Cook Like a Pirate

Avast, me hearties.  What say we look into the past, and see if there is anything there to scrounge up for dinner?  Although we might have visions of handsome movie pirates (or baseball players) in mind, your real buccaneer was probably rather different.  What did the historical pirate and privateer guys eat to keep them full and pillaging on the high seas?

Well, they probably didn’t always eat delicacies.  Perhaps if they found a nice rich ship or a prosperous town to plunder, the living might be good for a while.  But generally, they were probably eating what kept them alive.  Life aboard was difficult in those days, supplies were limited, and as for freshness—forget about it.  So, what might you find in a pirate’s pantry?

Well, first of all, you would probably find hardtack.  This is a heavy biscuit made of flour, water, and maybe salt, that was the mainstay of maritime meals.  It was pretty notorious for its hardness, dryness, and (possibly) lots of weevils for extra protein.  Pirates often dunked it in liquid to soften it up enough to eat.

Then there was salted meat.  With no refrigerators, meat had to be salted to keep it from spoiling.  Beef and pork were probably the most common, though over time, they might get pretty tough.  Other foods pickled in brine (like sauerkraut) were also good for traveling.   Dried beans and peas are still easy to store, and they are filling enough to keep a pirate on his (or her) legs.  These legumes are especially good for protein and fiber, and they were probably used in stews.

Since water turned stagnant on those long voyages, beer and grog (a mix of rum, water, sugar, and maybe lime) were drunk instead.  Hopefully, the lime would keep the scurvy away, and this was a good excuse for drinking lots of grog.  Fish were a tasty addition, and sea turtles were especially prized for their flavor and fat content.

Your average pirate’s diet was far from glamorous—but it was thrifty, built for endurance, and probably fairly similar to what other sea-soldiers ate.

Now, should we want to eat like this today, certain adjustments might be useful.  We can make hardtack, and here is a recipe:

2 c. all-purpose flour
½ t. salt
½ c. water
1 T. olive oil
½ t. herbs of your choice, optional
½ c. weevils, also optional

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  In a large bowl, combine flour, and salt.  Add the water and oil ad mix until it becomes a dough.  Then knead it until it is smooth.  Divide the dough into 8 pieces, and roll each into a thin circle.

Poke the dough all over with the tines of a fork to let the steam out.  Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and bake 45 minutes until done.  Let cool completely.  You can serve this with cheese, and it can go nicely with your pirate stew of dried beans, carrots, onions and salted pork (or bacon). 

Add sea shanties to your soundtrack, light a candle in a rum bottle, break out the grog and you are all set.