CWDD: Cornmeal Hoecakes

[Jeremy Bevard]

Want to learn how to make a simple soldiers meal on a wood plank? In this episode we demonstrate making a very simple meal out of cornmeal which is documented to both the Union and Confederate soldier. The method we demonstrate is explained in an 1861 soldiers handbook and uses just a wood plank to bake on.

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Hoecakes - Vol. III, Episode 21

[LibertyHallVols]

Re: CWDD: Cornmeal Hoecakes

I enjoyed the episode!

Last year, I did a presentation for my son's class. A feature of my talk was an example of "1 Day's Rations" for a soldier from each side. So, we made some hoecakes at home!

Our's were "kitchen prepped", cooked in a skillet with bacon grease. They were actually pretty good! (I mean, "bacon!"... amiright!) I'm looking forward to giving this a try on a plank in front of a fire!

Another excellent video!! Thanks, gents!!!

[Pritchett Ball]

Re: CWDD: Cornmeal Hoecakes

March 31, 1863:
Our bread is usually corn meal, and we mix it up with water and bake it on clap-boards set up before a fire, johny-cake fashion. Then we have flour we mix up a stiff dough and wrap it round the ramrods of our guns, and bake it also before the fire, turning the ramrod continually until the bread is a beautiful brown. We cook our meat in the same manner, or on the coals, or on a stick drove in the ground before the fire. The clap-board is our most important utensil when we have corn-meal and we usually find them where people live. There is no better corn bread to be made than johnny-cake.

William E. Sloan, Co.D 5th Tennessee Cav. CSA

[Scott Sheets]

Re: CWDD: Cornmeal Hoecakes

I did this accidentally at Picket Post. I got frustrated trying to make them in my canteen half. I tossed the rest of the mixture in the fire in anger. In the morning I had a nice biscuit sitting on a log.

[LibertyHallVols]

Re: CWDD: Cornmeal Hoecakes

I did this accidentally at Picket Post. I got frustrated trying to make them in my canteen half. I tossed the rest of the mixture in the fire in anger. In the morning I had a nice biscuit sitting on a log.

Now there's a happy accident, if ever I've seen one!