3/4 lb of pork "or" bacon "or" 1 1/4 lb's of salt or fresh beef
1 lb 6 oz of fresh bread or flour "or" 1 lb of hardtack "or" 1 1/4 lb's of cornmeal
Shared among each Company (100 men):
15 lb's of beans "or" peas
10 lb's of rice "or" hominy
10 lb's of green coffee beans "or" 8 lb's of roasted beans "or" 1 1/2 lb's of tea
15 lb's of sugar
4 qt's of vinegar
3 lb's 10 oz's of salt
4 oz's of pepper
30 lb's of potatoes (when available)
1 qt of molasses
Recipe for Skillygalee
Soak several hardtack in cold water, and then fry them in bacon grease in a hot skillet, adding salt to taste.
How to Cook Slab Bacon
Roasting
Place the slab bacon on the end of a stick, bayonet, or ramrod and place over a fire.
Frying
Place a piece of bacon in a skillet or canteen half. Add water as needed to avoid burning the bacon.
Boiling
Put a hunk of bacon in a cup of water and place on a fire. Keep on fire until the bacon is cooked through.
** Slab bacon can "keep" for 2 or 3 days without refrigeration
Recipe for Corn Pone
Add corn meal and water to bacon grease. Make a dough from the mixture and place in a skillet on coals and cover.
How to Cook Potatoes
Potatoes can be fried in grease, boiled in a cup of water, or placed in hot camp fire coals.
Authentic food selection, storage, and preparation will enhance any living history event. With a little practice any soldier can become proficient at period cooking. We have listed some ration suggestions as well as a few period recipes you can try during your next event.
How to Cook Rice
Be sure to use natural (unprocessed) rice during your living history event. Add water and rice in cup and boil until tender then add molasses.
Food Storage
It is important to use period storage for your rations. That means no modern day plastic bags, aluminum foil, or plastic wrap. Rations should be stored in poke sacks, wrapped in muslin, or wrapped in huck towels. Brown paper can be used but was in short supply in the Confederacy.
Foraged Foods
Eggs
Spring Onions
Apples
Corn on the cob
Peaches and Cherries
Chickens
Beef, Pork, and Ham
Salt Pork
Cover a crock with 1 1/2 inches of salt and put pork (with lean meat removed) on their cut edges in the salt. Pack tightly and cover with 1 1/2 inches of salt. Repeat until all the pork is in then cover with a final layer of salt. Make a brine of water with as much salt that will dissolve and still leave the brine liquid. Pour over final layer of salt several inches and allow to soak for several days keeping container tightly covered. Use as needed.
