What did the European miners eat?

Answer 1

California gold miners didn't eat "in the mines" they ate at their camp. Usually it was very simple food since everything was cooked over a campfire. Pancakes were popular, eggs (though they could be expensive in the camps), beans, hardtack, (thick, stone hard crackers) coffee was popular, dried peas, chicken, rabbit, and a steak if they found gold. It was a rough life and often the men were sick, wet, and dirty. Bread was an important staple in any miners diet. It was cheap, and easy to make. Many miners cooked their food, and even baked bread in a "Dutch Oven", a large, cast iron pot with a tight fitting lid. They first made their own yeast by allowing flour and water to ferment in a warm place, this was the "starter" for sour dough bread, biscuits, pancakes and more. When the starter was mature, they would take a scoop out, add flour and make the bread dough. They let it rise in the dutch oven near the fire while they slept. In the morning they would dig a hole next to the fire, put hot coals into it, put the dutch oven in, add more coals, and cover it over with dirt and go off to their mine to work. When they came back to camp at the end of the day, the bread was baked and ready to eat.

Answer 2

Miners used to pack fruit, cheese and meat for their lunch. Some brought Sandwiches or leftovers from the night before.

Answer 3

The Chinese diggers ate rice, and they also farmed their own vegetables. Most likely they paid for meat products or even raised some of their own livestock.

Answer 4

Salted pork coffe beans flour and rice