SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) — The recipe that has been lost through time is used by survivalists and backpackers around the nation, pemmican, which could come in handy in dire situations.
Created by Native American Tribes in the United States and Canada and adopted by European settlers and Fur Traders, this primitive protein bar is suited for long travel.
Easy to store, filling, long-lasting and nutritious; pemmican, dried ground meat with animal fat either from deer or elk and dried berries for sweetness and carbs, has a similar taste to beef jerky.
Whether you find yourself lost on a camping trip or at the end of the world this meat solution could be your key to survival.
Ingredients:
- Choice of meat
- Choice of fruits and berries
- Animal fat or lard
Tools:
- Dehydrator or oven
- Mixing bowl
- Grinding tool
- Plastic bag
- Parchment paper
The 7-step recipe:
*Recipe from Masterclass
- Choose the meat and berries
Meat: Preferably from hardy animals, can be from any part of the body (heart, kidney, liver, muscle, etc.) as long as the meat is dried.
Berries: Blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, raisins, etc. any berries high in fiber and carbohydrates (sugars). Peanut butter and nuts are also beneficial to add.
2. Dehydration and preparation
Cut lead meats into strips, slice berries in half and place any fat into a separate mixing bowl on the side.
Place food into a dehydrator or oven for several hours until completely dried out.
3. Grind meat and berries
Once fully dried, use a meat processor, a meat grinder or your hands and grind them together until it is as fine as powder.
4. Strain the fat
Boil the fat or lard in the mixing bowl until the chunks are crispy. Strain out the chunks until what’s left is melted fat juice.
If you like you, can add ingredients like coconut oil to the juice as well.
5. Mix all together
In a mixing bowl, add equal parts of the dried portion and liquid portion until clumped together and place on a baking sheet, repeat until all ingredients are mixed.
6. Cool Pemmican
Let your pemmican blocks sit and cool for several hours as they coagulate and harden.
7. Storage
Make sure to store your pemmican in a plastic bag in a cool dark place (bug-out-bag, box, backpack, etc.), you could also vacuum seal the pemmican but it is not necessary.
To keep them from sticking together, wrap pemmican pieces in parchment paper.
If stored properly, pemmican can last from 3 to 5 years.
Here are additional videos on how to make pemmican:
- PEMMICAN — the original survival food — Recipe & Taste Test by emmymade
- Making Pemmican – The Ultimate Survival Food by 2 Guys & A Cooler
- Pemmican: The Original Survival Food | Ancient Recipes With Sohla by HISTORY
- Pemmican – The Ultimate DIY SURVIVAL FOOD! by Clay Hayes
