Newsletter

Topic:  PEMMICAN

  Pemmican is a combination of ingredients that offer a very good and long lasting food source.  There are many recipes for pemmican, but the original, and still the best, was used by Native Americans for generations.  To make real pemmican you need to start with very dry jerky, rendered fat, and dried blueberries, blackberries or raspberries.  First step is to render the fat; this is very easy to do.  Cut fat into small pieces and heat in a skillet until juice is released from the fat. Discard the chunks.  Pour the rendered fat juice into glass jar and let cool for later use.  Second step is to use beef or deer jerky, or any lean meat such as elk, moose, bear etc.  The meat should be very dry.  Begin by cutting the dry jerky into small pieces and pound until thoroughly pulverized.  Next put pulverized jerky into a bowl.  Now mix in the rendered fat using even proportions of jerky with the rendered fat juice.  Be sure to mix thoroughly.  This mixture should have the consistency of sausage.  If not, add dried jerky until the mixture takes on the feel that you would like.  Now you can add dried berries at this point if so desired.  Be sure to mix berries in well, always making sure to maintain sausage consistency.  After taking on the texture that you prefer, roll into small balls about the size of large marbles.  This is a high level and nutritious food.  The Native Americans would use Pemmican as a long lasting and nutritious staple on long hunting trips and war parties. Be sure to store in plastic baggies and freeze until needed. 

A modern day version of an old recipe that some may find a little more palatable:

5 oz. dried, crushed beef
1 1/2 cups of raisins
1 3/4 cups of chopped nuts, peanuts, cashews, or nuts of your choice
1 cup of dried fruits--apples, peaches, dates, apricots, or whatever you want
2 1/2 Tbsp. honey
2 Tbsp. peanut butter

Put dried, crushed beef in mixing bowl.  Add raisin, nuts, and fruits.  Mix well.  In sauce pan, slowly heat honey and peanut butter until the melt together.  Stir.  Mix with dry ingredients in the bowl.  Roll into balls.  Put into baggie.