea

Dried Blackberry leaves
One cup of boiling water.

Steep for five to ten minutes


Onions and Apples

1qt of water
1/2 Pound salt pork or bacon
4 tart green apples
2 large onions

Cook diced salt pork until crisp, and set aside. Slice apples and onions into thin rings. Fry in salt pork fat until brown, add 1qt of water and cook until apples and onions are tender. Add in the salt pork, and season to taste.


Hardtack

2 cups of flour
34 cup of water
six pinches of salt

Mix together flour, water, and salt. Flatten dough to a uniform thickness of about 12 inch. Cut the dough into 3- or 4-inch squares. Poke four rows of four holes (16 holes in all) in each dough square. Bake on a baking sheet for 30 minutes at 400 degrees F. Turn dough over and bake for another 30 minutes. Let cool.


Cracklin' Bread

3/4 lb salt pork, rind removed, diced
2 c. cornmeal, yellow
1 tsp. salt
1 c. boiling water
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 c. buttermilk

Heat oven to 450 degrees F. Put salt pork in heavy skillet and cook at medium temperature until fat is rendered and meat bits are crispy. Pour fat through clean cloth into container for other use. Put cloth, which has caught the cracklin' meat bits, aside to cool. Mix cornmeal, salt, and 3 tbs. of the rendered fat in bowl. Pour in boiling water all at once and stir to moisten ingredients. Mix baking soda with buttermilk and add to bowl, stirring well. Finally, stir in cracklinis. Pour batter into greased skillet and pat down to level. Bake until brown, about 25 minutes.


Boiled Milk Rolls

1 qt half-and-half
1 qt flour
2 tsp. salt
2 tablespoons lard
1/3-1/2 c. homemade yeast
Butter or lard

Boil milk and cool. Stir in half the flour, all the yeast and salt, lard, and mix thouroughly until dough is too stiff to stir. Turn out on floured table and knead in additional flour until soft. Grease bowl, turn dough to grease top, and let rise in a warm place for 2 hours. Beat down and work in remaining flour until smooth. Mold into rolls and place in greased baking pan for second rise until doubled in size. Grease tops. Bake 15-20 minutes at 325 degrees.


Bean Pie

4 potatoes
1 two inch square of cheese
2 onions
1 standard can of baked beans
1 teaspoon of chilli powder

Roughly mash the potatoes. Grate the cheese and finely chop the onions. Mix together half of the grated cheese, the chopped onions , chilli and the potatoes. Pour the beans into the pie dish. Evenly spoon the potato mixture onto the beans and spread loosely - do not compact. Sprinkle the remaining grated cheese onto the top of the pie. Bake for 30 minutes at 400 F or until golden brown.


Pickeled Pigs Feet

Pig's feet
Salt
Strong vinegar
Pickling spices

Boil in salted water until tender. Pack into jars and pour over vinegar and pickling spices.


Beef Jerky

1-1/2 pounds of beef, preferably brisket Marinade:
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. seasoning salt
1/2 tsp. each - pepper, onion powder, garlic salt
1/4 cup each - soy sauce, Worcestershire

Slice lean boneless beef (such as brisket) into 1/8" strips, trimming fat. Cut with the grain for chewy jerky or across the grain for crumbly jerky. Lay strips on oven rack (use foil or pan underneath to catch drippings). Salt to taste. Dry in oven at lowest temperature (150 degrees), leaving door slightly ajar, for 8-12 hours. Turn several times for even drying. Taste test occasionally. For more seasoned flavor, marinate cut meat overnight in ingredients listed.


Swamp Cabbage Stew

green cabbage
stewed tomatos
salt pork
salt
pepper
cayenne pepper
onion
garlic

Cut up salt pork into chunks, fry in cast iron pot. Slice onions and cabbage. Fry in pot with salt pork. Add stewed tomatoes. Add spices to taste Cook on low heat for 4-5 hours.


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