10 Pilot Biscuits (Read 21612 times)
monjon
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Pilot Biscuits
Nov 17th, 2008 at 5:21pm
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Next summer I am planning to go on a 15 day trip.  I'm thinking that's a lot of bread for  PB & J lunches.  Way back in the last 80's I remember having pilot crackers(biscuits).  Thought that might be an alternative to bread or boxes of saltines (less bulky  ? ).  Thinking of weight too.

Anyone had them lately?  Tasty?  What's been your experience?

Thanks
  
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Ranger
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Re: Pilot Biscuits
Reply #1 - Nov 17th, 2008 at 9:29pm
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I know that Canoe Canada uses them as a part of one of their lunches in their meal plan. I'm not sure where they get them from though. My recollection is that they're kind of dry and bland... You might think about using bread for the first week, and then switching to these when the bread runs out. Or maybe look into flatbreads, like what gyros come in. Maybe if you vacuum-sealed some they might hold up better and last longer.
  
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solotripper
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Re: Pilot Biscuits
Reply #2 - Nov 17th, 2008 at 11:30pm
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 When I was in the service (ARMY), we had what they called survival biscuits/hardtack or "pilot biscuits" in some field rations.
  I remember that they were shelf stable, but hard as rocks and tasteless.  That was in the late 60's, so maybe the newer versions are better?
 I found these by Rich-moor, at the Campmor web site. I guess you could order a few different brands and do a taste test before you go.

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These come 16 to a 7.5 oz bag, so depending on size of biscuit, I'm thinking you'd eat at least 2 of them with condiments?
 I'm into the healthy eating thing, so the list of ingredients is a red flag for me, but everyone has different ideas on this.
 I think Ranger was on to something with the flat bread idea? Or to be more specific, how about Whole Wheat Flour Tortillas?
 I have some in my fridge, there salad plate size, very healthy and being stone ground whole wheat, there loaded with COMPLEX carbs for long term energy.
 Figuring one tortilla per person, with condiments, They might be worth a look? Being flat, they will pack well, keep there shape and last for a couple of weeks, unless there in high heat.
 I take these for lunch, I bring Venison sticks, one per tortilla and 2 small rounds of those wax covered cheeses, cut in half.
 Le us know how your biscuit tests come out. Hopefully there better than I remember Grin
  
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solotripper
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Re: Pilot Biscuits
Reply #3 - Nov 17th, 2008 at 11:43pm
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  I found this recipe in my old backpacking recipies. Never tried it, but sounds better than the store bought ones. Looks like a winter afternoon's project.

Hardtack Recipe:

3 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup whole wheat flour 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal 1/2` cup cracked wheat 1 tablespoon sugar 1 tablespoon salt 1 3/4 cups buttermilk

Combine flours, cornmeal, wheat, sugar and salt. Add buttermilk, mix well, and knead briefly. Shape dough into golf-ball-sized portions. Dust with flour and roll very thin. Place on greased and floured baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees, turning several times, until lightly browned on both sides. Cool; then store in waterproof container. Keep from moisture. This makes about twenty four 3 1/2 inch crackers. My last batch took about 24 minutes, turning 4 times for each of the two oven loads.
  
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Drewfus
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Re: Pilot Biscuits
Reply #4 - Nov 18th, 2008 at 2:59am
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I too have had pilot biscuits AKA hardtack in MRE's (solo, things apparently haven't changed much since the 60s) They are terrible. Original hardtack was designed to be soaked in grog (rum cut 50/50 w/water) to soften it up so keep that in mind while ingesting them. I'd suggest soft taco shells or pita bread. Keep in an air tight container and you should be good for 15 days, just make sure its the last item you buy and make sure it has an expiration date close to your 15th day (or beyond, I dont really know how far out they put expiration dates on bread).

Another thought is bringing bisquik type baking flour to make breadish food for pb&j....not sure what the weight to produced product is on that, but it might be worth looking into
  
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monjon
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Re: Pilot Biscuits
Reply #5 - Nov 18th, 2008 at 2:29pm
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Thanks guys for the info.  I needed to know that pilot biscuit have little to no taste. I hadn't thought of pita bread.  My brother is a big eater so that might work better than tortillas.  I' think I'll try to stretch 2 loafs of bread for 6  or 7 days and vacuum pack pita for the rest of the trip.

Solo, thanks for the recipe.  Might try that at home first.
  
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solotripper
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Re: Pilot Biscuits
Reply #6 - Nov 18th, 2008 at 4:29pm
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Monjon,
Your very welcome!
I take 2 pkg of either the Tortillas/Whole Wheat Pita/Whole Wheat Wrap Bread ( very thin like tortilla) for 2 week trip, 1 piece per day.
They usually come about 8 per pkg. In Mid-May when I normally go, they stay good for 4-5 days once open and if kept as cool as possible.
After that they get a few green spots, which I tell myself is penicillin, and I eat them anyway Grin
 So, I would take Drewfus's idea about the expiration date, PLUS I would repackage the bread in a vacuum seal bag, say 4-5 days worth for the two of you. I use plastic Sterilite boxes in my food pack, and so I made a protective cover for the round flat breads. I took 2 pieces of flat cardboard and duct tape 3 sides and put the bread in. I then stand the cardboard on end and on the outside of box. This keeps them from getting mashed.

Drefus:  Knowing the government, and the shelf life of Hardtack, I would be surprised if the stuff you had in your MRE's WAS from the 60's Cry  In the 60's with the Vietnam war raging, they tried to keep cost's down.  2x a week we had WW2 era K rations made into cafeteria lunch!  They took the condiment packages and put them out on a table for anyone too take.  Everybody smoked in the WW2 era, so they had a 4 pack of cigarettes in the K rations.  I smoked for a couple of years while in the service, as most of the guys did. These 4 packs of cigarettes were Lucky Strike GREEN and were non -filtered ! Not only were they 20+ years old, they were so STRONG, we smoked them to get a nicotine BUZZ Grin  If you were man enough to smoke them, you were man enough for just about anything!
  
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Mk631
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Re: Pilot Biscuits
Reply #7 - Nov 18th, 2008 at 5:09pm
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Ranger wrote on Nov 17th, 2008 at 9:29pm:
I know that Canoe Canada uses them as a part of one of their lunches ....
Here's the kids reaction to the Canoe Canada version of Pilot Biscuits that Ranger mentions.
I thought they were fine along with the cheese spread that came with them, but as you can see, 2 of the 3 in the picture seemed to think otherwise!
This year they were different from the ones CC used to provide.  Similar, but rectangular whereas the old ones were smaller, round, lighter colored and had a bit more taste.
-Tom
  
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solotripper
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Re: Pilot Biscuits
Reply #8 - Nov 18th, 2008 at 8:52pm
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That picture says it all Grin
Maybe this is why the original hardtack was soaked in Grog, that made them at least palatable.
  
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jjcanoeguide
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Re: Pilot Biscuits
Reply #9 - Nov 18th, 2008 at 9:37pm
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monjon wrote on Nov 18th, 2008 at 2:29pm:
...I' think I'll try to stretch 2 loafs of bread for 6  or 7 days and vacuum pack pita for the rest of the trip.


Monjon,

I really like to vacuum pack meals, but have found that a pack of pita or tortillas will become a single dough lump if vacuumed.  You could try wax paper between each pita.  I've never had much luck with pita lasting longer than 2 or 3 days without getting very moldy.  For a 15 day trip, I'd have to recommend bannock (search for recipes in this forum).
  
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