Traditional and Modern Pemmican Recipes

Ingredients

• 4 cup Lean meat (Deer, beef, caribou, or moose; double ground and dried until crispy)
• 3 cup Dried fruit (Ground but slightly lumpy for texture)
• 2 cup Rendered fat (Suet or tallow, heated until liquid)
• Unsalted nuts (Added to taste for texture)
• 1 shot Honey (Approximately 1.5 oz)
• 2 lb Dried beef (Dried until sinewy and crispy)
• 1.5 cup Raisins (Chopped to break them up)
• Beef suet (Melted to liquid; use just enough to hold the mixture together)
• Dried lean beef, buffalo, or venison (Ground into a powder)
• Seedless dried fruit (Chop or grind and add to meat)
• 2 cup Dates (Ground)
• 3 cup Powdered jerky (Or powdered tofu-jerky for vegetarian option)
• 2 cup Raisins (Ground)
• Honey (Binding agent; add as much as needed)
• 2 cup Nuts (Ground)

Steps

1. 1

   Prepare the meat by ensuring it is as lean as possible. If you do not have a meat grinder, have your butcher double ground it.

2. 2

   Spread the ground meat very thin on a cookie sheet and dry in the oven at 180°F (82°C) for at least 8 hours, or until it is sinewy and crispy.

3. 3

   Pound the dried meat into a nearly powder consistency using a blender or similar tool.

4. 4

   Grind the dried fruit, leaving it slightly lumpy if a textured consistency is desired.

5. 5

   Heat the rendered fat (suet or tallow) on the stove at medium heat until it is completely liquid. For better shelf life, strain out any solids, let it cool, then re-melt and strain a second time.

6. 6

   In a large bowl, combine the dried meat powder and ground fruit. Add any optional nuts or honey.

7. 7

   Pour the warm liquid fat into the meat and fruit mixture. Use just enough fat to hold the ingredients together; using warm fat allows for better mixing with less volume.

8. 8

   Mix everything thoroughly by hand.

9. 9

   Press the mixture into a pan or tin until about 3/4 inch thick. Alternatively, divide and shape into bars approximately 4 inches long by 1 inch wide.

10. 10

    Let the pemmican cool completely. If using a pan, refrigerate until firm before cutting into bars.

11. 11

    Wrap bars individually in wax paper or paper bags. Store in a cool, dry place; properly prepared pemmican can last for several years.

Notes

When rendering suet, be careful not to burn it or let it smoke. In warmer climates or during summer, use less fat to maintain stability; in winter or cold climates, use more fat for energy. For the vegetarian version (Recipe #4), honey is used as the binder, but can be replaced with suet in cold climates.

Nutrition per serving

• survival food
• pemmican
• high-protein
• shelf-stable
• native american
• dried meat
• snack
• camping