CAMP COOKING:

 

The 14th Tennessee is the only Confederate unit in .the NCWA that regularly eats historically accurate field rations, which helps explain why we always go for pizza and beer as soon as an event is over. Anyway, this section will give you some of our favorite(?) tried and true field recipes. First, a couple of general rules about Civil War cooking: When cooking over a fire,   the slower the better. It's better to have the fire too cool than too hot. Second, don't throw out your grease after frying bacon. You or someone else may need it later.

 

Saltpork:

This was THE most commonly issued meat in the war. It can be bought in grocery stores as either saltpork or sowbelly (usually saltpork). It looks somewhat like bacon, but with considerably more fat, and much saltier. The saltpork that was issued to the soldiers may of had more meat on it. Anyway, to cook it, sliie it into 1/4 inch slices, put it in your tin cup full of water, put it on the fire and let it boil for about 15 minutes. This gets a lot of the salt out of it. It can then be fried in a pan until brown, or cooked on your ramrod directly over the fire. Having tried both methods, I can attest to the fact that the ramrod method tastes better. However, if you need grease for another recipe, you will need to use the frying method.

Bacon:

Do not buy sliced bacon. Bacon in slabs can be bought in most grocery stores but is not always in stock. Keep your eyes open and whenever you see some, buy it and save it for the next event. You can also order it from a meat market. The good thing about bacon is that you do not have to boil it first, otherwise, it cooks the same way as saltpork. Incidentally, salt pork and slab bacon usually comes with the skin still on it. Just cut it off and throw it into the fire, or cook it down for the grease, or patch a hole in your shoe with it.