what is beef pemmican

Full Answer

What does pemmican taste like?

What are the steps in the process of making pemmican?

1. Render the Suet. …
2. Blend Other Ingredients. …
3. Strain the Tallow. …
4. Add Tallow to Dry Mixture. …
5. Pack and Cool the Pemmican.

How to make pemmican at home?

How to Make Pemmican. Cut off as much of the fat on the meat as possible, and then slice it as thinly as possible. Now it’s time to dry the meat. A dehydrator or oven works fine for this. Place the sliced meat on a drying rack in the sunlight or on your oven rack with the oven set at the lowest setting possible.

Where to buy pemmican?

Pemmican is the answer for the question of where to buy organic beef jerky, but a jerky is only as good as its flavors. Thankfully, we’ve got great ones. You’ll find Pemmican Organic Beef Jerky in our three most popular flavors: Original, Peppered and Teriyaki.

How do I make pemmican?

Part 3 Part 3 of 3: Assembling the Pemmican Download Article

1. Stir the rendered fat into the powdered ingredients. Once the rendered fat is warm, stir it into the bowl with the powdered berries and meat or fish.
2. Season the pemmican, if desired. Since pemmican is traditionally made for its nutritional and storage qualities, it's not heavily flavored.
3. Wrap the pemmican in plastic wrap. ...

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What does pemmican taste like?

Although it depends on the recipe, pemmican typically tastes like greasy beef jerky.

What is pemmican and why is it important?

Pemmican (also pemican in older sources) is a mixture of tallow, dried meat, and sometimes dried berries. A calorie-rich food, it can be used as a key component in prepared meals or eaten raw. Historically, it was an important part of indigenous cuisine in certain parts of North America and it is still prepared today.

Is pemmican and jerky the same thing?

While jerky and biltong—which are other types of dried meats—are also popular in the non-perishable food world, what makes Pemmican unique is the inclusion of tallow, a rendered animal fat. Tallow exponentially enhances the food's caloric and nutrient density.

How is pemmican eaten?

Pemmican could be eaten when other foods were scarce, it could be used to stretch a meal, or it could be eaten on its own just like a block of fatty jerky – a great, portable source of food energy on long hunts or while doing any task where energy was needed.

Why was pemmican banned?

The Red River Colony imposed on that economic order and, when famine threatened the settlement in mid-winter 1814, Governor Miles Macdonnell (1767-1828) issued what became known as the Pemmican Proclamation. This law was meant to stop the export of pemmican to NWC forts in the West and retain it for the HBC settlers.

How long can you eat pemmican?

Because the lean, dried meat is powdered prior to adding animal fat, the fat coats every particle of meat. Modern accounts indicate pemmican can last up to five years, but some reports indicate under certain conditions it has lasted for over 30 years .

How do you make pemmican taste good?

0:378:35How to Make Pemmican (that Actually Tastes Good) - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipWe're gonna put it in a little bit of honey not too much a little bit yeah a little honey just toMoreWe're gonna put it in a little bit of honey not too much a little bit yeah a little honey just to give it something.

What do you do with pemmican?

0:0610:40Making Pemmican - The Ultimate Survival Food - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSurvival. Food simply because it packs a lot of calories. It doesn't need to be refrigerated. And itMoreSurvival. Food simply because it packs a lot of calories. It doesn't need to be refrigerated. And it doesn't weigh a whole lot pemmican is a food item that has a heavy concentration. Of protein.

Does pemmican need to be refrigerated?

The best way is to wrap it in tin foil, place it in a sealable plastic bag, and keep it at room temperature in a dark, dry place. You can also refrigerate the pemmican if you want it chilled, but you will have to check on it occasionally to make sure there isn't any moisture on it which will cause it to spoil.

Why was pemmican so valuable?

It was a useful source of nutrition after the hunting season ended because, if preserved properly, it would not spoil for months or even years after it was made.

What meat do you use for pemmican?

Pemmican consists of lean, dried meat – usually beef nowadays, but bison, deer, and elk were common back in the day) which is crushed to a powder and mixed with an equal amount of hot, rendered fat, usually beef tallow. Sometimes crushed, dried berries are added as well.

