Food 200 years ago was not so much about variety, flavor or new experiences so much as survival.

As such, our ancestors and early American Pioneers ate what they could afford (which was not much) and what they could grow or gather; here are a few examples and some pioneer recipes!

Common Pioneer Foods

• Bread: The pioneers didn’t have packages of yeast. They usually made their bread with the “salt-rising” method. The bread dough was mixed in a kettle while they were traveling. Natural bacteria in the dough would make it rise. Then the dough was baked in the kettle over a campfire at night. Read more about it here.

• Cured Meat: Without refrigerators, meat was preserved either by smoke curing or salt curing. To salt cure meat, salt was rubbed into the meat. The meat was then covered with salt for about 1 month, during which time more salt was continuously added. Bacon was a particular favorite of the pioneers.

• Cornmeal, dried corn: The pioneers brought along dried corn and would grind it into meal to make cakes and breads.

• Eggs: Pioneers on the Oregon Trail did bring chickens along in crates tied to the backs of their wagons. However, it is doubtful that they laid eggs in the bumpy, stressful conditions. Eggs were mostly used in pioneer recipes once they got settled.

• Rabbits, squirrels and small game: These could be easily hunted along the way.

• Squash: Squash, such as pumpkins, don’t spoil quickly and can also be found growing in the wild. The pioneers would make mashes and cakes out of them.

• Dried fruit: To dry fruit, pioneers would lay the sliced fruit out in the sun.

• Tubers (potatoes, turnips, etc.): These were also a pioneer favorite because they lasted a long time without spoiling. Tubers could also be foraged easily on the frontier.

Pioneer Recipes

Hardtack

Also called “sea biscuit,” hardtack was eaten by pioneers, sailors, and soldiers during war. It is made of flour and water which are mixed together and baked for a long time in an oven. During bad times, the pioneers often had nothing to eat but hardtack dipped into coffee.

Hoecake

Pioneers brought along dried corn because it didn’t spoil. They could grind it into meal to make biscuits or “cakes.” For hoecake, mix the following ingredients and fry on skillet:
• 2 cups corn meal
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tbs shortening

Mormon Gravy

Gravy was slathered on top of vegetable pies, bread, or potatoes. It added much-needed flavor and moisture to the bland, dry food. To make it:
• Heat up skillet with 3-4 tbsp of meat drippings
• Add 3 tbsp of flour; stir constantly while browning the flour
• Remove from heat and add 2 cups of milk; stir
• Return to heat, stir constantly until mixture is smooth and thick
• Season with salt and pepper
Butterless, Eggless, Milkless Cake
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup cold water
• 1 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/3 cup shortening
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp cloves
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda dissolved in 2 tbsp of hot water
• 2 cups flour
• ½ tsp baking powder

To make, boil the first 8 ingredients (sugar through salt) together for a couple minutes. Then add theh baking soda, flour, and baking powder. Bake in a flat pan at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

Most of these recipes and food seem kind of normal, but often pioneers had to make due or do without.

In a hardcore survival setting, that would be the reality many of us faced once our food stores ran down to nothing.

To learn more about pioneer food, including how to incorporate that into an overall survival plan, check out Primal Survival.