was very little food to eat. Many times this soup was more like broth because bone soup was only prepared when there was no meat or nourishment left to eat. A type of last resort so to speak. Even birds that landed on the deck was fair game during scarce times. The bird would be caught, tossed in a pot and cooked. Bones and all.
Bones from other animal carcases that may have died on the ship; who's bones were piled up (such as cow, pigs, chickens) or fish bones from fish that were caught. These bones were used to boil along with anything else they had on hand. Many times this soup was very thin and it was drank instead of eaten on a plate. History tells us that pirates rarely used forks or spoons. They used mugs and their hands. They did always have knives but during scarce times they were never needed as a eating utensil.
Bone Soup has been in our history for many years. It was also considered a healing potion that started many many years ago by witches of the day & healers. It continues to be popular even today. Today it is still considered a healing meal by holistic medicine.
There is a big difference between Pirate Bone Soup and Healing Bone Soup. Pirates used the bones from spoiled and rotten meat that could make you sick. Healing Bone Soup was made from fresh bones and healing herbs. Today it is still considered a healing meal by holistic medicine.
Neat Pirate Food Facts:
History (at least one version) tells us that Charlotte de Berry’s crew ran out of food and purportedly ate two slaves and her husband to sustain them. In 1670, Sir Henry Morgan’s crew ate their leather satchels. They recommended cutting the leather into strips. After soaking these, they tenderized them by beating and rubbing the leather with stones. They scraped off the hair, then roasted or grilled the strips before cutting them into bite-size pieces. The recipe suggested serving them with a lot of water.
In the Caribbean, they also caught turtle for fresh meat. Sea turtles were easily snared on land and were kept alive in the ship’s hold until needed. Their soft-shelled eggs were a popular delicacy.
Hard Tack eaten with soup
Hard Tack is similar to the modern day cracker except it was made thicker and usually baked longer. Sometimes it was baked more than once if it was going to be stored for rations for pirates that were sailing on the seas of adventure.
Hard Tack or (better know as Sea Biscuits by sea goers), was used during long sea voyages and eaten along side of stews & soups (like Bone Soup). Sea Biscuits were usually dunked in water, brine, coffee, broth (or some other liquid) ; floated on top of soup so it could soak up the liquid of the soup.
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When food was scarce:
Pirates resorted to desperate measures to stay alive when food was scarce. Bone Soup was one of the meals they ate when times got tough, (if the ship had a way to boil food.)
What was Pirate Bone Soup?
Bone Soup was a soup that was drank by sea pirates and made from animal bones and fish bones that were slowly simmered when there