What cut of meat is best for pemmican?

Meat: Beef or bison. Grass-fed only. Round is a good cut.

What is pemmican made out of?

pemmican, dried meat, traditionally bison (moose, caribou, deer, or beef can be used as well), pounded into coarse powder and mixed with an equal amount of melted fat, and occasionally saskatoon berries, cranberries, and even (for special occasions) cherries, currants, chokeberries, or blueberries.

Can you live off of beef jerky?

Feeding the entire planet on beef jerky for a year would require 15x the current number of cows alive on Earth. This is partially because jerky is such a dense preparation of beef. One could theoretically survive for an extended period on jerky alone.

What is the difference between biltong and jerky?

Jerky is cut very thin and cooked on a rack at a low temperature to slowly dehydrate and cook the meat. While biltong is cured and marinated for 24 hours and then hung on hooks to air dry for up to a week. It is left in thicker pieces and left to dry out slowly before slicing to the desired size.

Can pemmican be made with pork?

Some recipes add some flour into the mix or nuts but the basic mix is meat, fruit, and fat. Venison or bear were the more common meat choices for pemmican in the past but you can use any red meat. Pork and poultry is not recommended because it spoils more readily than red meats.

What Is Pemmican?

A unique blend of fat and protein, the name of this lightweight backpacking food comes from the Cree word pimîhkân, part of which means “fat.” Many cultures worldwide eat dried strips of beef, whether it’s caribou, reindeer, moose, elk, deer or cattle.

Types of Pemmican

Much like your grandmother’s favorite cookie recipe, there are thousands of variations for making pemmican. The fat and protein have to have a one-to-one ratio for preservation to take place. Some pemmican has a two-to-one ratio of fat to protein, perfect for a carnivore’s diet and to keep you going on the long haul.

How Do You Make Pemmican?

If you want to try your hand at making this ingenious and nutrient-packed foodstuff, you have to know how to dehydrate food. The only two requirements to make pemmican are fat and meat in a one-to-one ratio.

Ingredients

Traditionally, the specific ingredients used for pemmican were usually whatever was available. The dried meat is often in the form of large game meat such as bison, deer, elk, or moose, but the use of fish such as salmon, and smaller game such as duck, is not uncommon. The meats used in contemporary pemmican also include beef.

Traditional preparation

Traditionally, pemmican was prepared from the lean meat of large game such as bison, elk, deer, or moose. The meat was cut in thin slices and dried, either over a slow fire or in the hot sun until it was hard and brittle. Approximately 5 pounds (2,300 g) of meat are required to make 1 pound (450 g) of dried meat suitable for pemmican.

Serving

In his notes of 1874, North-West Mounted Police Sergeant-Major Sam Steele recorded three ways of serving pemmican: raw, boiled in a stew called " rubaboo ", or fried, known in the West as a "rechaud":

History

The voyageurs of the Canadian fur trade had no time to live off the land during the short season when the lakes and rivers were free of ice. They had to carry all of their food with them if the distance traveled was too great to be resupplied along the way.

Contemporary uses

Today, people in many indigenous communities across North America continue to make pemmican for personal, community, and ceremonial consumption. Some contemporary pemmican recipes incorporate ingredients that have been introduced to the Americas in the past 500 years, including beef.

What Is Pemmican?

Pemmican is a meat and fat mixture made from a variety of meats like wild game. It’s a densely packed mixture of fat and protein and has an insanely long shelf life. It’s a great way to prepare any leftover game meat or groceries, and it’s perfect if there’s a little bit of prepper in you.

What Does Pemmican Taste Like?

Although it depends on the recipe, pemmican typically tastes like greasy beef jerky.

How Long Will Pemmican Last?

When properly prepared, pemmican can last as long as five years. If you prepare pemmican properly and vacuum seal it, it can last a century or longer. Pemmican is the “original survival food.” It can last for years and contains fats, protein, salt, and sugar.

How Do You Make Pemmican?

Making pemmican is an involved process, but it pays off in the long run.

5 Reasons Campers Should Have Pemmican Around

Pemmican is an awesome food, and not just for preppers. It’s a great way to prepare leftover meat. Let’s see why.

Will You Make Pemmican a New RV Food Staple?

Pemmican isn’t just survival food. It’s seeing a renaissance today for a good reason. Even if you don’t eat it every day, it’s great to keep on hand for (hopefully unlikely) survival situations. Is the “original survival food” something you’d eat while traveling around in your RV?

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History

Peter Pond is credited with introducing this vital food to the trade in 1779, having obtained it from the Chipewyans in the Athabasca region. Later, posts along the Red, Assiniboine and North Saskatchewan Rivers were devoted to acquiring pemmican from Aboriginal peoples living in the region as well as the Métis.

Recipe

Pemmican can still be useful snack when exploring the backcountry, and it can be made in reasonable quantities and in a reasonable amount of time in a modern kitchen. While there are several variations on the dish — depending upon the meat used and what is being added — what follows is relatively standard.

What is Pemmican?

Pemmican consists of two fundamental ingredients — dried meat and tallow — and is used as a highly nutritious, on-the-go food staple. Spices can be and usually are added, while dried berries are sometimes a feature. It can be formed into any shape convenient for storage and consumption.

History of Pemmican

Pemmican has been used throughout history for many of the reasons it is beloved today.

What are the benefits of Pemmican?

Pemmican contains no inflammatory elements of any kind. As simply a meat and tallow item, there is only highly potent nutrition involved. Pemmican can be eaten ad libitum, though its caloric density is likely to fill you up faster than most anything else imaginable.

My Story with Pemmican

As a 30-year-old bachelor finishing up a PhD and launching a startup, convenient and robust ways of eating well are of high priority for me. A few months after transitioning from a general paleo-ish approach to a mostly carnivorous diet, I discovered pemmican and decided I wanted to make this for myself as a regular go-to.

About the Author

Jake Schuster is a Sports Scientist and Strength and Conditioning Coach based in Miami, Florida. He has worked with pro and Olympic athletes in 7 countries and is currently working towards a PhD in Biomechanics.

Recipe Note

Place your final product in the refrigerator. Technically speaking, Pemmican does not need to be refrigerated and as mentioned is shelf-stable for years, but I like my Pemmican cups refrigerated because the tallow hardens and reminds me of cupcake frosting.

How long will pemmican last?

Your Pemmican shelf life is a matter that’s up for debate and depends on how you make your recipe. Some people believe that a good pemmican recipe with properly prepared beef jerky can last for decades.

Can you live off pemmican?

Yes. Pemmican is a high protein food that also contains fats and dried berries. This is enough to help you survive a few days during an emergency before help arrives. Remember, you can survive for a limited time without carbohydrates, but the proteins and fat in Pemmican are critical.

What is the difference between pemmican and jerky?

Pemmican is a food that contains dried meat beaten into a paste and combined with rendered fat and berries. It’s then shaped to form small flat patties.

How to Make Pemmican at Home?

Perhaps the tiring part of making pemmican is waiting a long time for the ingredients in your recipe to cook and dry. When the food items you need are ready ,you only need a few minutes to add and mix everything.

Frequently Asked Questions

It has a pot roast (brown meat that’s cooked with veggies in a closed pot) taste.

Make some pemmican today!

The instructions in this food guide will help you learn how to make pemmican, the ultimate survival food, and maintain a long shelf life that allows you to store it for years.

The Origins of Pemmican

Pemmican is hundreds, if not thousands, of years old—no one knows for sure. This Native American food is a simple mixture of dried meat, fat, and sometimes berries.

Why Should I Make Pemmican?

Pemmican gives you energy like nothing else. The human body gets energy from fat, protein, and carbohydrates. Pemmican is practically pure protein and fat, so it gives you tons of energy for the volume of food. The high fat content of pemmican is especially nourishing.

So, What's the Best Recipe for Pemmican?

4 cups dried meat - depending on how lean it is, it can take 1 - 2 lbs. per cup. Use only deer, moose, caribou, or beef (not pork or bear). Get it as lean as possible and double ground from your butcher if you don't have a meat grinder. Spread it out very thinly in cookie sheets and dry at 180° overnight or until crispy and sinewy.

Overview

Ingredients

Traditional preparation

Serving

History

Contemporary uses

See also

External links